N.B. man questions province’s rent subsidy rules after welcoming homeless father, son into home – New Brunswick | 24CA News
Joshua Daigle didn’t hesitate when his pastor known as asking if he may welcome a homeless father and son into his dwelling.
“I just took them in because I had the space. It wasn’t a question of money for me,” he mentioned in an interview.
“There is a father and a son who needed somewhere to live, and they didn’t have somewhere to live.”
Mike, who requested Global News to solely be recognized by his first title, drove to New Brunswick from Ontario in July seeking a recent begin.
Mike had been homeless on and off at a number of factors in his life, having grown up on the streets of East York in Toronto.
He was sleeping in his automobile for the primary six weeks in New Brunswick.
He contacted the Salvation Army in Fredericton, who put him in contact with Pastor Derek Jones of Fredericton’s Bridge Church. Jones helped him discover non permanent lodging.
He was ecstatic when he was informed he had entry to the province’s hire subsidy, a program during which the province would pay for a big portion of the hire after he discovered an house.
“I broke down in tears because my son looked at me and said, ‘Dad, you did it!’,” he mentioned.
He mentioned looking for a landlord to hire to him was “terrible,” including that he confronted prejudice from landlords who assumed these utilizing a subsidy could also be criminals.
“I was given till November 1st to find a place or the subsidy was off the table,” Mike mentioned.
“I have the email and it bothers me because it didn’t matter what I did it almost seemed like … it’s almost like they’re pushing you to become a statistic and give up. I won’t.”
He has been residing with Daigle for per week, and says it’s been a tremendous expertise.
He can’t use his hire subsidy to pay hire to Daigle, as a result of the province gained’t subsidize a residing scenario the place he and his son share a kitchen and toilet together with his landlord.
In an e-mailed assertion despatched to Global News on Friday, a consultant from the province’s Department of Employment and Social Development mentioned, “To promote adequate living, the Rent Subsidy program requires self-contained units providing living, sleeping, eating, food preparation and sanitary facilities.”
“How can anybody make it if you can’t give them that opportunity to plant their roots somewhere?” Mike mentioned.
Daigle mentioned he questions the province’s reasoning as a result of renters can’t afford to be picky in a market with traditionally low rental vacancies.
He mentioned Mike and his son are welcome in his dwelling whether or not they will pay him hire or not.
“I told them, ‘I want you to know I don’t care what hiccups come up. This is your home even if you can’t pay even if something comes up. You live here.’”
Both Daigle and Mike dwell with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Daigle mentioned residing with Mike and his son has been “a blessing”.
Daigle mentioned his psychological well being issues have made it onerous for him to do maintenance across the property, and Mike stepped in to assist him by doing yardwork, cooking and cleansing.
“(Mike) looked at me when he first moved in and said please do not tell me not to clean because I need to stay active,” Daigle mentioned.
“My whole house is clean…first night in we picked up some steak and mashed potatoes and I had a home-cooked meal for the first time in two years,”
He mentioned the residing association has been mutually helpful.
“Mike and his son have just been awesome,” he mentioned.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
