Frequently Asked Questions

The shelter is located in a building owned by Viola’s Place Society. When the shelter opened, the site met the zoning rules, safety requirements, and operational needs necessary to run an emergency shelter. Like many shelters across Canada, the location was chosen based on availability, cost, accessibility, and the ability to operate safely and quickly.

Moving the location of homelessness does not reduce homelessness.

There is no evidence that relocating a shelter improves safety or reduces the number of people without housing. In fact, research across Canada and the U.S. shows that isolating shelters in industrial or distant areas often:

· increases visible homelessness elsewhere

· disconnects people from services they rely on

· worsens health outcomes

· makes stabilization and housing placement harder

Relocation also requires finding a new site, completing renovations, meeting accessibility and code requirements, and ensuring staffing and safety systems are in place. This can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, even when suitable buildings exist.

Yes. Shelter operations are permitted under the land-use rules in place when the shelter opened. When a use is legal at the time it begins, the law generally allows it to continue even if zoning rules change later. This is known as a legal non-conforming use, and it is protected under the Municipal Government Act.

That means the shelter cannot be “zoned out of existence” simply because the community composition has changed or because opinions have shifted.

Viola’s Place Society has worked with the town over the past few years to ensure that the shelter remains compliant with zoning regulations. This also included a thorough fire inspection. The building saw some internal upgrades and adjustments to meet all of the regulatory requirements.

Community concerns are taken seriously. However, homelessness itself is a symptom of larger system pressures, not a problem created by shelters.

Shelters exist because people are already experiencing homelessness. Removing a shelter or moving it does not eliminate the complex factors that lead to housing loss such as:

· lack of affordable housing

· mental health and addiction challenges

· domestic violence

· income insecurity

· medical crises

· childhood trauma and poverty

Shelters respond to these issues; they do not cause them.

Yes. The shelter is structured, staffed, and operates under formal policies, including:

· behavior expectations

· health and safety requirements

· crisis management procedures

· harm reduction and trauma-informed guidelines

Shelters are not unstructured environments. When safety is threatened, individuals can be barred, and these decisions are carried out carefully to protect staff and clients.

Emergency shelters serve people in crisis. Many arrive with significant trauma, health challenges, or unpredictable situations. This is why shelters need:

· trained staff

· appropriate supports

· strong policies

· mental health and addiction partnerships

· community collaboration

The presence of crisis does not mean the shelter is failing. It means the shelter is serving the people who need it most.

Yes. Emergency shelters in Nova Scotia operate under provincial funding and oversight through service agreements. They are required to:

· meet provincial expectations

· follow reporting guidelines

· maintain accountability structures

Our shelter is engaged with multiple provincial departments as part of its operations and improvement planning.

If a shelter closes without a fully operational replacement:

· people immediately return to the street

· encampments grow

· emergency services become even more strained

· health and safety risks increase

· community visibility of homelessness increases, not decreases

Closing or relocating a shelter without a clear, well-planned alternative creates greater challenges for everyone — residents, businesses, and people experiencing homelessness.

We are committed to:

· being transparent while respecting service user confidentiality

· partnering closely with the Town and local stakeholders

· responding to community concerns respectfully

· improving communication

· strengthening our services

· supporting people to move from crisis to stability

Our goal is the same as the community’s: healthier, safer neighbourhoods and real pathways out of homelessness.

A strong community response includes:

· asking questions before assuming the worst

· supporting local housing and mental health initiatives

· advocating for more affordable housing

· volunteering, donating, or learning more

· engaging in conversation rather than conflict

Real solutions require everyone at the table.