Montreal shelters overflowing, turning people away as winter cold sets in

Montreal shelters regularly overflow during the winter, especially amid snow storms and frigid temperatures.

“It’s a bit more chilly than it’s been so far, it’s always full,” says Marie-Pier Therrien, Director of Communications at Old Brewery Mission.

Verdun’s new emergency shelter at Jardins Gordon has been reaching capacity daily since it opened Dec. 1 and has had to turn away five to 10 of the city’s most

Other shelters are no different, like the Old Brewery Mission.

“On average here, we will turn away about 15 people directly just coming here just asking for an emergency bed,” Therrien said.

The shelter does have a warming centre and a cafe.

“It’s only sitting on the chair or just a place they can stay in, but it’s not somewhere where you can actually get a good night of sleep,” she said.

When shelters like the Gordon in Verdun fill their 50 spots, they can call partner organizations like the Old Brewery Mission that will relocate people with a shuttle service.

“Overall, everywhere is pretty full,” says Therrien. “There’s a couple of places in the city that are being freed every day, but they’re being filled in the next hour or so usually, so relocating people it has really been as really been a challenge.”

Nearly 1,800 emergency accommodation beds are in place, most of them 24 hours a day, and about 100 spots in warming centres. But experts say more are needed.

At a press conference on another topic Friday, Mayor Valérie Plante was asked about shelter situation and said the City is helping Quebec when it comes to making more spaces available.

“We bought a church not so long ago or we’re planning to, if there’s a need we can use it. We try to think outside of the box as much as possible,” she said. “We talk with the different levels of governments as well. But the bottom line is if there’s 200 places missing at this point, I think definitely the minister, Mr. [Lionel] Carmant needs to tell us more about what will happen because that would be terrible.”

The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal says Quebec’s Minister of Health and Social Services Lionel Carmant announced $9.7 million in funding in November, allowing for the creation of 132 new emergency spots as of early January. 88 more are expected by the end of the month.

“It is fragile and the government of Quebec who have the responsibility for creating and financing those extra beds are kind of looking at this,” Plante said.

The Ministry recently allocated emergency aid to Accueil Bonneau, to help the soup kitchen in Old Montreal continue to feed the homeless for the next three months.

CityNews reached out to Minister Carmant Friday who was unavailable to comment.

Meanwhile, as overnight lows begin to dip, shelters are doing what they can to give everyone in need a warm place.

“Our Café Mission here is opened right now 18 hours but we’re going to announce soon extra hours,” said Therrien. “We’re looking to open it almost 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because we see the increase in demand.”

For the Old Brewery Mission, it’s about protecting the most vulnerable.

“Women, elderly people, people with health issues, we really make sure those people are never left behind,” Therrien said.