HALIFAX — The Halifax Regional Municipality and Nova Scotia government are opening a temporary homeless shelter near the city's downtown in two weeks.
In a joint statement, the municipality and province say the new 50-bed shelter located within the Halifax Forum will house up to 35 men and 15 women when it opens Jan. 22.
The shelter will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until the end of August and will offer residents support that may include mental health or harm reduction services.
The province and city say the new shelter can increase capacity based on community need and extreme weather events, adding that they expect to add another 20 beds in the weeks after it opens.
Nova Scotia will pay $3 million to cover operational costs and Halifax will provide the facility and install a shower trailer.
The new centre will increase the total number of shelter spaces to 355 in the Halifax region, with 493 shelter beds across the province.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2024.
The Canadian Press
