Action promised on crime, drug worries in Moncton neighbourhood

Moncton officials promised to act on 22 recommendations stemming from a series of community meetings on crime, drug use and homelessness in the city's west end neighbourhood.

The list was outlined Thursday evening at Harrison Trimble High School following three other meetings in which residents aired concerns about crime, drug use and homelessness. 

Many of the items focus on increased policing and enforcement, including clearing tent sites of homeless people within three days of being reported to the city.

"I want to say that I heard you and that council heard you," Mayor Dawn Arnold told the crowd of about 80 people. "We empathize with your frustrations and support your willingness to find solutions."

The meeting was attended by senior Codiac Regional RCMP members, 10 of the 11 members of city council, several city staff members and Moncton South PC MLA Greg Turner.

The meetings followed a petition started by Kim Christie-Gallant, who told reporters after Thursday's meeting she was happy council and the RCMP recognize there's a problem. However, she said she was looking for timelines with the recommendations. 

"So as of right now, it's still promises," Christie-Gallant told reporters. "And political promises sometimes follow through, sometimes don't."

Dereck Slattery, who made a presentation to city council in 2021 calling for action, attended Thursday's meeting and said in an interview that residents are "sick of talk."

"A lot of the residents are getting to almost a boiling point with things, where, if they have to be confronting these people on their own, it's going to put people in very, very dangerous positions," Slattery said. "So this stuff needs to be acted on right now."

A series of similar meetings about similar issues took place in 2019. Some of the recommendations echo those issued last year by a task force created by the business community. Asked what would be different this time, Arnold told reporters the city is taking it "very seriously."

"This is a top priority," she said. "You saw all of council here tonight, and this is this is something that needs to be fixed and we're on it."

Some items require increased spending. People at the meeting were told the costs were being analyzed, and some recommendations may not be implemented until next year. Arnold said the city has a $6 million operating budget reserve account, though around a quarter of it has already been spent on extra snow clearing costs.

Mike Randall, co-owner of a communications firm and co-chair of the city's homelessness steering committee, read out the recommendations and spoke about some of the work already underway to address them. 

Randall said the provincial cabinet is awaiting a report on the Saint John mental health court due later this month to weigh creating a similar court in Moncton that's been sought for years.