Business leaders in the Saint John region are welcoming the province’s announcement of a ministerial task force on homelessness.
The Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce recently wrote to the premier and the mayor, calling for urgent action on the issue.
“We’re really at a tipping point, and I felt that we needed to bring the province and the city together to have a conversation,” CEO Shannon Merrifield told our newsroom earlier in September.
“The conversations that are happening on the streets, the emails that I’m getting, the terrible things that you’re seeing on social media. It’s very clear that our community just doesn’t feel safe walking around uptown.”
On Tuesday, the province announced a new task force, which will include five Liberal cabinet ministers and several deputy ministers.
The task force will aim to build on other actions taken by the government, including implementation of a rent cap, expansion of the direct-to-tenant rental benefit and continuation of the Rent Bank, as well as new investments in mental health and addictions, such as a mental health court, supportive housing units and 50 new treatment beds.
Merrifield, in a statement released following Tuesday’s announcement, said the business community is interested in being part of the process.
“The business community has a strong stake in the safety, vibrancy, and economic health of our region, and we are eager to contribute our perspective and support as this task force begins its work,” she said.
The task force’s first actions include a provincial homelessness strategy and creating an advisory council of community partners.
