St. Stephen homeless shelter under investigation by province's SCAN unit
CBC
The Department of Justice and Public Safety has issued a warning to a homeless shelter in St. Stephen over suspected illegal drug activity.
The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods unit, known as SCAN, issued the "community safety warning" to Neighbourhood Works, the local non-profit that owns and operates The Lodge-Homeless Hub, on March 24, said spokesperson Geoffrey Downey.
"Concerns were raised by members of the community," he said in an emailed statement.
Downey declined to say whether the complaints involved drug use or dealing.
No one was evicted or arrested and the shelter remains open as the investigation continues, he said.
No charges have been laid "at this time."
"We will complete the investigation and determine appropriate outcomes based on the evidence," Downey said.
It's unclear how long the investigation will take.
The 30-bed long-term shelter opened at 9 Main St. in the southwestern border town of roughly 4,500 in mid-December.
Neighbourhood Works bought the former Masonic Hall property and has a contract with the Department of Social Development to run it.
It's a "wet shelter," which means people don't have to be sober to stay there, but no alcohol or drugs are allowed on site.
The shelter also provides supplies, such as clean needles, aimed at harm reduction.
The shelter warning comes after SCAN evictions of tenants and squatters from a number of apartment buildings in St. Stephen over suspected illegal drug activity.
CBC News spoke to area residents, including some who are homeless, but they were too afraid to be interviewed.
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