Relocation of Chinatown homeless shelter still up in the air as deadline looms

Earlier this year, Montreal announced a homeless shelter inside Guy-Favreau Complex would be relocated.

Now, two weeks before it closes, the city has yet to announce a plan for any new location and critics say moving the shelter won't solve the real problem.

Right now, the people who use the shelter don't know where they'll be able to go in less than 15 days.

Ensemble Montreal's Benoit Langevin is concerned and tabled an official opposition motion asking the Valerie Plante administration to double the funding for community organizations that provide support for the homeless population to $12 million in the 2024 city budget.

It was turned down.

"We're asking all these measures to be put in place and they are clearly refused. Thirty-three elected officials voted against what I'm saying and 25 voted for. We've consulted for a whole month, and we got a 'no.' I don't know what else to say." Langevin said.

The shelter must be relocated because of major work planned by the building's owner. Yet, the root cause needs to be addressed, according to Sam Watts, CEO of The Welcome Hall Mission.

"It is much less expensive to house somebody and pay for the wrap-around services that are necessary than it is to take care of somebody on the street with a plethora of emergency services that are very costly," said Watts.

He adds that all levels of government need to get involved.

"This is everybody's challenge because when someone experiences homelessness, it ends up having a ripple effect all the way through the ecosystem. If we have an extra 60 people with no place to sleep tonight or sometime in November, that creates a problem. All the resources around the city are full."

The city still has no shelter location. In a statement, the city says it has found several locations and hopes to confirm something quickly.

The mayor's office added: "Opening a new emergency accommodation resource in a neighbourhood is extremely delicate and complex work, which requires discussions with several partners."

The mayor also said the City of Montreal is working with its partners to identify an alternative site to avoid disrupting services to vulnerable people in the area.