Transition House Addresses Allegations Surrounding 310 Division Street Facility
(Today’s Northumberland file photo)
Transition House has responded to a video circulating with a number of statements.
Today’s Northumberland reached out to Executive Director Christian Harvey about a video posted on social media.
In the video that is just over three minutes long that Harvey had stated to her, “that it’s a human right to do hard drugs in this (310 Division Street/Transition House) building.”
The woman also said that her roommate overdosed two times in less than a day in her bathroom at Transition House adding the third floor smells like “metallic waste” from fumes of illegal drugs.
The woman added that she took her bathroom door off handle off for access and stated she was “kicked out” from the facility.
In a statement to Today’s Northumberland, Harvey said staff are allowed to enter rooms of the facility and clarified a number of issues concerning Transition House at 310 Division Street.We want to clarify some ideas circulating about Transition House at 310 Division Street.
“We do not believe that using illegal substances in our shelter is a human right. We work hard to keep illegal substances out of the shelter. We have rules restricting substance use on site, and we take it seriously when those rules are broken.
We do believe shelter is an essential human need. Canadian law agrees: the National Housing Strategy Act (2019) recognizes adequate housing as a fundamental human right. That right doesn’t belong only to people who behave the way we’d like or make the choices we’d make. Everyone needs a roof over their head.
We also know that for many people, we are the only shelter option in Northumberland County. If someone can’t stay with us, there’s a good chance they have nowhere to legally sleep, often nowhere to use a washroom for much of the day, and nowhere to simply exist without being seen as “loitering.”
That’s why we never take discharging someone lightly. When we can’t find another way, we use short-term discharges to keep everyone safe while we make a plan for the person to return safely. Taking away someone’s roof is never a win, and we feel the weight of it every time.
Some people picture life inside 310 Division as chaos. That isn’t the case. Most of the time, it’s quiet, even boring. Inside these walls is a team of remarkable staff who save lives on a regular basis, and a community of residents who inspire me every day with their tenacity, their care for one another, and their determination to keep going.
We appreciate being a part of the Cobourg community, and look forward to continued opportunities to engage with the community about solutions for accessible and affordable housing for all, in Northumberland.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love