March draws attention to growing problem of homelessness in Halifax

Organizers of a march for homeless people in Halifax say the municipal and provincial governments need to find immediate solutions to the problem of homelessness.

About a dozen people gathered for the march at Victoria Park in downtown Halifax on Saturday before making their way to the steps of city hall.

Victoria Park is one of several tent sites in the city.

Speaking before the march, Felicia LeBlanc, one of the organizers and founder of the group Helping End Homelessness in Nova Scotia, said shelters in the city are full and many people are left with no option but to live in tents.

“Both sides of government need to acknowledge it faster,” LeBlanc said. “It needs to be fixed now. Not in a year. Not in two years. Two weeks max.”

LeBlanc said people who are homeless need to be provided with a safe living environment. 

Jeremy Van den Eynden took part in the march. He said he is fighting a renoviction. 

He said he is a metal fabricator and makes “decent money,” but he said he can’t afford to move at the current rate for a basic one-bedroom apartment in Halifax.

He said homelessness is a growing issue in Halifax.

“Three years ago, we didn’t see tents in front of our city hall and in major parks in our city. It just didn’t exist,” he said.

Van den Eynden said he wants to see a rent cap and more protection from eviction.

He said government and communities need to open up more indoor shelter spaces and focus on creating more affordable housing with winter coming.

LeBlanc said she plans to organize more events in the future to highlight the issue of homelessness and to get government to do something about it.

“They’re still not doing what they’re promising the people of Nova Scotia to be doing and that’s keeping us all safe, warm and fed,” she said.

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