HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says he is shocked by some of the locations Halifax city council has chosen as designated sites for homeless encampments.

Houston told reporters after a cabinet meeting today that he “almost fell off my chair” when he learned about some of the places the city wants to allow homeless people to set up tents.

Earlier this week Halifax City Hall approved nine new sites — seven on the Halifax peninsula and two across the harbour in Dartmouth — because existing homeless encampments are over capacity.

Houston says proposed sites like Point Pleasant Park and the Halifax Commons are busy public areas and inappropriate for homeless encampments.

He says his government presented a list of about 40 alternative sites to the municipality, but he didn’t give details to reporters.

Affordable Housing Association Nova Scotia says there are 1,326 unhoused people in Halifax.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2024.

The Canadian Press