Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): General

The City of Saint John is committed to working with partners to reduce the impacts of homelessness by using smart strategies and coordination that treat people with compassion and dignity. The Housing for All strategy creates safe, supported places that help people transition from encampments into housing.

Canadian courts have ruled that people cannot be removed from tents or encampments unless safe alternatives are available. By creating Green and Yellow Zones and working with the Province to increase emergency shelter beds, Saint John is offering real alternatives while protecting community spaces.

No. The City of Saint John recognizes that residents without housing deserve more attention from all levels of government, not less.

 All municipalities approach their response to homelessness in a variety of ways. Cities can manage encampments by setting rules for where they can be located, limiting their size or duration, and providing supports based on their situation and what works best for their community. As a pilot, the City is working with the Province and community agencies to identify areas where the unhoused can erect tents within the city limits.

Homelessness is a broader term that includes all those who have no permanent home: There are many different forms of homelessness. Homelessness includes rough sleeping, people living in unconventional buildings, sofa surfing, sleeping in a vehicle, hostels, shelters, and other temporary accommodations.

Sleeping rough is sleeping in the open air, such as on the street, in tents, doorways, parks, bus shelters or encampments. It also included people sleeping in buildings or other places not designed for habitation, such as stairwells, sheds, makeshift shelters and cardboard boxes. Rough sleeping is the most visible type of homelessness and commonly what people associate with homelessness.

Chronic Homeless is defined as individuals who are experiencing homelessness and who meet at least one (1) of the following criteria:  

•  Have been unhoused for at least 6 months (180 days) over the past year 
• Experienced homelessness recurrently over the past 3 years, with a cumulative duration of at least 18 months (546 days)

Contact: City of Saint John Customer Service Centre

• Phone: (506) 658-4455
• Email: service@saintjohn.ca
• In Person: Ground Floor of City Hall, 15 Market Square, Monday to Friday (excluding holidays), 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The City's Housing for All Strategy embodies our community's united and compassionate approach to addressing homelessness, using a person-centered and human rights approach. Clearing encampments results in people being displaced to other precarious and sometimes more dangerous options. This does not solve the problem; it moves people from the supports they rely on until they are able to secure sustainable housing. 

The City has already opened the Neighbourly Homes community on Egbert Street, where people are living safely with on-site services. Work is underway on the Thorne Avenue Green Zone, which will add 27 units by November 2025. Somerset Acres is another new and important transitional housing option already serving residents. The City is also doubling the number of outreach staff available so they can support individuals experiencing homelessness, help those tenting Yellow Zones, and support with relocation from Red Zones.

The Province of New Brunswick funds and delivers most homelessness services, including housing subsidies, mental health care, and addiction treatment.

Homelessness affects everyone in Saint John. The City is working to make sure our community is safe, respectful, and aligned with court rulings on housing rights. Saint John is not trying to handle homelessness alone. The City is pressing for broader action from the Province, including more mental health and addiction services, stronger care institutions, and more public safety resources.

 Across Canada, municipalities have learned that giving tickets to people without housing does not solve homelessness. The focus is on providing safe alternatives, not punishment – housing, not handcuffs. The City will be monitoring Red Zones to ensure there are no tents there and Yellow Zones to ensure sites meet the minimum standards.