MHAS discuss former church purchased by Town of Gander for housing

'I guess if there was a hotel coming forward from a Liberal friend, it would be already done by now': Wakeham

The House of Assembly was a little more sedate than normal this week, as the session winds down. A number of topics were brought up and discussed, including a former church purchased by the Town of Gander that it hopes to turn into a shelter.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeham started question period by asking when the province will offer resources to help the Town of Gander turn the 15,000-square-foot former church — which the town purchased for $499,000 in September 2022 — into a shelter.

“Gander has done its part to address homelessness in the region, but the government is not stepping up,” Wakeham said. “So, I ask the premier: why is this Liberal government dragging its heels?”

More than one minister spoke up on the issue, with Housing Minister Fred Hutton saying the government has been “in step” with community partners in Gander about the issue and had provided some funding, with the promise of mnorde.

Wakeham challenged that, saying Hutton should call the mayor again because “that’s not the story being told.”

Gander MHA and Municipal and Provincial Affairs Minister John Haggie stepped into the debate as well, saying he had been dealing with the issue for two and a half years.

“It was originally purchased with the intention that perhaps one of the local faith groups might purchase that,” Haggie said. “When that fell through, the housing issue had risen to the fore and I have worked with the mayor and Pastor Beers and the Gander and Area Community Advisory Board. Progress has been made.”

Haggie said he had spoken to the mayor about it as recently as Monday and there are 16 new shelter beds open in Gander already and another property ready for purchase, with operating funds ready to go within the next two months.

Wakeham challenged that as well, saying that “obviously the mayor of Gander must be misinformed because he certainly doesn't see it that way when he talks about this project.”

“It's amazing how they can spend $21-million-plus on a hotel in the city of St. John's, sole source, no problem at all, have it done in a matter of a couple of months, and here we are talking about an issue that's been on the books for more than two years,” Wakeham said.

Hutton said the government is waiting on the town to rezone the property and looking at what cost will be involved in not only renovating the building but operating it afterward.

“I guess if there was a hotel coming forward from a Liberal friend, it would be already done by now,” Wakeham said.