Renovations means dozens of Montreal community groups need to move or close
More than a dozen community groups have been told they have to leave their building in Montreal's Parc-Extension neighbourhood.
The William Hingston Centre is set to undergo renovations, and one food program is being forced to close when people in the area need it the most.
The Parc-Extension Youth Organization will end its food service program next week after 22 years of operation.
"We're heartbroken," said executive director Jo-An Audrey Jette.
The community kitchen serves around 150 people every lunch hour from Monday to Friday.
Anyone can come to eat a warm, low-priced meal for $4 to $6.
Clients are devastated that it's closing.
"For me, it's very bad because I'm on pension," said 74-year-old Ernesto Sijuenza.
Sijuenza also comes to the cafeteria to socialize and is a client of the organization's meals on wheels program.
It serves 50 to 70 seniors every day.
That program is also ending.
"We're the ones that catch the people that fall through the cracks and those services are jeopardized right now," said Jette.
The Centre de Services Scolaire de Montreal owns the William Hingston Centre where the organization is located.
In an email, a spokesperson told CTV News that major renovation work needs to be done on the building.
There are many services offered in the building and they are being forced to move to different locations.
"Parc-Extension is going to be poorer for losing this centre," said Jette.
The City of Montreal told CTV News that the proportion of citizens suffering from food insecurity is on the rise and that the city has helped relocate 15 organizations with administrative offices in the building.
Jette said, however, that the city will not help the youth organization find a new kitchen.
"The spaces that we're being offered is the best that this city can do," said Jette. "They're not adequate."
Ensemble Montréal city councillor Mary Deros says Mayor Valérie Plante's Projet Montréal administration needs to do more.
"Right now we are in great need of our own building, our own local community centre," she said.
The community kitchen's last day is March 28. Jette hopes the closure is temporary and that they'll be able to reopen in the near future.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Serial sexual offender linked to unsolved 1970s homicides of four Calgary girls, women
An investigation into unsolved historical homicides from the 1970s has linked the deaths of two girls and two young women in and around Calgary to a now-deceased serial offender.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
BREAKING Craig Berube named as next head coach of Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have named Craig Berube as their new head coach.
A look back on Alberta's record-breaking wildfire season: Preparing for potential challenges in 2024
By the end of the 2023 wildfire season in Alberta, 1,088 wildfires had burned more than 2.2 million hectares of land, and this year, the wildfire season is already in full swing.
Person charged in random assault on actor Steve Buscemi in New York
A person wanted in connection with the random assault on actor Steve Buscemi on a New York City street earlier this month was taken into custody Friday, police said.
B.C. man 'attacked suddenly' by adult grizzly near Alberta boundary: RCMP
A B.C. man is recovering from multiple injuries after he was "attacked suddenly" by an adult grizzly bear near Elkford Thursday afternoon.
Australia's richest woman seeks removal of her portrait from exhibition
Art is subjective. And while many artists long to share their work with the world, there's no guarantee that the audience will understand it, or even like it.
Video appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs beating singer Cassie in hotel hallway in 2016
Security video aired by CNN appears to show Sean 'Diddy' Combs physically assaulting singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016.
Anglers reel in 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off coast of Florida: 'She found my bait'
A group of fishers said it took roughly 20 minutes to reel in this 3.5-metre-long tiger shark off the coast of Florida.