Plans underway to relocate downtown Sydney homeless shelter to new site near Open Hearth Park
Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Cecil Clarke says plans are advancing to move a homeless shelter from downtown Sydney to municipal land near Open Hearth Park, with the province funding a detailed design for a facility that will include wraparound health and addiction services.
Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Mayor Cecil Clarke has announced that plans are well underway to move a homeless shelter out of downtown Sydney. The new shelter is expected to be built on CBRM land along Ferry Street near Open Hearth Park. 
The Nova Scotia province is paying for a detailed design for the new building. According to Clarke, the planned facility will include wraparound services such as public health, mental health, and addictions support.
The relocation initiative follows an online petition started by resident Billy Quirk, who cited open drug use on the sidewalk outside the current Townsend Street facility as a safety concern for pedestrians and children. Nearly 1,000 people responded to the petition within two weeks of its launch. Within the first few days, nearly three-quarters of online comments favored moving the shelter, while thirty per cent of respondents expressed sympathy or denied there was a problem.
The current shelter provides nowhere for residents to go but the street after their night stay, lacking curbside services. This absence of post-stay support has perpetuated challenges for the vulnerable population and impacted the public and businesses in the downtown area.
The Cape Breton Community Housing Association operates the current shelter but has not responded to requests for comment. Nova Scotia's Department of Opportunities and Social Development funds the facility but was not immediately able to provide comment. 
While the municipality aims to address the street-level issues associated with the existing shelter, there are no talks about moving the Ally Centre of Cape Breton, a nearby harm reduction site. The Ally Centre remains in its current location because it falls under provincial responsibility.