Rayna Dove kept careful notes about her attempts to move out of the shelter in downtown St. John’s, N.L., where her mother says she was “living in fear.”
Leaving aside Ontario, where the government could not provide clear confirmation, Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province to contract private landlords to provide shelter for its homeless population. In 2023, it paid these landlords more than $2.7 million, a 55 per cent jump from the previous year. The money went to three operators, who run seven shelters combined, with a collective capacity of 79 beds, said a spokesperson for the province’s housing corporation.
They describe shelter residents feeling “terrified” and “in danger” in shelters they called “hell on earth.” Residents also reported going hungry, though shelter owners are paid to feed them. “People haven’t eaten in days,” said a December entry. “Client reported being fed one meal a day,” said another, from February.
His department has also promised to release a report this month outlining standards the private shelters will have to meet.