Montreal soup kitchen to stay open after securing emergency funding from province

An Old Montreal soup kitchen operating since 1877 says it has secured funding from the Quebec government to keep offering hundreds of daily hot meals through at least March.

Fiona Crossling, general director of Accueil Bonneau, says her group was promised emergency funding during a meeting today with Quebec's minister responsible for social services, Lionel Carmant.

Accueil Bonneau had said financial pressures would force it to stop serving meals on weekends and that it would have to shut down its soup kitchen — which feeds about 400 people every day — next month.

Carmant says the government recognizes Accueil Bonneau's food services as "essential" and that he will help the regional health authority find long-term solutions to the non-profit's financial challenges.

He says he wants Accueil Bonneau to develop services that are open 24 hours a day.

Accueil Bonneau says it likely won't serve meals this weekend because of staffing issues but will resume doing so next weekend.

LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Accueil Bonneau's Fiona Crossling on new source of funding

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2024.