Advocates renew calls for City of Montreal to let homeless use vacant lot as shelter space
Advocates are calling on the City of Montreal to take action after raising concerns earlier this week about a controversial fence on a vacant lot on Park Avenue.
It’s not just any lot — it’s a gathering place for people living on the street and the people who use it say they feel shut out of the place they’ve long called home.
Passersby may not notice anything special about the vacant lot, but people like Tommy Partriege relied on this place because he has nowhere else to live.
“Six years ago there was nobody around. Me and my brother created this and now, everyone is like family together,” he said.
That family has grown to more than a dozen people. He said the street has provided them not just a home, but also protection when there's nowhere else to go.
“If we were somewhere else, maybe most of them — lots of them — would be dead by now, but they’re still alive because we’re here,” Partriege said.
However, this week, they were shut out. A fence was put up around the perimeter of the privately-owned lot, leaving many sitting on the curb or on people’s front steps looking for somewhere else to go.
“People are sitting on the sidewalk. Passersby have to go into the street to get around them. People are sitting more in the doorways of businesses,” said John Tessier, coordinator of The Open Door mission.
He said a resident was killed last year after a smaller fence was put up. Kitty Kakkinerk was blocked by the fence and ran into the road, apparently trying to flee an abuser. She was struck by a car and died.
“The money that has been spent on ambulances and police alone, you put it all together and a nice centre could have been built already,” said Plateau resident Andree Deveault.
Tessier said the people who rely on the lot need a “safe and dignified” place to live. He said the city is considering buying another lot across the street to help out.
When contacted by CTV News, however, the city only said it is considering a number of options.
“Several aspects must be taken into consideration to arrive at a solution that meets the needs of both vulnerable people and residents of the neighbourhood,” wrote city spokesperson Hugo Bourgoin in a statement.
For now, social workers and police will patrol the area and shelter capacities have increased.
In the meantime, people at the Park Avenue lot say they’re staying put as they wait — and hope — for change.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Prince William says wife Kate is 'doing well'
Prince William said on Friday his wife Kate was 'doing well' in a rare public comment about the Princess of Wales as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy for cancer.
BREAKING Canadian Blood Services apologizes to LGBTQ2S+ community for discriminatory blood donation policy
Canadian Blood Services issued an apology on Friday to the LGBTQ2S+ community for what it now admits was a harmful and discriminatory blood donation policy that prevented sexually active men who have sex with men and some trans people from donating blood and plasma.
BREAKING 'Just wait': Toronto mayor hints that WNBA team is coming to the city amid multiple reports
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that she is hopeful an announcement could be made soon amid multiple reports that a WNBA team is coming to Toronto in 2026.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
Ontario coroner to investigate death of man who suffered cardiac arrest while waiting in ER
A provincial coroner will be investigating the death of 68-year-old David Lippert, who suffered a cardiac arrest while waiting in a crowded emergency room in Kitchener, Ont.
'Irate male' assaulted Newfoundland officers with block of cheese, police say
Police in Newfoundland say patrol officers were assaulted Thursday by a "very irate male" wielding a block of cheese.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.