Downtown Moncton business owners seek solutions to crime, drug use

Many downtown Moncton business owners are calling for solutions to the ongoing drug use and crime problems.

It’s not easy for Jo-Anne Phillips to walk around downtown Moncton, N.B.

She sees a lot of drug use, crime and lost souls living on the streets, and she wants to see change.

“They are gentle, they are kind, they are just trying to get by with their situation,” said Phillips. “It hurts your heart to see that there’s so many that don’t have a place to live, no roof over their head.”

Phillips and her husband own several rental properties in the downtown core.

She’s seen homelessness and crime steadily worsen over the past 10 years or so and it’s hurting her business.

Guests visiting from out of town recently cut their stay short.

“One of the individuals lives in New York City. He was here with his teenage daughters and his wife. They had intended to stay for 10 days, they left after two,” said Phillips.

Phillips said the family didn’t feel safe walking in the neighbourhood.

A Montreal couple who came to visit the city also left early because walking at night made them nervous.

Phillips is calling on municipal, provincial and federal governments to provide more services for those who need it.

“Downtown Moncton is a beautiful place. Our situation is increasing in its challenges over the last 10 years. It’s not getting better,” said Phillips.

Downtown business owner Matt Symes feels the same way.

One of his employees at the Epoch Chemistry Coffee House recently had his vehicle set on fire and destroyed at 7:30 a.m.

“There was a member of the unhoused community came around and lit the car on fire,” said Symes.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the employee who lost his car.

Over the past few years, Symes has had to install high-definition security cameras and fencing around the property.

“It is consistently a cost to any business that wants to operate down here and it’s just getting worse,” said Symes.

Like Phillips, he’s sympathetic to the plight of the homeless, but also wants to see change.

“But for a couple of decisions we could all be in the situation that our unhoused community is in. It just guts me that we don’t have an answer to help them stand back up. It’s not their fault,” he said.

“You look at the Scandinavian countries, they’ve virtually eliminated homelessness. You look at South Korea, the same thing. They have to take a systemic approach to it. Unfortunately in Moncton we haven’t done that yet.”

On Aug. 1, the province announced two new eight-unit public housing developments will open this fall.

“The number of individuals coming into homelessness is outgrowing really quickly the number of houses and homes we have available,” said Phillips.

In an email to CTV News, Department of Social Development spokesperson Kate Wright said homelessness is an incredibly complex issue that requires collaboration between the province, municipalities and community partners.

She said there are currently 244 beds available at Moncton’s five shelters, most of which are open 365 days a year.

“The province’s focus remains on providing wrap-around supports and long-term housing solutions for all unhoused New Brunswickers,” said Wright. “There are nearly 300 supportive housing units in the Moncton region, offering tenants support with wraparound services such as independent living skills, mental health, addictions, and primary health care services, or education and employment.“

Wright said there are around 4,700 public housing units across the province and there are plans to open more before the end of the year.

A spokesperson for the City of Moncton said any concerns about crime and open drug use should be directed to the Codiac Regional RCMP.

Phillips praised the agencies in the Greater Moncton area that are trying to make a difference by helping the city’s vulnerable population.

When asked if she feels safe walking around her neighbourhood, she said it was hit and miss.

“Depending on the day and the time and who you happen to come across when you’re walking when you’re entering your business or your place of residence,” said Phillips.

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