MONTREAL - With a blast of winter weather, Occupy Montreal protesters are seeking new means of staying warm.

The city of Montreal asked the activists at Victoria Square to dismantle a total of 18 wooden structures after the fire department deemed them as safety hazards; the last came down Sunday afternoon.

With the temperature expected to drop to -9 degrees Celsius Sunday night and expected to stay that way for over a day, protesters bought six new military tents and have been permitted to use catalytic propane heaters.

The tents, which can sleep eight to 10 people and resist temperatures up to -40, have been given to those who've had their structures taken down.

"These military tents seem to be exactly what we need. I just spent about 10 minutes under one when we were trying to get the pole up and I had to go down to my t-shirt, it was so hot," said activist Alain Berger.

Not everyone will be able to withstand the cold, said activist Eric Vyntr.

"Probably some people will have to get back somewhere else for the night because we don't want people to freeze here," he said.

The Occupy Montreal camp has received some support with food and monetary donations, but now it's also receiving support from the artistic community.

"Writers from le Salon du livre came to support the Occupy Montreal protesters. They believe in their cause and want them to stay here as long as possible," said writer Jean Barbe.

"There is something coming our way and it's a big 'no' to the way things used to be."

But for many both in and outside the Montreal camp, that "something" has been hard to define.

"For me, the goal of the movement is not to propose solutions, but to rally people around the idea that the system doesn't work for the people anymore," said Berger.

Drew Armstrong described it as a forum for discussion.

"This has been an opportunity to have our voices heard, even though the complaint is that it's not clear. But I think it's evolving. I think in a year or a few months you will see something different than you see now," he said.

What is clear, however, is that while Occupy sites across North America are quickly being demolished, there are no plans for the Montreal protesters to leave Victoria Square any time soon

To me it's a powerful statement to be in the middle of downtown," said Armstrong. "To be in a micro-community that's evolving."