Quebec grants $9.6M to enhance emergency homeless shelter services in Montreal

With the cold winter weather approaching, Quebec is granting more than $9.6 million to a Montreal regional health board (CISSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal) to better support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant made the announcement on Friday morning alongside Economy, Innovation and Energy Minister Pierre Fitzgibbon and Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante.

The funds will be used to increase the number of emergency shelters in the city. The aim is to up the number of beds and enable organizations to be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In the very short term, 188 new beds will be made available to people experiencing homelessness. Most of these will be in existing organizations that have agreed to increase their capacity.

But the main aim is to create more room in 24/7 services to provide reintegration services for people who then want to move on to supportive housing. Carmant has promised to announce 200 new supportive housing units in the coming weeks.

Mayor Plante said the city is prepared to open temporary shelters if necessary. In the past, gymnasiums and other public places were turned into dorms to prevent people from spending the night in the cold.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Nov. 3, 2023. The Canadian Press health content receives funding through a partnership with the Canadian Medical Association. The Canadian Press is solely responsible for editorial choices.