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
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
BREAKING Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, claims he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers for Jeremy Skibicki have told the court the accused unlawfully caused the death of four women, but argue he is not criminally responsible due to mental disorder.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.
Human remains were found at a former Hitler base, but decay prevents determining the cause of death
Polish prosecutors have discontinued an investigation into human skeletons found at a site where German dictator Adolf Hitler and other Nazi leaders spent time during the Second World War because the advanced state of decay made it impossible to determine the cause of death, a spokesman said Monday.
Italy's white-collar mafia is making a business killing
Italy's mafia rarely dirties its hands with blood these days. Extortion rackets have gone out of fashion and murders are largely frowned upon by the godfathers.
The story of how a B.C. man found his birth mother
After his adopted parents died, Dave Rogers set out to learn more about his birth mother. DNA results and a little help from friendly strangers would put him on a path to a small town in England.
Trump fined US$1,000 for gag order violation in hush money case as judge warns of possible jail time
The judge presiding over Donald Trump's hush money trial fined him US$1,000 on Monday for violating his gag order once again and sternly warned the former president that additional violations could result in jail time.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Russia warns Britain and plans nuclear drills over the West's possible deepening role in Ukraine
Russia plans to hold drills simulating the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced Monday, days after the Kremlin reacted angrily to comments by senior Western officials about the war in Ukraine and Moscow warned that tensions with the West are deepening.