With tenants in only 9 affordable units, Moncton's Rising Tide to miss another target

Nine of Moncton non-profit Rising Tide's affordable housing units are occupied, but the government-backed group expects to fall short of its target to have more than 60 units open by the end of March.

Dale Hicks, co-founder and board president of Rising Tide Community Initiatives Inc., said COVID-19 has affected contractors working on the group's buildings.

"It's been a little frustrating, for sure," Hicks said in a recent interview. 

Rising Tide received $15.4 million from the federal, provincial and municipal governments over three years to supply 160 units by 2023 to reduce homelessness in the city.

It's not the first time the non-profit's publicly stated targets have been missed.

Last year, Rising Tide hoped to have its first 15 units open and people moving into them by Labour Day. Last fall that changed to November and December. Rising Tide told Moncton council it aimed to build and open a 21-unit building by Feb. 18, though that structure is not yet complete.

Hicks now hopes about 40 units will be ready by month's end, with more in April and reaching the halfway point of the three-year target in May.

Hicks said restrictions have meant tradespeople can't overlap and some contractors were operating with reduced numbers because of people testing positive for COVID. 

"So you can bring the plumbers in, but they have to do their work and get out," Hicks said. "Then you bring the electricians in and then get out. Then you bring the drywallers in and do their work.

"But you can't have people in the building at the same time during COVID and all these protocols. So that's stalled things a bit, or slowed things down."

He said one of the properties is a heritage building ,which adds complications. Supply chain issues have also added to the delays.

Several of the units expected to be open by now remain empty while Rising Tide addresses concerns from the fire marshal, Hicks said. 

Bruce Fitch, New Brunswick's minister of social development, said he believes Rising Tide will be a "resounding success."

"It would be nice to have more heads in beds right now but … I know they want to comply with the fire marshal. So if that's one of the barriers, they need to work with the fire marshal."

The minister said he hopes some challenges Rising Tide has faced will ease soon. 

"The initial number might not be as large as everyone expected, but I think you're going to see now as COVID lightens up a bit that you don't have as much interruption in the labour force," Fitch said. 

Hicks said eight people are living in a building run in partnership with the YWCA while another is in a separate seven-unit building that requires more work before it can be fully occupied. 

Overall, he said, it appears to be going well with those who have moved in. 

Asked what he'd say to people who may be concerned about Rising Tide's progress, he said the organization alone won't fix homelessness.

"People are looking for a quick fix and people are thinking that. We've never made the comment that we're going to end homelessness in the City of Moncton," Hicks said. 

"Rising Tide has never said that. We're going to put up 162 units of affordable housing, which is going to help the situation."

He said mental health and addictions supports will also be a necessary component to deal with the issue.