Chez Doris to open overnight women's shelter on Monday
As of Monday evening, 24 shelter-seeking women in Montreal will have a safe place to rest for up to one month at a time.
Just a few steps from the Chez Doris day shelter on Chomedey Street downtown, a new emergency shelter, run by the same team, is opening up.
The shelter, which is wheelchair accessible and pet friendly, has been four years in the making.
But during that time, the pandemic intensified the situation for Montreal's unhoused women.
According to the Chez Doris executive director, the day shelter became an overnight shelter and saw more than 1,600 women.
"Our day shelter became a 24-hour service," said Marina Boulos-Winton. "We had to rent office space for all our caseworkers because we converted their office space to dorms by night."
According to case worker Clara Seidenberg, some of the women who stay in the shelter are fleeing abuse.
"There are definitely, as well, some women that come here telling us that they're staying here for the day because someone is after them, that they fear for their own safety."
The doors to the new space aren't even open yet, but workers are already anticipating they'll need more room. Boulos-Winton says she's seen more unhoused women with severe psychiatric issues that professionals aren't following.
"We have so many women with psychiatric problems," she said, adding that other women vulnerable to homelessness "can't use the services fully because there's no room for them."
Staff are already looking to the next steps, including more psychiatric care and transitional programs to help women find permanent housing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
'Violation': CSIS had officer investigated after she reported a superior raped her
A CSIS officer's allegations that she was raped repeatedly by a superior in agency vehicles set off a harassment inquiry, but also triggered an investigation into her that concluded the alleged attacks were a “misuse” of agency vehicles by the woman.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.