Quebec agrees to pause eviction of homeless encampment under Ville-Marie Expressway
The Quebec government has committed to finding housing for more than a dozen homeless people living in an encampment under the Ville-Marie Expressway in Montreal.
Lawyers and the mobile legal clinic were in court on Wednesday to challenge an eviction notice given to the homeless people living in the encampment.
Transport Quebec has said it needs to do repairs and maintenance starting April 1, but before their court appearance, an agreement was reached between the group's lawyers and the provincial legal team.
They two sides have agreed to hold discussions and find solutions to house the people currently living in the camp.
"We're very happy today and made a very important step to recognize their rights and to negotiate and find for them proper housing," said Mobile Legal Clinic executive director Donald Tremblay. "We're not talking about putting these people into shelters."
The Transportation Ministry tried to have the campers evicted in November, but ended up holding off, issuing a new notice earlier this month.
Lawyers requested an injunction to stop the eviction.
Resilience Montreal executive director David Chapman said many of of those living under the overpass have health issues and moving them without much thought could put their lives at risk.
"Today we have a small step forward for human rights," he said in response to the court order. "Hopefully, we have a small step forward for the value of human life."
The agreement could set an important precedent, and Tremblay hopes it will further dialogue at the national assembly on housing rights.
"It does show a first step at what could be done to help these people who are voiceless," he said. "It's very important in that sense it can be used in further actions later on."
Both sides are aiming to finalize the terms of the agreement by the end of the month. If not, they'll be back in court in early April.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.