‘It makes no sense’: Plante urges CAQ to accept federal money for homelessness
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is calling on Quebec and Ottawa to settle a "constitutional fight" that’s holding up $100 million the province needs to tackle its homelessness problem.
"We can’t allow ourselves in Quebec and Montreal, with the homelessness crisis we’re going through, to leave $100 million on the table. It makes no sense."
Back in September, the federal government announced it was earmarking $250 million to help open more shelter spaces, transitional homes and housing services across the country.
A Radio-Canada report published Friday said Ottawa promised Quebec $50 million from that envelope so long as the province matches the investment and provide a spending plan. But negotiations, which are tying up $100 million, have been dragging.
Plante expects $25 million to go to Montreal as about half of the province’s unhoused population lives in the city and told journalists at a news conference Friday that the money is urgently needed.
"Winter is coming ... there are lots of people in the streets, and people die in the streets, that’s the current situation," she said, pointing to the death of a man in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood Thursday.
She said the money would go directly to community organizations that work with the homeless population on the ground, to shelters and to possibly open more emergency warming tents once winter sets in.
She urged Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant, Housing Minister France-Elaine Duranceau and Premier Francois Legault to move quickly.
When asked about safety and security around the city, Robert Beaudry, who is on the city’s executive committee dealing with homelessness, told journalists that’s exactly why the city is urging Quebec to take the federal funds.
"The resources to avoid having homelessness boil over into public spaces, they need what, they need money. They need expertise, they need adapted infrastructure and that’s why that money needs to go directly to cities and all over Quebec," he said.
A spokesperson for federal Housing Minister Sean Fraser said Carmant was asked to partner with Ottawa "to help find homes for those living without them in Quebec" and is "[looking] forward to concluding an agreement."
A spokesperson for Carmant’s office said the "negotiations are going well. As for the money, we expect to get our fair share."
Though "there is no question of refusing the money offered by Ottawa," Quebec is negotiating its financial participation "given all the money the government is investing in homelessness," said spokesperson Marie Barrette.
She said Quebec gave Ottawa its proposition and is waiting to hear back.
But Plante said we’re now in mid-November with no assurance that the funding is coming.
No more band-aids, says Plante
Though Plante says the $100 million is urgently needed, there also needs to be a long-term plan to address the vulnerability crisis.
She said it’s good to be discussing emergency shelters and warming tents, but "that’s not a lifestyle."
"What’s obvious is that right now we’re living a societal crisis," she said.
"Part of me wants to say we need to stop seeing homelessness as separate issues that we cover up with band-aids when it’s hemorrhaging right now."
She said the province needs to invest more in social housing so people can get back on their feet and to give more leeway for cities to negotiate with people who live in encampments on land owned by Quebec.
She is also pushing for more health care for those with addiction issues.
"Thirty per cent of homeless people are under 30 with addiction issues, often coming out of the foster care system (DPJ)," she said.
"We know what to do with the money, community organizations know what to do," she added.
James Hughes, CEO of the Old Brewery Mission, said funding "can't come early enough."
"[We have to] make sure we have great assessment tools on the safety of these encampments, make sure we have both the psychosocial, and the medical teams that can go in and get to know these people, create, the kinds of links that create confidence," he said.
With files from CTV News Montreal's Angela Mackenzie
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Five years after toddler's brutal death, Northern Ont. family struggles to find peace, justice
A North Bay family is struggling to find peace and justice as the five-year anniversary of the brutal death of toddler Oliver McCarthy approaches.
Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault
Const. Bridget Morla, a Leduc RCMP officer, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident that happened two years ago.
Ontario dad removes hockey rink at heart of neighbour dispute
A Markham dad who drew the ire of neighbours and the city after installing a hockey rink in his backyard says the rink has now been taken down.
Kingston, Ont. doctor in 'disbelief' after being ordered to repay $600K for pandemic vaccination payments
An Ontario health tribunal has ordered a Kingston, Ont. doctor to repay over $600,000 to the Ontario government for improperly billing thousands of COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic.
Three climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing on New Zealand's highest peak
Three mountain climbers from the U.S. and Canada are missing after they failed to return from a planned ascent of New Zealand's highest peak, Aoraki, authorities said Tuesday.
Motivated by obsession: Canadians accused in botched California murder plot in police custody
Two Canadians are in police custody in Monterey County, California, after a triple stabbing police say was motivated by a B.C. man's obsession with a woman he played video games with online.
Trump demands immediate release of Oct. 7 hostages, says otherwise there will be 'HELL TO PAY'
President-elect Donald Trump is demanding the immediate release of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza, saying that if they are not freed before he is sworn into office there will be “HELL TO PAY."
Belly fat linked to signs of Alzheimer’s 20 years before symptoms begin, study says
As the size of a person’s belly grows, the memory centre of their brain shrinks and beta amyloid and tau may appear — all of this occurring as early as a person’s 40s and 50s, well before any cognitive decline is apparent, according to new research.
More RCMP and CBSA ‘human resources’ destined for border, Public Safety Minister LeBlanc says
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says the federal government will 'absolutely' be adding more Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and RCMP ‘human resources’ at the border.