Before winter began, community outreach workers had counted about 500 individuals who were living rough in Greater Moncton.

But Codiac RCMP Inspector Chantal Farrah told Moncton City Council on Monday that police are now seeing fewer people on the streets.

“We have seen a significant decline in the amount of people living in outdoor encampments. There’s no doubt that the opening of the additional shelter (Mark Avenue) and the warming shelter (St. George Street) has had a very positive outcome.”

The Moncton Lions Community Centre on St. George Street opened as a temporary winter shelter shortly before Christmas and is being operated by The Humanity Project under an agreement with the province.

Meantime, Inspector Farrah told councillors that Codiac RCMP are continuing to crack down on open-air drug use in the community.

“We seized drugs on two occasions from people openly doing drugs. On three other occasions, we arrived and there were no drugs but we gave a warning. We have tried to encourage them to use services.”

Farrah said officers used enforcement but try to be compassionate with individuals knowing that an addiction is a disease.