(Photo: The Bend)
Some federal investments have been made but the Liberal candidate for Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe recognizes more needs to be done to tackle homelessness.
Ginette Petitpas Taylor says a new shelter under construction is only the beginning and the community must “think outside the box” to combat the problem.
“Made in Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe approach and that’s why we have a homelessness steering committee right now which is working hard on this issue. We have 40 of our best front line support workers that meet on a regular basis.”
Petitpas Taylor also notes how drugs such as opioids can be part of homelessness which is why harm reduction has been a key strategy including making naloxone available without prescription.
She calls the opioid drug problem a public health crisis with 26 deaths in New Brunswick last year alone.
If re-elected, she pledges to continue working with the local homelessness steering committee to secure funding for more affordable housing units.
As the incumbent, Petitpas Taylor feels supporting the full restoration of the Petitcodiac River, sewage treatment plant upgrades and funding new buses for Codiac Transpo are some of her biggest accomplishments.
Our newsroom is profiling the seven candidates who are running in Greater Moncton up until election day.
