Moncton man gives up retirement trip to furnish homeless shelter while politicians fail to act

The Humanity Project plans to operatean out-of-the-cold emergency shelter later this week after a Monctonbusiness owner stepped forward to personally pay for various supplies to get it open.

Donald McHugh, owner of the Up In Smoke Shoppe on Mountain Road, said his family discussed it and decided to use money he planned to use for a post-retirement trip to buy 40 cots, toilet paper, totes and a 40-foot shipping container.

"We have to get these people off the streets into a facility,"McHughsaid in an interview Wednesday in the basement of the Humanity Project's St. George Street building.

"This facility is the best equipped to take care of them. ... We just have to make sure they have the equipment they need, the volunteers."

CharlesBurrell, the founder and president of the Humanity Project, saidhe hopes to open the overnight shelteras soon as Thursday night.

"It's quite phenomenal that a person in our community cares so much about people sleepingoutside that they're willing to donate,"Burrell said Wednesday.

The donation comes as the municipal and provincial governments have yet to announce their plansto open an emergency out-of-the-cold shelter in the community at a different location.

"We decided we were done waiting and we're going to do it ourselves and do the right thing to make sure everyone is inside," Burrell said. "We'll go and do it with or without government help."

Tables and chairs in the building's dining room, normally used to feed about 150 people each evening, will be cleared and cots set up. The location already had 28 cots on hand after openinglast winter on extremely frigid nights.

McHughsaid he decided to donate after reading about a young man staying in a tent last week who was found by a police officer showing signs of frostbite.

While McHughsaid he's never been homeless, he struggled to make ends meet years ago. He used a food bank and collected empty cans and bottles.

"People helped me, and I am where I am because of that," he said.

McHughdeclined to say exactly how much he's spending to buy the equipment.

"People will learn about this, learn about this facility and understand there's someone out there to actually help these people," McHughsaid.

Some of the supplies were already in place, while most of the cots will be deliveredlater.

McHughsaid he learned about the Humanity Project aboutthree years ago and has donated several times previously, something Burrell confirmed.

How to care for the city's homeless has come under greater scrutiny in recent weeks afterthe city and RCMPdemolished a homeless tent camp on city property earlier this month.

Two existing shelters are over capacity and an estimated 120 people are living "rough,"many in tents.

Increasing pressure

City politicians have been under increasing pressure to do more to address the problem.

Mayor Dawn Arnold requested $400,000 in emergency funding from the provincial government on Nov. 16.

City council on Nov. 19 voted to set aside $20,000 to help establish an out-of-the-cold shelter. But that money wasn't immediately available to be spent.

At that council meeting, staff told councillorsand reporters about$10,000 is available in the social inclusion budget that could be spentbefore Dec. 3 to get things started on helping set up an emergency shelter.

No money spent

Isabelle LeBlanc, the city's director of communications, said Wednesday that the city has"not had to use those funds at this time."

CatherineDallaire, the city's general manager of recreation, culture and events, told council last week two potential shelter locations were under consideration, and an announcement would come "in the next couple days."

More than a week later, nothing has been announced.

Province offers no update

LeBlancsaid in an email Wednesday thatthe province is looking at a preferred location, but would not confirm where that is.

"It is for them to announce where it is," LeBlancsaid.

CBCrequested updates from the province Tuesday and Wednesday.

Erin Illsley, a spokesperson for the province, said in an email Wednesday afternoon that the province doesn't have an update on a shelter, but "we look forward to making an announcement on this important issue very soon."