07/24/2026
When the evidence is in plain sight, complexity becomes an excuse not to see it.
How bad is the situation really? The front-line security team at the shelter filled us in.
They recently resigned from their position. Why? They feared for their safety.
This is not hyperbolic. It is the lived experience of people working on the front lines, and it deserves to be taken seriously.
This well-spoken, brave young man is in the process of immigrating to Canada. He was employed by the contracted security company providing services to the shelter in New Glasgow.
"I fear for my life. Many of these shelter clients do not respect me - they are so racist towards me. Some of them are so violent. I am a human. I have a mom and a dad back in my home country. I have a family. My family is telling me I need to quit this job. I feel so unsafe. This is not worth it."
We were also told that another security supervisor was physically assaulted earlier this week.
The impossible job of providing security at this facility is made even more difficult by the lack of meaningful tools to protect themselves, limited opportunities to seek safety when situations escalate, and spending long hours exposed to the summer heat. They described fearing accusations if they intervened in physical altercations, while also fearing exposure to used needles or weapons during violent incidents.
From witnessing overdoses, to enduring constant verbal abuse, to narrowly avoiding physical harm, to feeling unsafe patrolling behind the building, this young man described firsthand what he believes is unfolding on Marsh Street. Ask yourself: how would you feel if you had to constantly endure threatening comments at your workplace? Our heart truly breaks for this young man.
Compassion and reducing stigma remain important. But compassion cannot replace public safety, effective treatment, or accountability. These are not competing goals - they must exist together.
Recently, the Executive Director of Homelessness stated:
"We discourage generalizations and stigmatization by attributing these behaviours solely to individuals experiencing homelessness."
On that point, we agree. However, statements like this are too often used in a way that minimizes or redirects attention from the very real public safety concerns being raised by residents, businesses, and front-line workers.
In the same email to a deeply concerned citizen, the response even provided the phone number for Halifax Regional Police for incidents occurring in New Glasgow - an unfortunate error that did little to inspire confidence that these concerns had been carefully considered. Instead, it reinforced the perception that residents are receiving standardized responses rather than meaningful engagement with the issues they are raising.
This is not simply a homelessness issue. It is a health crisis involving severe addiction, untreated mental illness, trauma, and homelessness intersecting around a single emergency shelter in New Glasgow.
The individuals creating the greatest disruption are not representative of everyone experiencing homelessness, and acknowledging that distinction is important.
Residents have described the area as feeling "like the Wild West." Whether or not one agrees with that characterization, it reflects a growing perception that public disorder has reached a level where families, workers, and businesses no longer feel adequately protected.
At the same time, asking residents and business owners to ignore what they are witnessing in the name of avoiding stigma is not the answer. The public should never be shamed for raising legitimate concerns about safety. We need to look this problem directly in the eyes and address it with honesty, urgency, and compassion.
How bad is the situation really? The staff at the nearby used clothing store filled us in.
"We feel unsafe. We no longer work alone. We have had to double up our staffing and reduce our hours because of safety concerns."
The owner is losing revenue.
They described experiencing:
• Drug deals occurring on the steps.
• Individuals passed out on the stairs.
• Large messes left in dressing rooms.
• Verbal threats directed at staff.
• Intoxicated individuals walking through the store carrying alcohol.
• Frequent theft.
• Urinating on the floor, sitting in chairs with urine-soaked clothing.
No town in Nova Scotia should have an extraordinarily high-risk facility operating in the middle of a residential neighbourhood without the supports, security, and resources necessary to manage it safely.
The majority of people experiencing homelessness are not violent. Many are simply trying to survive and deserve compassion, treatment, and stable housing.
But that reality does not require us to ignore the very real dangers posed by a much smaller group of highly addicted individuals experiencing severe mental illness whose behaviours are placing themselves, front-line workers, nearby businesses, residents, and other vulnerable people at risk.
The well-intentioned and compassionate staff working at this facility do not have a fighting chance of successfully managing these circumstances under the current model. That is unfair to the vulnerable people they are trying to help, and it is unfair to the employees expected to manage extraordinarily dangerous situations without adequate resources or protection.
It is our sincere belief that, without meaningful government intervention, this situation carries an unacceptable risk of someone eventually being seriously injured or worse. We should not wait for that before taking meaningful action.
To everyone reading this: please contact your MLA, the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, and Premier Tim Houston. Respectfully ask them to act.
The young families who live in this neighbourhood deserve better. The vulnerable individuals struggling with addiction and mental illness deserve better. The front-line workers deserve better. The surrounding businesses deserve better.
In our last post, we outlined a pathway for change. There are real, practical, and achievable solutions including the relocation of this shelter. We encourage our leaders to pursue them with the urgency this situation deserves.
The evidence is no longer difficult to find. It is in plain sight. The only question now is whether we are prepared to act on what we can all see.
Tim Houston
