There will be an out-of-the-cold shelter in St. Stephen this winter, but more specific details will not be announced for a few more weeks.

Jeff Renaud, the municipality’s chief administrative officer, was asked for an update about the shelter during a recent council meeting.

Renaud told council that municipal staff have been communicating with their provincial counterparts at the Department of Social Development.

“The short of it is nothing can be announced until after the election at this point by staff,” said Renaud.

With the election campaign underway, the provincial government is in “caretaker mode.”

Renaud added that he has been told plans are in place to have the shelter up and running by Dec. 1.

Neighbourwood Works opened a 24-hour warming centre last December but it initially did not have sleeping accommodations.

Within days, council declared a local state of emergency over the homelessness crisis, which was later terminated by the province.

The warming centre began offering sleeping accommodations in February and closed its doors in late April.

When that happened, unhoused residents were forced back onto the streets as the community does not have a homeless shelter.

The province announced plans for a “temporary housing initiative” on Happy Valley Road in January but the plan was paused weeks later after pushback from nearby residents and business owners.