Three Nova Scotia communities to launch crime prevention projects

HALIFAX – The mayor of a central Nova Scotia town says she’s hopeful a new community safety initiative announced Thursday will help address serious safety concerns that have been escalating in the community. 

New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks said challenges related to a local 20-bed emergency shelter were behind the town’s decision to take part in a pilot project organized by the province.

“This is certainly no secret, that the town of New Glasgow is facing very serious safety issues right now,” Dicks told reporters after a news conference in Halifax announcing the province’s plans to use federal money to establish safety projects aimed at preventing crime in three communities.

“We’re not going to hide behind that and we’re not going to ignore it,” she added.

The Town of New Glasgow passed a unanimous motion last month asking the province to shut down the emergency shelter, saying the facility was not addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness and addiction. 

Multiple media reports say local residents have complained about public drug use, vandalism, assaults, property damage and thefts near the downtown facility, known as Northstar Shelter.

The council’s motion said a health-focused approach was needed to provide people with a chance to “stabilize” and receive treatment. The council also said it wanted the province to develop a residential rehabilitation centre.

Meanwhile, the non-profit organization behind the Northstar Shelter said last month it supports the call for more support for homeless people, but the group said it doesn’t make sense to shut down the facility before those services are in place.

Dicks said conversations with the provincial government about the council’s call for the shelter’s closure have just begun.

On Thursday, provincial Justice Minister Scott Armstrong said New Glasgow, East Hants and the Queens Municipality will share $550,000 from Public Safety Canada to develop individual plans tailored to local needs.

The mayor said people from across Pictou County go to New Glasgow for health care, housing and other support, which “gives us a close view” of how challenges involving mental health, addictions, housing and poverty affect residents.

“The nature of these challenges has changed significantly in recent years,” she said. “They are becoming more complex. And the solutions often extend beyond what police or municipal government can provide on their own.”

Dicks said she expects her community’s plan will be aimed at tackling those complex issues.

Armstrong said the initiative is a response to recommendations from the inquiry into the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting that claimed 23 lives. The Mass Casualty Commission called for stronger community safety planning and greater investment in crime prevention.

“Public safety is about more than responding when something goes wrong,” Armstrong said. “It’s also about preventing harm, reducing risk and helping communities address problems before they have crises.”

The final report from the inquiry was released in March 2023. It included 130 non-binding recommendations, about half of which were focused on improvements to policing. 

One recommendation called for provincial and territorial governments to enact laws to create a statutory framework for community safety and well-being initiatives by April 2024.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2026.