Cohabitation a concern for residents near St-Henri's new safe drug use site

Less than two weeks after Montreal's first safe drug use site opened in the St-Henri neighbourhood, some neighbours say cohabitation has quickly become a concern.

Some residents say there is nudity, open-air drug use and excess belongings thrown about outside Maison Benoit Labre, a safe-use site that also has 36 studio apartments. 

"I've never seen this. It's quiet here," said one neighbour, who asked not to be identified for fear of retaliation.       

She said when she asked the facility's clients to move from her building's doorway, she was pushed.

"Every night there's screaming, fighting. I can hear it," she said.

The new neighbours have left residents divided.

"Well they need to live somewhere, so it's good. At least it's organized them," said St-Henri resident Emile Berube.

The home understands neighbours' concerns, said executive director Andreane Desilets.

The main entrance on Atwater Avenue is scheduled to open Friday, and Desilets said she expects it will help ease tensions.

Until now, clients have used the entrance on Greene Avenue, which faces an apartment building and an elementary school.

"We're still working out a few kinks, but it's not going to solve everything. Of course not, because this is Montreal, and this is a reality that everyone is going through," she said.

Government officials visited the safe drug use site on Friday to reassure local residents. Despite the difficult transition period, they said it's an important project.

"The safe drug use is going to keep people indoors instead of having them around the sites outdoors in front of children. So it's a positive addition," said Lionel Carmant, Quebec's minister responsible for social services.

Carmant said he expects the situation to improve in the coming days with the main entrance opening. The city said it will continue to work on better cohabitation.

"There will be works done by the City of Montreal, so the situation will be quite improved," said Benoit Dorais, mayor of the Southwest borough.

Maison Benoit Labre said it is also doubling its efforts on the ground, with a clean-up crew and a neighbourhood committee to address the concerns of people living nearby.