Halifax Critiques Sobering Centre Plans Amid Location Challenges
Metropolis councillors in Halifax are evaluating the cancellation of a proposed sobering centre designed to help publicly intoxicated people, pushed by evolving group calls for and difficulties securing an acceptable website.
Throughout a latest funds committee assembly, municipal employees proposed slashing most funding for the stabilization centre—generally known as a sobering centre in different areas—to deal with fiscal pressures. Authorized in 2022 with provincial cost-sharing, the 10-bed facility would make use of educated civilian employees to supply a protected house for these impaired by medication or alcohol, diverting them from police custody.
Landlord Reluctance Stalls Progress
Rachel Boehm, Halifax’s government director of group security, defined that non-public landlords have declined to lease house for the initiative. “It actually comes right down to stigma,” Boehm acknowledged. “Folks do not need to lease buildings for substance-use packages.”
Boehm advisable reallocating roughly $390,000 in annual municipal funds to help the Disaster Help and Response (CARE) Group, a two-year pilot operated by Souls Harbour in Dartmouth and Cole Harbour. This cell unit delivers round the clock support to people going through psychological well being crises or public intoxication.
Halifax additionally maintains an after-hours outreach staff via Souls Harbour, concentrating on homelessness help in evenings. These efforts allow responses to intoxicated people, with plans for future integration. Boehm famous a decline in public intoxication arrests, crediting shifts in legislation enforcement practices that prioritize civilian interventions.
Focus Shifts to Drug Use Issues
Whereas alcohol-related public impairments have lessened, weekly reviews spotlight security dangers from intravenous drug use in public areas. The CARE Group intervenes on-site, guiding people to safe areas and linking them to providers.
“The stabilization service made a variety of sense when proposed,” Boehm remarked. “However as a result of lengthy delay, that cash might now serve completely different wants.”
Coun. Sam Austin expressed shock on the pivot through the funds discussions and known as for a complete report on alternate options. He acknowledged landlord aversion to such initiatives, suggesting town purchase its personal property. Boehm indicated that developing a brand new facility exceeds the unique $1 million annual funds, shared with the province.
Advocates Push for Bodily Facility
Jeannette Rogers advocates persistence in creating a devoted centre. Her son, Corey, died practically a decade in the past in a Halifax police cell following an arrest for public intoxication. Rogers believes such a facility might have prevented the tragedy.
Cell groups signify progress, Rogers conceded Tuesday, however she worries that with out choices like hospitals or household, people would possibly return to custody. “My concern is that in the event that they take them to the police station, then the identical factor might occur yet again,” she mentioned.
Arrest Knowledge Reveals Decline
Halifax Regional Police information reveals a pointy drop in public intoxication bookings over the previous decade, although lots of persist yearly: 2,010 in 2016, 678 in 2024, and 764 in 2025.
Const. Martin Cromwell, police spokesperson, acknowledged that officers now direct many circumstances to municipal outreach or well being providers. “Whereas we nonetheless arrest and maintain folks for public intoxication, our focus is on these collaborating in prison exercise or who’re a hazard to themselves or others,” Cromwell defined.
Councillors face a last funding vote subsequent month forward of the late March funds approval. Additionally they eye cuts to a $350,000 annual drop-in centre for the homeless, hampered by related website points. Employees are assessing a cheap different from Shelter Nova Scotia, although it could take years to launch.
