A Bridgewater drop-in centre for people in need of support is shutting down after being unable to address concerns over an increase in crime, loitering and drug use in the area, the town’s mayor says.

Cedar Place, which is operated by the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia, opened on King Street in February 2024, offering clients help finding employment, addiction supports, shower and laundry facilities, and hot meals.

But Bridgewater Mayor David Mitchell says in its two years of existence, there have been multiple complaints from community members and small business owners, and a significant increase in calls for police in the area.

The John Howard Society’s community outreach service and the supportive housing units located above the drop-in centre will remain in operation. 

“We’re gonna make sure that there is a minimal disruption to those needing services, but to those who weren’t using any services and were there for causing trouble, that part’s gonna be eliminated,” Mitchell said in an interview with CBC’s Information Morning Nova Scotia on Monday.

The drop-in centre’s last day will be March 27, he said. 

After Mitchell called for Cedar Place’s closure this past September, the John Howard Society said it was committed to making improvements, including hiring additional security staff, but the mayor said those changes weren’t effective.

“It’s clear that there wasn’t going to be any movement on this,” he said. “At the end of the day, our priority is the safety of the community and we couldn’t wait any longer. Two years is way too long to see changes.”

According to figures shared by Bridgewater police, there’s been a significant increase in overnight lockups since the opening of Cedar Place, going from an average of around 75 to 90 per year to 364 in 2025 alone, with 32 per cent of those locked up being direct clients of the drop-in centre. 

“Basically ever since Cedar Place opened, we’ve had a large increase in community complaints from the downtown core,” said Danny MacPhee, the town’s deputy police chief. 

“We started getting a lot of public intoxication, impairment, open drug use … and then a significant increase in arrests, court files, and a lockup of intoxicated parties.”

Mitchell said the drop-in centre has become “mostly a hangout” rather than a place for people to access services.

That’s a characterization the John Howard Society has previously disputed, explaining in a post to social media last September that the demand at Cedar Place shows there’s a real need for the services it offered. 

“Cedar Place has been a daytime safe haven for individuals facing extreme challenges, and it is essential to remember that our clients are members of the Bridgewater community,” the post said.

“While we understand that an increase in foot traffic to the area we operate can sometimes lead to issues such as littering and behaviours that may raise concerns, we believe that the services we provide ultimately reduce crime associated with survival needs and help de-escalate potential disturbances.”

Mitchell acknowledged many people in the area still need the centre’s services, but said the town and the province’s Department of Opportunities and Social Development, which funded Cedar Place, are working on a solution to help fill the gap.

“We’re very confident that there’ll be some place for them to go and something for them to do, so we’re still working on that, but the province has been a good partner in this,” he said.

In an email statement, the Department of Opportunities and Social Development said the decision to close the drop-in centre was made after consulting with the town and the service provider following “significant work to stabilize operations and respond to community concerns.” 

The department said it’s working with Bridgewater, community partners and service providers to make sure there is “continuity of supports” for people who used the centre, but it provided no further details. 

Going forward, the department said, the focus is on establishing a 24/7 emergency shelter at a separate location. This would be a shelter, however, and not a drop-in centre. 

“No decision has been made to fund a standalone drop-in model at this time,” the department wrote. 

In an email, the John Howard Society of Nova Scotia said it’s working on a statement in response to Cedar Place’s closure and is working with the town and other service providers to make sure those who made use of the drop-in centre continue to have their needs met in the community. 

The society declined to comment on Mitchell’s comments that the drop-in centre was contributing to a rise in crime in the community. 

MORE TOP STORIES