'We're struggling': Miramichi tenants left homeless once again

Temporary shelter closing in Moncton A shelter that was temporarily set up for residents forced from their apartments in Miramichi, N.B. closes on Monday. Kate Walker reports.

More than 50 tenants who were displaced from their apartments in Miramichi, N.B., several weeks ago, are once again trying to find somewhere to live.

Most of them are staying at a local shelter, but on Monday, that temporary shelter will be closing its doors.

“This is ridiculous! I’m exhausted, I mean, completely 100 per cent exhausted,” said tenant Steve MacDonald.

The shelter was set up nearly two weeks ago after the tenants were forced to leave 15 Cole Crescent on June 19. This, after the fire marshal’s office deemed the building unsafe.

Tenants were staying in another temporary shelter, until that one also closed last Sunday.

Since there are no shelters in Miramichi, the Red Cross has arranged transportation options to other cities for the displaced tenants.

“I guess they’ve been given some funds to offer bus tickets to people that either want to go to Saint John, Fredericton, or to Moncton, to the homeless shelters,” said MacDonald.

“Stressful. So many unanswered questions,” said tenant Mary Robinson.

Robinson is now tenting in the backyard of the apartment building with other tenants until they get the green light to go back inside. She says she had no other option since she wasn’t allowed to bring her dog to the shelter.

“I hope they can manage to speed up and get us all home,” said Robinson.

The landlord says he’s been living out of his van, watching over the building.

“Protecting my building, making sure all the people’s property is safe, and seeing that there’s workers coming to do some of the stuff that needs to be done,” said landlord Brian Grosseth.

Some of that work includes covering exposed electrical wires, as well as other maintenance.

“We need 33 more doors changed. The other doors that were originally put in the building don’t meet the standards,” said Grosseth.

The doors are estimated to take eight weeks to arrive, and then still need to be installed.

Some tenants say they’re not left with many options on where to live next.

“You know, it’s tough because I can’t find anything else here, not that’s affordable,” said MacDonald.

Some residents say weeks are starting to feel like months, and they’re beginning to lose hope.

“Everybody has been trying to keep people's spirits up, but really, we’re struggling,” said Robinson.

“A lot of people, I guess they’re at their limits,” said MacDonald.

It’s still up in the air as to when the tenants will be able to return home, leaving more questions than answers for many.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kate Walker