Dartmouth shelter The Bridge gets five-year lease extension

“The Bridge” is a former Dartmouth, N.S., hotel which is now leased by the province as a clinic and shelter. (CTV Atlantic)

A shelter in a former Dartmouth, N.S., hotel has gotten a five-year lease extension from the provincial government.

The Bridge, an integrated services shelter with on-site health support, will now have a lease that runs from April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2030, according to a news release from the provincial government.

The province is spending $26.1 million on the lease extension, food, security, on-site health and service providers.

“The Bridge is an innovative approach that offers people experiencing homelessness a safe place to recuperate when they’re well enough to be released from the hospital so they can fully recover and transition to permanent housing, said Michelle Thompson, minister of Health and Wellness, in the release.

The Bridge, which opened on Wyse Road on May 1, 2023, is a collaborative effort between the province, Adsum for Women and Children and Welcome Housing and Support Services.

So far, The Bridge has provided shelter for more than 400 people experiencing housing insecurity. Ninety-eight people have moved on to housing options, according to the province.

Nova Scotia now has 590 shelter beds across the province.

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