The helpline serving Quebec’s LGBTQ2S+ community will no longer provide overnight services as of March 31.
Interligne says it needs $300,000 from Quebec to maintain it.
General manager Pascal Vaillancourt says the province never funded the midnight to 8 a.m. service—it was the City of Montreal that allowed it to be implemented.
The Legault government only funds the organization’s regular hours from 8 a.m. to midnight.
One LGBTQ2S+ activist says this change will likely have consequences for overnight callers.
“When you have mental health problems...usually distress and not knowing what to do happens mostly at night, when you’re alone, and you’re tired. You won’t go to the emergency room for this,” said Jean-Sebastien Boudreault, former vice-president of Montreal Pride.
Vaillancourt blames the current economic climate and a staff shortage for the service reductions at Interligne, which has been around since 1980.
The non-profit says it needs funds from the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) to support overnight operations and improve working conditions for staff.
So far, there has been no such commitment, but Vaillancourt says he’s been told the file is being analyzed.
Meanwhile, the opposition has made a $10,000 donation to help with the shortfall.
Westmount Liberal MNA Jennifer Maccarone, the opposition critic for the LGBTQ2S+ community, told CTV News she hopes the donation will inspire the government to consider Interligne’s needs for the next budget, which is set to be unviled on March 21.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services says Interligne is a community organization whose primary mission prioritizes sexual orientation and identity. It says the organization is not centred on mental health services and reminds people that the 24/7 811 helpline is available for crisis situations.
That doesn’t sit well with Vaillancourt, who says people within the LGBTQ2S+ community feel safer seeking help from people who understand their concerns.
A call for public support has been posted on Interligne’s website.
