'The new face of being houseless': Haligonians living in RVs plead for campground to stay open

For Carrie Steeves and a group of nine other people living full time in RVs in a campground near Halifax the clock is ticking.

RenfrewCamping,where Steeveslives and works full time, is closing for the season in less than a month. When that happens, she doesn't know where she will live.

"There's no choices, there's nothing available," Steeves said in an interview outside her RV parked inNine Mile River, about 50 kilometres outside Halifax.

"There's no light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing's changing. Nothing's getting done."

Steeves and others are calling for the Halifax Regional Municipalityto keepShubie Campground, the onlyfully serviced campground within city limits, open throughout the winterso they'll have somewhere to park their RVs.

According to the municipality,the campground sits on property it owns in Dartmouthandis leased to an operator for the summer season. Steeves said all the group needsis water and sewer services, and electricity and they're willing to pay to stay there.

The area's municipal councillor, Tony Mancini, said he supports the idea, but he doesn't have an answer for the group just yet.

The clock is ticking for these RV owners who will have nowhere to live come winter

1 year ago

Duration 6:04

A group of working people from Halifax are living in RVs because they can't afford rent. But the campground they're staying at will close in four weeks, leaving them with nowhere to go.

Mancini said he has spoken to city staff and "it's not as simple as just keeping the doors open,"noting other considerations including snow removal, garbage collectionand washroom services.

"If it's simple dollars, I'm comfortable we can make that happen, but it may be beyond just simple dollars. But we really should be creative on how we deal with it," he said.

'A major crisis', says councillor

Steevessaid herself and the others like herare "the new face of being houseless."They're working and call their RVs home, but finding an affordablerental or owning a home is out of reach.

"I've been looking for places for four years," said Steeves, who works two retail jobs when the campground closes."I've been on people's couches ... basements, and then, that's it. There's nothing ... it just got worse and worse."

Housing in Halifax is becoming increasingly precarious.According to the latestrental market reportfrom the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Halifax saw the highest year-over-year spike in residential rent across the country between 2021 and 2022, with the average for a two-bedroom unit jumping 9.3 per cent.

Thevacancy rate in Halifax stayed around one per centthe second-lowest in the country.

"It's a major crisis," Mancini said. "All you have to do is drive around the municipality, you can see it."

The latest countby the Elizabeth Fry Societyshows homelessness has more than doubled since last fall, and many parks are overflowing with tents.

Steeves believes there arethousands of people in the Halifax areathat are "one renoviction, one rent increase, oneillness away" from having to move into RVs.

'Several challenges' to consider

In a statement, Halifax's director of housing and homelessness, Max Chauvin,said his team is consulting with its partners, including the province, to see if the group's request can be accommodated.

"That said, there are several challenges in providing and maintaining a site for sheltering during the winter months, such as having staff to run the site as well as ensuring power, water and sewage are available during periods of below-zero temperatures," Chauvin said.

He said council is consideringoptions to assist the growing number of people experiencing homelessness across the municipality, but can't confirm anything yet.

A spokesperson for the provincial Housing Department said all questions about the Shubie Campgroundshould be directed to the municipality.

"It is always very concerning whenever we hear of circumstances where people may be struggling to secure housing," spokesperson Krista Higdon said in an email.

"The reality is, the housing crisis impacts people of all income levels. There is a need for more housing of all types in Nova Scotia."

Higdon said in the last few months, the province has invested $80 million to create more housing options in "almost every region" of the province, including modular housing for health-care and skilled workers, temporary housing for homeless people,and funding to preserve and improve existing affordable housing.

"We know it will take time for new housing to be built," Higdon said.

Steeves said her group needs to stay in the Halifax Regional Municipality so they can keep their jobs. She said Shubie Park Campground is the perfect location because it's close to bus routes, hospitals,schoolsand stores.

She said no one in the group needs additional supports for things like addictions or mental health.

Stephen Veinottehas been living in his RV for two years, working full time as a carpenter. He said after a divorce and credit issues, he just can't afford a home in the current market.

He met Steeves this summer, and joined the group advocating for a serviced campground throughout the winter.

"I think there's a lot of people out there in this situation," Veinotte said. "When I first did it,I didn't think it was quite so prevalent. But aftertalking to Carrieand she's talked to a lot of other people atthe other campgrounds and they're all saying the same thing."

Most of the people in the group are single women. They're all working, but say one income isn't enough to make ends meet.

Veinottesaid he's nervous about the future.

"Thinking about it last night there and I didn't get much sleep," he said."I'm not sure what I'm going todo."