Montreal mayor Denis Coderre is taking steps towards tackling the city’s homelessness crisis, an issue he had promised to focus on during the recent election campaign.
Coderre announced today that he’ll be increasing funds allocated to combatting the issue with the unveiling of the new budget, set to be revealed in about two weeks’ time.
“Right now the city of Montreal gives $1.6 million for purposes that touch homelessness,” he said. “I’m going to raise that support and make sure to have a better partnership with the groups.”
Coderre has yet to provide any specific details as to where exactly the money would come from.
The mayor’s announcement comes following a meeting with Le Reseau d’Aide aux Personnes seules et Itinerantes de Montreal (RAPSIM), an umbrella organization that brings together different agencies that work to collectively better the city’s homelessness situation, which they call “a growing crisis”
The organization had met with Coderre previously, to brief him on the city’s homelessness issue when he was in the running for office. The mayor says the problem is one he holds close to his heart.
“I don’t want to re-invent the wheel, and I don’t want to be there to create another level of decision making,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m a facilitator and provide the money to help them deliver.”
He calls homelessness a political issue with a “capital P” and plans to make it a substantial part of his mandate.
When a video recently went viral of a police officer threatening to tie a homeless man to a pole, Coderre immediately tweeted a response. He called the officer’s actions “unacceptable,” and expressed concern for the condition of the homeless man.
Coderre says he’ll be meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in coming weeks, and that Montreal’s homelessness issue will be on the agenda for discussion.
RAPSIM says they’re encouraged by Coderre’s position on the issue and plan moving forward.
