A group of Montrealers camped outside on Friday night as part of a show of solidarity with the homeless and called on the city’s mayoral candidates do more for the vulnerable.
Before night fell, advocates marched from Phillips Square to Cabot Square, a place with particular resonance for Montreal’s homeless.
“It’s a place where there are homeless people, often Native people,” said event organizer Pierre Gaudreau. “(There’s also) a social project there to employ homeless people from Native nations.”
Once in Cabot square, participants took in live performances.
Gaudreau said more needs to be done for the city’s homeless, particularly in providing housing.
“For most of the people who are on the street, it’s not a choice,” he said. “Statistics Canada has put out statistics that many (homeless are) Native people, many people who were in youth protection or who have lived through violence.”
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre and Projet Montreal leader Valerie Plante both made appearances. Projet Montreal city council candidate Robert Beaudry said Montreal’s recent gaining of metropolis status gives the city more tools to combat homelessness.
“We have new power from Quebec so we want to invest to stop the crisis,” he said.
Coderre also said he would do more to help.
“We have the youth, we have Indigenous people, we have newcomers, we have women,” he said. “We have hidden homelessness, too, so together we put up the fight.”
