Saint John Human Development News Today

Warren Maddox remembers it clearly. It was a sunny September day in 2015. The leaves had just started changing colour. The executive director of the Fredericton Homeless Shelters knew that in just a few months, there would be snow on the ground — and people living rough would need shelter.

The New Brunswick government is using some of its budget surplus to create 380 new public housing units over the next four years. The $102.2-million project will also include "immediate renovations" to 110 units that have been sitting empty.

On Tuesday night, Saint John city councillors unanimously passed a motion calling for more co-operation between governments and not-for-profit organizations to reduce the number of people experiencing homelessness by this winter.