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
Blockade briefly stops Pride Parade in downtown Winnipeg
A group of protesters briefly blocked the Winnipeg Pride Parade on Sunday.
'The legacy I want to leave:' Mother with Stage 4 cancer advocates for survivors
People around the world are observing National Cancer Survivor Day, an annual celebration held to honour patients who have been through the often difficult and traumatic experience of living with cancer.
Do this once a month and extend your life by up to 10 years. No gym required
Research shows that art experiences, whether as a maker or a beholder, transform our biology by rewiring our brains and triggering the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins.
Ryan Reynolds has declared 'War of the Popcorn Buckets.' He's honestly onto something
Ryan Reynolds this week unveiled arguably the most anticipated and sure-to-be coveted merchandise tied to his upcoming 'Deadpool' sequel: the movie’s novelty popcorn bucket.
Bathroom break nearly derails $22 million project at city council meeting
A brief break during Wednesday's city council meeting in Saskatoon nearly cost the city dearly.
C.T. Pan uses four caddies, including fan, in fourth round of RBC Canadian Open
Al Riddell was going to go have a quiet Sunday afternoon coffee with his family when his dad asked if he had heard that Mike (Fluff) Cowan, C.T. Pan's caddie, had slipped during the fourth round of the RBC Canadian Open and that a fan had started carrying his bag for him.
Ontario gave parents more than $1B in cash over 2 years. Here's where the money went
During the pandemic, the Ontario government started to hand out cash to parents to help offset the cost of at-home learning while schools were shuttered.
Israel seeks a 'governing alternative' to Hamas in Gaza. It's been tried and failed before
Israel is looking into an alternative local governing body for Gaza, the defense minister said Sunday, proposing a future beyond Hamas but giving no idea who those challengers might be.
Rupert Murdoch, 93, gets married for fifth time in private ceremony
Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, 93, has married for the fifth time, his corporation, News Corp, confirmed Sunday.