N.S. shelters trying to help people experiencing homelessness amid snowstorm

With more snow on the way, local shelters remain open and full to capacity.

As temperatures continue to drop and snow piles up, most homeless shelters across Nova Scotia are operating at full capacity.

Just in time for Monday’s storm, the Soul’s Harbour Rescue men’s shelter in Dartmouth has expanded.

“The province just recently, two days ago, approved that we can expand to 44 beds. So, we have added 11 beds, over 30 per cent, and we are already getting demand and people coming in off the street. We are so glad we can actually say yes,” says manager Eddie Setera.

The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) says their outreach teams were out over the weekend, checking on people experiencing homelessness.

“The municipality’s After-Hours Individualized Mobile Engagement team (AIM), through Souls Harbour Rescue Mission, connected with known individuals to share timely information about when and where indoor accommodations were available,” says public affairs advisor Laura Wright.

“Part of the work that we do through the program, and this is done in communities across the province with our partners, is that they do have outreach funding. We have different outreach teams in Sydney and HRM, Truro, New Glasgow, Bridgewater, Kentville, for example. They would be going out, they know where most people are located, they are making sure they have an opportunity and provided support to come inside,” says Jaime Smith, homelessness and supportive housing executive director with the Nova Scotia government.

“We have nine different operators in the province, and we are fortunate that almost all of those can open up additional beds. So, whether you are in New Glasgow, Sydney for example or in the HRM, there is an availability there to increase the number of beds and have people come inside.”

The team at the Soul’s Harbour Rescue Mission men’s shelter says with 44 beds, they are already close to that capacity and limited by the space they have. They hope they can expand again by next year.

“If anybody comes into our shelter, we are going to do everything possible to make sure they have some place to stay. We will call the other shelters, we will call the Salvation Army, 902 Man Up, and Beacon House. We will call all the different ones that are available and will just pound the phones and they can stay inside while they wait. We do the best we can, unfortunately a lot of them are full,” says Setera.

“Multiple shelters across the municipality have increased capacity to ensure additional emergency beds are available,” says Wright.

Currently the province says there are up to about 60 people living in designated and undesignated encampments in the HRM.

“In terms of folks experiencing unsheltered homelessness, there are 23 to 25 folks that were in designated encampments and approximately 30 to 35 in undesignated in HRM and 30 folks in unsheltered locations in the remainder of the province,” says Smith.

The municipality says that during extreme weather conditions, various shelters open both day and night. The goal is to ensure continuous access to indoor spaces for those who need it.

“We can increase the number of beds so we add to that 420 and 157, for example we have 37 additional beds that will open in HRM and 30 outsides of HRM,” says Smith.

Since 2024, the province has opened 67 new temporary shelter beds.

“We do have food available at all of those shelter locations, and in those instances, people can come in to have something warm, a cup of tea, a cup of coffee, get a snack or have some additional food as well,” says Smith.

“A lot of people are around looking for food. A lot of places are closed but I have been here for 10 minutes and already three people have come looking for food,” says Christine Nottegar, a volunteer with the Dartmouth Community Fridge.

January is a tough month in general for donations at the Dartmouth Community Fridge, as it’s often empty and weather like this makes it more challenging. But the need isn’t going anywhere.

Volunteers were there Monday afternoon to fill it with milk and groceries, but donations are still needed.

“For the pantry like cereal and granola bars, those things. Anything that people have like cans that would freeze if they could just pop those in the fridge,” says Nottegar.

HRM says AIM is available during these extreme conditions.

“The AIM team is able to provide transportation to shelters as needed and is equipped with hot beverages, sheltering supplies, and winter essentials such as hats, gloves, and blankets to support individuals who may remain outdoors during extreme cold conditions,” says Wright.

Anyone experiencing homelessness or needing assistance accessing a shelter can contact 211.

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