COVID-19 outbreaks reported at all of Montreal's major homeless shelters

MONTREAL -

There are COVID-19 outbreaks at all five major homeless shelters in Montreal, according to the organizations.

They say most of the cases are asymptomatic, but it has limited the number of places available for people in need.

Welcome Hall Mission CEO Sam Watts states they have seen a steady increase of cases per week, even with public health protocols in place to protect people.

With winter just around the corner, Watts says he hopes the government will add at least 120 beds, available 24 hours a day, in downtown Montreal to combat the loss of spots at the shelters.

This isn't a new request; last June, seven Montreal-area shelters released a five-year plan to reduce homelessness in the city.

Part of that plan was a call for additional beds that would be available at all times to those who need them.

"We need more capacity as we come closer to winter," said Old Brewery Mission president James Hughes. "But we don't just need extra beds, we also need a change in thinking about what we're doing with that extra capacity."

Watts adds the 24-hour model allows shelters to provide the kinds of services that help people leave homelessness behind.

"During the day is the best time really to meet with intervention workers, to meet with social workers, to meet with housing experts," said Watts. "You can't do that at night."

Last summer, the Old Brewery Mission and Welcome Hall Mission opened a 24-hour shelter with 150 beds at the Hôtel Dieu Hospital.

"We've managed to help 76 people get back into housing since the onset of that particular project -- and that's in the context of a Montreal with a bit of a housing shortage," said Watts.

Hughes adds a lack of affordable housing in the city has played a major role in the rise in homelessness.

"There is just less and less and less housing available for extremely poor people," he said. "There's basically a zero vacancy rate for the kind of housing that our clientele needs."

For its part, the Quebec government recently announced a $280 million investment over the next five years to improve services for the province's homeless population.

A large part of that money ($77 million) will go toward supporting people experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

An additional amount of $14 million will fund projects aimed at reducing homelessness for Indigenous people. 

The three main goals are prevention, intervention and collaboration with community organizations, according to government officials.

-- with files from CTV News' Matt Gilmour and Christine Long.