Nova Scotians who live in their RVs still in dark about plans for this winter

Update, Oct. 3, 2024, 3:45 p.m.: After this article was published, Community Services Minister Brendan Maguire told reporters a deal to keep Shubie Campground open through the winter has been signed. He said five spots will be added, bringing the total number of spots to 17.

In a subsequent press release, the province said it will give Halifax Regional Municipality $145,000 to keep the spots open.  

"Residents who will be offered rental spots there will be contacted over the coming days. Each spot will cost $250 per month and includes electricity and waste management," the province said.

After successfully making it through the winter in her RV last year, Carrie Steeves thought it would be a done deal to return to a campground in Dartmouth, N.S.

But after turning to the Nova Scotia government and the Halifax Regional Muncipality for answers about the future of a partnership that helped her and others last year, Steeves is still in the dark. She said she and dozens of others who live in RVs are now wondering what happens when seasonal campgrounds close in two weeks.

"It's basically just dead end after dead end," Steeves said in a recent interview. "Try this person, call this person, no direct actual answers."

Last year a pilot project allowed 12 people to spend the winter in their RVs at Shubie Campground, a private business on municipally owned land. The province provided $180,000 to cover operating costs, and the municipality took care of snow removal, garbage collection and sewage services. 

The people living there paid $250 monthly for their sites, and were responsible for their own water and propane. 

Provincial and municipal politicians hailed it as a huge success, and the area's councillor Tony Mancini called for the project to be expanded this year.

The minister in charge of homelessness has suggested the program should be renewed, but Steeves said the work isn't happening fast enough. 

'People are panicking'

Steeves has become the unofficial leader of the growing number of people turning to RVs as an alternative to traditional housing, amid the rising cost of real estate and skyrocketing rents. 

CBC News has been following her story since she first proposed the Shubie Campground idea in 2023. 

She said close to 30 people have contacted her since August, looking for a place to park their RVs for the winter. 

"People are panicking," said Steeves. "People are desperate because ... to get your camper ready for the winter is a lot of work. It's a lot of time."

An email from the Shubie Campground front desk to CBC News last week said they have received numerous inquiries with respect to winter camping at Shubie, and asked for advice on where to send people for help. 

In mid-September, Community Services Minister Brendan Maguire told CBC News the province is "in negotiations" with the municipality regarding Shubie Campground, and an update should come "in the next couple of weeks". 

"We're working through a few things, but yeah, if HRM is looking to do that or continuing that process, we will partner with them," Maguire said. 

On Tuesday, Mancini said he has no update on the status of the project from a municipal perspective. A spokesperson said the municipality submitted a funding request to the province, but wouldn't share more details. 

CBC News's request to interview Maguire was declined. Provincial spokesperson Christina Deveau said the department just received the municipality's proposal last week, and staff had some questions so discussions are ongoing. 

When asked if information would be shared with the people hoping to stay at Shubie before it and other campgrounds close for the season, Deveau said she wasn't sure. 

Steeves finds this puzzling. 

"It should have almost been worked on earlier and done earlier and situated earlier instead of there's two weeks left with zero information and all the campgrounds are closing."

Steeves, who works at another campground in the summer and in retail during the winter, has been looking for an affordable rental for years. She's also on the years-long wait list for government-owned public housing.

She said she hopes for news soon, because she has no plan B.

"I would probably couch surf," she said. "But I know a lot of people that don't have that option. I don't know what the people would do."