Rising Tide gives up on medical clinic, focuses on more apartments with more support
CBC
Dale Hicks, chair of the Rising Tide Board, admits the past month has been frustrating.
Plans to build a combined medical clinic and 20-unit apartment building to serve the "hardest" cases in the city have been sidelined after losing the Salvus Clinic as a partner.
At a public update on Monday, Hicks said the not-for-profit is no longer focused on the medical clinic project and instead is trying to offer as much housing as possible, with as much support as possible.
By the end of March, Rising Tide will have 87 apartments for people experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence.
Rising Tide had provided housing for 74 people by the end of 2022, according to the update, with half of those residents coming from shelters.
Hicks said of that number, there's an eviction rate of just around 10 percent.
"Getting evicted from Rising Tide, I always say is something you really have to work at," he said.
"A lot of drug addiction" is a big part of the problem. "I don't know if I'd use the word shocked, but pretty close. The amount of drugs that are involved in this project with the individuals that we're trying to house, it's a big issue," Hicks said.
Since Rising Tide admitted its first tenants in December 2021, Hicks has learned that the higher the needs, the more support is needed to keep people housed.
"It's support services that make the difference," he said. "Rising Tide and community partners do have some level of support services, but they're not adequate enough to achieve the results that we hoped."
Progressive Conservative MLAs Daniel Allain and Greg Turner were at the Rising Tide update. Both pointed to the recent appointment of Jill Green as the minister responsible for housing as proof the government is taking the complex issues of homelessness and affordable housing seriously.
"We are working on it," said Allain. "Greater Moncton is on our radar."
Turner agreed that there is a great need for more mental health and addiction services and predicted there would be funding in Tuesday's budget.
"I think we'll see significant news in that department so it won't just be left up to the non-profits. Government will be doing their fair share of contributing to the needs of New Brunswickers."
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
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