Legal-aid group goes to court to prevent eviction of homeless people under Ville-Marie expressway
A legal team is attempting a last-ditch effort to delay the eviction of a group of people living in tents under the Ville-Marie expressway, but Quebec's transport ministry said it can't wait any longer.
Advocates for the homeless say for years the most destitute among the roughly 3,000 people without a home have called the Ville-Marie expressway their home.
But with the spring thaw and imminent repairs from Quebec's Ministry of Transport (MTQ), they were given until last week to leave their improvised campground. Now, a legal-aid group specializing in helping the homeless has taken up their case.
"We're trying to avoid the MTQ to the dismantle the encampment, so we're trying to get an order from the Quebec Superior Court," said Éric Préfontaine, a member of the Mobile Legal Clinic.
Homeless shelters are full, he argued, and don't have room for this specific clientele. Some have addiction and mental health issues, one has a cancer, and another is pregnant.
Some are living as couples, while others won't let go of their pets to go to a shelter.
The tent occupants are arguing that the transport ministry promised them a solution last week so they would have somewhere to go after the eviction. But that hasn't happened.
"There was no solution that was proposed and there was no final agreement and that's why we're before the court today to argue on our request for an injunction," Préfontaine said.
The Ministry of Transport is arguing that this isn't its responsibility and that the city and the province are responsible for providing resources to the homeless.
The ministry's lawyer argued that important repair work is needed, adding that the small community was tolerated for years, yet never had the right to live there in the first place.
Lawyers for the homeless are asking for a 10-day reprieve to at least give the men and women living there the chance to find alternative housing once the cold months are over.
A decision from Quebec Court Justice Chantale Massé is expected in the coming days.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.