Amherst Council Asks Nova Scotia for Immediate Oversight of Emergency Shelter Amid Relocation Debate
The Town of Amherst council voted Monday evening to request that the province provide immediate operational oversight of the emergency shelter on Prince Arthur Street and to ask for its relocation. The decision follows competing petitions from residents over concerns about drug use and public safety, with a final location decision expected after a public hearing in March.
The Town of Amherst council voted Monday evening to ask the Nova Scotia government to immediately provide operational oversight of the town's emergency shelter and to request its relocation.
The shelter, located on Prince Arthur Street, is operated by the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association. Council originally voted to ask the mayor to write a letter to the ministers of Community Services and Health and Wellness requesting that the facility be moved. However, Coun. Hal Davidson amended the motion to also include a request for immediate provincial operational oversight to ensure the shelter functions properly while its future location remains under review.
The decision followed community debate over the shelter's current site. Last month, a petition bearing 337 signatures from town and county residents was presented to council calling for the shelter to be moved due to concerns about increased drug use and discarded drug paraphernalia in public spaces. A counter-petition supporting the downtown shelter location gathered 288 signatures from town and county residents.
A final decision on the shelter's placement will follow a public hearing scheduled for March. During that hearing, council will review the municipal planning strategy and land-use bylaw to determine where new emergency shelters and supervised consumption sites could be located.