Northstar made the comments after the Nova Scotia government announced that within 90 days it would stop funding the shelter in New Glasgow, a small community on the province's north shore, more than 150 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

"This decision places the future of our organization -- and the safety of the hundreds of people who rely on us -- in serious jeopardy," reads the organization's statement.

Less than 10,000 people live in New Glasgow, according to data released by Statistics Canada in the 2021 census.

The province said this week it is seeking expressions of interest for new supportive housing projects in the area, and it will work with the shelter's residents to identify alternate options for housing and other support.

The shelter is asking the province how unhoused residents will survive the cold winter months and who will be there to administer Naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose, when needed.

"Who will provide over 1,000 meals a month to those experiencing poverty? Where will the next person experiencing homelessness turn when every supportive housing unit is occupied?" reads the statement.

The province did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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.

New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks said last week it is "no secret" the town is dealing with serious safety issues.

"We're not going to hide behind that and we're not going to ignore it," 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.

Dicks said challenges related to the 20-bed shelter were behind the town's decision to take part in the public safety pilot project organized by the province.

Multiple media reports say local residents have complained about public drug use, vandalism, assaults, property damage and thefts near the downtown New Glasgow shelter.

The council's motion in August 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.

Northstar said it agrees the community needs additional support to help residents facing complex challenges, but that doesn't mean the shelter should be shut down.

"Supportive housing is a critical part of the solution -- but (an) emergency shelter remains the place people turn when every other option has failed," the organization said.

Northstar said it will not quietly accept a plan that allows people to fall through the gaps created by the provincial government.

"Nor will we stand by and watch this government continue to fail the very people it was elected to serve."

This report by was first published Sept. 25, 2026.

-- By Lyndsay Armstrong in Halifax.