Parents question homeless shelter next to daycare after body discovered
Some parents are questioning whether a Montreal homeless shelter should be directly next to the daycare after the body of a 32-year-old man was found in the playground last week.
The daycare is located in the same church as the St. Michael’s Mission, which serves the homeless community.
Daycare staff say before they let the kids out to play, they sweep the yard for drug paraphernalia and beer bottles.
Last week, however, they found the body of a homeless person here.
"We didn’t exactly know what to think," said Ralph Nakhle, the father of a boy in the daycare.
After the initial trauma, many parents including Nakhle have been questioning the logic of having a daycare and homeless shelter so close together.
"The homeless people need to be looked after, as well as our kids need to be taken care of and fostered into the society, but does that really need to happen side by side?" he said.
Mayor Valerie Plante said the city is working with public health to find solutions, but said it’s complicated.
"Of course, we want the homeless community not to stay outside and freeze to death. That’s happened in the past, but we also want to support families staying downtown," she said.
When pressed on whether it makes sense that daycares and homeless shelters share spaces, she deferred to the director of an organization that provides services to the homeless community.
"People without a home are not criminals, so let’s not jump to the conclusion that if organizations are sharing space, children are necessarily at risk," said Fiona Crossley of Accueil Bonneau.
Daycare parents say they're sympathetic to the homeless population, but they still have concerns.
"The first or second day that I was dropping off [my son], I saw a guy with no underwear, no pants right behind the garbage can with a needle," said Nakhle.
The daycare's administrator said the staff wants better security in the area.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.