Old Brewery Mission to open apartment units for older Montrealers who are homeless
The Old Brewery Mission is building new apartment units for a growing section of the homeless population: older Montrealers.
A 27-unit permanent housing project is underway in the St-Michel neighbourhood, designed for people 50 and older.
It's a population Old Brewery Mission CEO James Hughes says is especially vulnerable, and makes up about 50 per cent of the homeless population.
"We know that people who are older are more often victimized by their landlord. We see more evictions of seniors," Hughes said, adding that homelessness comes with a heavy physical toll. "It ages you more quickly. The stats show that the average age of people who are homeless is, on average, 10 years less than the average population."
A second building nearby will have 16 studio apartments for young people. The idea is to not just have shelters and housing downtown, but apartments spread out across the island," said Mayor Valerie Plante.
"There is need everywhere. There are vulnerable people across the city, across the island. And often if you talk to people that have more financial precarity, they'll say, 'I want to stay in my neighbourhood,'" she said.
The first permits for the St-Michel project were approved in April 2022. Less than two years later, it's nearing completion.
"Not only do I prefer that because it's smaller, but ultimately I love it because it's not about emergency anymore. It's about saying, 'Here's a long-term sustainable solution for you,'" said Plante.
Those who live at this supervised site will be chosen by the Old Brewery Mission.
Quebec is helping fund the project with a $2.1 million contribution, as well as subsidizing the rent for the 27 tenants.
It comes at a time when Finance Minister Eric Girard is warning this year's budget will likely run a bigger deficit.
"I don't want to scoop the budget. You know, I'm very well aware that Mr. Girard is very sensitive to social services," said Lionel Carmant, minister for health and social services.
Hughes said housing needs to be a priority in the Quebec budget, set to be released next week.
"Housing has to be a one, two or three issue for him. This is not just a Montreal issue. This is a Quebec issue," he said.
With a growing need, there are already applications coming in for the building. Tenants are expected to move in this October.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Students at Curé-Antoine-Labelle High School near Montreal are protesting after they say their school's administration started pushing what they call a 'sexist' dress code.
Officer who arrested Scottie Scheffler is being disciplined for not having bodycam activated
The Kentucky police officer who arrested top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler outside the PGA Championship is receiving 'corrective action' for failing to have his body-worn camera activated.
'I won't stop,' Celine Dion says in trailer for upcoming doc about her health woes
Celine Dion's fans are getting a first glimpse of the superstar's struggle with a rare neurological disorder in an emotional trailer for an upcoming documentary about her career and life.
Air travel is expensive. WestJet wants the government to do more to change that
WestJet is asking the federal government to put measures in place to lower ticket costs for travellers, but questions remain on who would foot the bill.
Hundreds have applied for this 'adventurer' job in Banff National Park
Coined as Banff's 'ultimate summer job,' the Moraine Lake Bus Company says hundreds of people from across the world have applied for its adventurer position.
Ottawa police investigating death of a gosling in Kanata
Ottawa police are investigating after someone allegedly stomped on a gosling in Kanata. Police say it appears that Canada geese laid eggs in the area, 'and on May 21, a suspect stomped on one of the hatched babies.'
Treasury Board president urges managers to be flexible on exemptions for new 3-day office mandate
The president of the Treasury Board is standing by the federal government's new hybrid office mandate for federal public servants, but is urging managers to be flexible for staff requiring exemptions.