From City of Moncton Facebook page.
Moncton Council has promised to spend $6 million over three years to support an affordable housing project.
The Rising Tide Community Initiative wants to build 125 units throughout the city and is seeking another $6 million from the provincial government.
The City would spend $2 million each year drawing from reserve funds as long as the province is on board.
Councillor Bryan Butler says this was one of the hardest decisions he’s had to make since being elected.
“We have to do something. We just can’t let our city keep going the way it is. You hear people saying that they are afraid to come downtown because of what’s going on.”
Councillor Paul Pellerin was the only nay vote citing concerns about future increases in property taxes.
“There’s no proper analysis on what it actually means taking money out of the reserves where it could be going somewhere else due to COVID-19… in all good conscience, especially for the tax rate increase, I cannot support this.”
Mayor Dawn Arnold says the city has been doing everything it can to address affordable housing and now it needs help.
“Our whole system is completely broken and we need something much better. Our citizens deserve much better than this.”
A city report to council this week shows long waitlists for affordable housing which leaves little choice to those who are vulnerable – a homeless shelter or the street.
Estimates suggest at least 200 individuals are currently living rough on the streets of Moncton.
