Municipal statement regarding Geary Street green space de-designation
Today, the Halifax Regional Municipality is closing and de-designating the Geary Street green space and notices have been issued to those sheltering at this site. Individuals will have until Sunday, June 22 to relocate to an indoor option or, if necessary, to another of the municipality’s designated locations. A copy of the notice is available here.
Currently, there are several available spaces within multiple provincial indoor shelters and temporary housing. As a result, the municipality has directed that people sheltering at the Geary Street green space vacate this location. Over the past three years, this site has consistently had fewer individuals sleeping rough and has also recorded the lowest usage among designated locations in recent months.
During this approximately three-week period, those currently sleeping rough at this location will also be offered resources and supports, including transportation of people and their belongings to provincially funded indoor shelter and housing options, or to other municipal designated locations. Temporary storage of belongings will also be offered by the municipality.
Provincial service providers will be working with those sleeping rough to determine which provincial indoor shelter or housing options are appropriate for them.
Supporting people sleeping rough in designated locations
As of May 23, municipal housing and homelessness staff determined that there were 51 tents and four trailers in the municipality’s remaining designated locations. From the outset, the municipality has been clear that the creation of designated locations would be temporary. They were established in July 2022 to address an immediate need to ensure people had a location to go to if they had no other option but to sleep rough.
The municipality is constantly assessing the need for designated locations. As more indoor shelter spaces and supportive housing options become available, more municipal designated locations will be closed, de-designated and returned to their intended purposes as spaces for everyone.
The municipality remains committed to ensuring those sleeping rough are provided with better alternatives, working toward having safer, long-term housing options for everyone who needs them.
Indoor shelter and housing options
The Province of Nova Scotia has provided funding and other supports to a number of indoor shelters and housing options. More information on these options is available on the provincial webpage here.
For more information about ongoing efforts by the municipality to help address homelessness in our region, visit: halifax.ca/addressinghomelessness.
Updates on the status of Geary Street green space will continue to be provided as needed.
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