Only days away from entering a new year, the Mayor of Moncton is reflecting on 2021 as a complex and complicated year.
On top of spending another 12 months under the shadow of a global pandemic, the Hub City experienced a year of significant growth as well as increasing concerns over homelessness and public safety.
When it comes to addressing the socio-economic challenges, Dawn Arnold has found not everyone wants to see the same approach.
“I hear everything from ‘get them out of our city, I don’t want to see any homeless people, I don’t care what you do just get rid of them,’ to ‘open up the Avenir Centre and put beds in there,’ so our challenge as a council is to try and balance all of this and come up with a solution for our community,” Arnold told The Bend newsroom in a year-end interview.
Arnold said that Moncton City Council is serious about facing the issue head-on and believes the Joint Action Plan on Homelessness and Downtown Security will be a significant tool.
The plan features a series of actions released by a local Task Force that features representatives from the business community, social agencies, the RCMP and all three levels of government, including Arnold.
The 27 actions focus on several specific topics to help people have access to the resources they need and have been created through consultations with individuals from all walks of life.
“Shelters are meant for emergencies they’re not meant to be there year after year for the same person. So, we need those mental health addictions support workers in the shelters helping people who come in get a plan so they can get out, so they can have hope for something beyond staying in a shelter,” Arnold said.
Arnold admitted the action plan will not solve all the issues affecting the streets of Moncton, but it is a good first step.
Growth
Despite the challenges that Moncton faces, 2021 proved to be another record year for growth, and to Arnold, it makes the year a success.
From a development aspect, Arnold said the city surpassed $300 million in building permits, which marks a record for the Hub City.
Some businesses that call Moncton home also managed to triumph in 2021, albeit the economic impacts of the pandemic.
Arnold pointed to Pump House Brewery, where they began exporting products to the Netherlands, as one of the many notable success stories of the year.
When asked about the factors driving growth for Moncton, Arnold said there are many, though perhaps none more notable than the impact of COVID-19.
“I think in the world, people have really reflected during COVID. What are their values, and what kind of place do they want to live in. And a place like Moncton where you have great access to trails and nature, fresh air, clean water, peace, order, and good government – I mean they’re only boring things when you have them,” said Arnold.
