While Montreal addresses homeless situation, the number of homeless people in the city of Montreal is reaching unprecedented numbers, largely due to pandemic. On January 25th 2020, the first person in Canada tested positive with the Covid-19 virus, by the end of February, Quebec confirmed its first case – a woman who lived in the Montreal area. Since then, not only has the province become the epicentre of the virus in the country, Montreal quickly became the epicentre of Quebec – and our homeless people were not immune to the upheaval it caused for us all.
Homelessness is not a situation anyone would really want to find themselves in – especially during the winter season soon upon us. However, some people are unable to afford housing or they have emotional challenges, drug or alcohol addictions or just plain down and out with bad luck. In 2018, there were approximately 3,100 people who were homeless in the city – and since the start of the pandemic, it is estimated to have doubled.
The constraints of not being able to hold private gatherings or eat in restaurants, have a drink at a bar with friends or family can seem trivial – when one considers the plight of those who live on the street. In an ongoing effort to address the situation, Montreal has been working with both the Federal and Provincial governments to deal with the rising numbers. At a press conference on Thursday October 30th, Mayor Valerie Plante announced some new measures to address the problem. They will take affect as of November 1st instead of December 1st and continue until March 31st of next year, when the situation will be looked at again. The goal is to keep people safe and healthy during the winter. The number of indoor shelter spaces will be increased to 1,650 spaces, almost double the number of 900 for 2019-2020 season.
Montreal tent city
For the present moment, the city will not be forcing any homeless people to leave their tent camps, which have been popping up around the city – the most noticeable with close to 100 tents, found in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve area, along eastbound Notre-Dame Street. Lionel Carmant, Quebec’s Junior Health Minister, said at the press conference, “As long as the person is not in danger or doesn’t put someone else in danger, we give them the choice… however, if there is a danger especially with winter coming, we will accompany them to hospitals so we can take care of them and redirect them toward necessary resources.”
Their new plans include a shelter at the downtown Hotel Place Dupuis, being converted to house 380 people. It will able to accommodate women, men, couples, transgender people, people with reduced mobility and even those with animals – and managed by the Welcome Hall Mission. There will also be several other shelters and day centres set up for men only and women only. As well, nine other day shelters around the city will made available for people to warm themselves up and eat a hot meal – with the main one located at the Grand Quai in the Old Port and able to accommodate up to 300. Other smaller shelters will be situated throughout the city in different neighbourhoods where they are needed most. They will all be set up to ensure physical-distancing rules can be maintained. Shuttles will be deployed around the city to pick up people on the street and bring them to the resources needed. “There is a place for everybody right now,” Plante said. “That’s our hope and this is what we worked toward.”
It is in addition to the other shelters already in place:
- At the former Royal Victoria Hospital, close to 200 places have been made available since the beginning of July. Mission Good Home and Mission Old Brewery organizations, in conjunction with the Father’s House, manage four floors for male and female accommodation, including one floor for people awaiting screening or COVID-19 test results (in partnership with the Mental Health and Addiction Program Branch of the CSMTL). One floor also houses women under the supervision of the Chain and Patricia Mackenzie Pavilion.
- Since August 19th, the Guy-Favreau Complex has close to 50 beds for the homeless Aboriginal and Inuit population and is administered by Quebec Aboriginal Projects (QAP).
- Since August 31st, the former YMCA Hochelaga has provided emergency accommodation for up to 65 people. Managed by CAP Saint-Barnabe and CARE Montreal, the two organizations have also offered new places at their sites, including a space dedicated to young people.
Quebec and the City of Montreal will be studying what other measures can be put into place – which includes more affordable social-housing. In early October, the Federal and Quebec governments announced that $3.7 billion would be invested to ‘improve social and affordable housing’ in the province.
Other articles from mtltimes.ca – otttimes.ca – totimes.ca
Suspect charged for random murders in Quebec City
COVID-19 resurgence in Canada – Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam Nov 1, 2020 statement
