N.S. premier calls some of new Halifax encampment sites ‘completely nuts’

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he nearly “fell off his chair” after learning that Halifax’s council was planning to establish designated homeless encampments in historic parks such as the Halifax Common and Point Pleasant Park.

During a media availability following a cabinet meeting on Thursday, Houston said his provincial government had previously proposed about “40 sites” to the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

“I thought it was completely nuts, some of the sites they have been putting forward,” he said to reporters.

“The designation of some of these sites is just really hard to get the head around — how the HRM council could think these would be appropriate sites and the impact they would have on communities.”

In an emailed statement to Global News, Nova Scotia’s Department of Community Services (DCS) elaborated further on Houston’s comments regarding the province’s proposed site locations to the HRM.

“DCS staff and partners have looked at 49 sites in HRM to see what sites could work for Pallet villages,” said DCS spokesperson Christina Deveau, adding that the “40 sites” referenced by the premier were potential locations being considered for Pallet shelter communities.

“The Province does not have any involvement or input into encampment locations.”

There are currently 19 single-unit Pallet shelters operating in Lower Sackville for people experiencing homelessness and 96 other units “in progress” in three separate communities across the province.

“The other units are in various stages of deployment, and we hope to have more information to share in the coming weeks,” Deveau said.

The nine new encampment locations, presented by city staff to Halifax councillors on Tuesday, include seven on the Halifax peninsula,