Lawyer requests injunction to stop eviction of homeless camp under Ville-Marie Expressway

A group living in a homeless encampment under the Ville-Marie Expressway is fighting its planned eviction.

The Mobile Legal Clinic has requested an injunction, saying that moving the people could put their lives at risk.

Lawyer Eric Prefontaine says there are about 20 people in the group, and they all have special circumstances.

He says they are either sick, fighting addiction, living with a partner or have a pet—situations that prevent them from going to a homeless shelter.

Prefontaine says the bonds within the group form the legal argument for delaying the eviction until the weather warms up.

 "Because they are living in this little community, they can look over one another," he said. "They've known each other for several years."

The group faces eviction because Transport Quebec plans to do repairs and maintenance starting April 1.

Prefontaine is asking a judge to see the group's social cohesion as a survival strategy and wants to see a court order delay.

CTV visited the camp on Saturday and spoke to Jacco Stuben, who has lived under the bridge for ten years. He says Transport Quebec has been saying it will do the work for years but then delays it.

"All the poor people have to run because of them, because they come in with cars and trucks and bulldozers just throw everything out, tell them it's done—everybody's out," said Stuben.

David Chapman of the Resilience Montreal day shelter says he hopes the court case will unlock positive changes for the tight-knit community living outside year-round.

A judge is expected to decide whether or not to grant the injunction on Wednesday.