Outreach centre should be 'completely, totally shut down,' says councillor

A proposal by the province to move Charlottetown's Community Outreach Centre isn't enough, says Coun. Mitchell Tweel.

The Community Outreach Centre was established by the province four years ago to provide services to homeless people in Charlottetown, including counselling and employment services, and assistance in accessing government programs.

Tweel delivered two notices of motion at city council's monthly meeting Monday evening. One calls for the province to host a public meeting on the centre. The other asks for a outside investigation of the centre's operations "to determine who made the decision, who was directly responsible, condoned and supported the illegal drug usage, the sale of drugs on and near the premises of the Outreach Centre."

While the motions amount to call for more consultation and information, Tweel said his goal goes beyond that.

The Community Outreach Centre has been in its current location since June of 2021. (Shane Ross/CBC)

"I want it completely, totally shut down," he said during the council meeting, adding the motions are a step in that process.

"I want to formalize it and see if we can get some productivity out of bringing these issues forward and see if we can get some progress."

Tweel has been critical of the centre since it opened at its current location in what was the Charlottetown Curling Club on Euston Street in June of 2021. This is its fourth location, and in November the provincial government proposed moving it to Park Street, closer to emergency shelters there. That plan is dependent on the city approving a zoning variance.

He calls the outreach centre "a nightmare" that's in conflict with neighbourhoods and communities.

Tweel said he doesn't believe moving the centre will help.

"If it's not working in this community, why would it work several blocks away?" he said.

"The community is very frustrated with the lack of transparency, the lack of collaboration, the lack of consultation."

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The two notices of motion will be forwarded on to the appropriate municipal committees, and those committees will make recommendations to council.