Montreal Mayor Plante urging Quebec, Canada to finalize $100M homelessness deal

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante is demanding the Quebec government step up and match a potential $50 million contribution from the federal government to address homelessness in the province.

Should the CAQ government match this funding, it would put a total $100 million towards helping the homeless population in the province — with $50 million likely going to Montreal.

Plante says a “constitutional fight” between the provincial and federal governments is tying up the money, which she says the city desperately needs to deal with its worsening homelessness problem as winter approaches.

“It’s between the government of Quebec and the federal, money that should go directly to support people living in the streets,” said Plante.

“And we see it. We see it. There’s people in tents. The different organizations are saying they’re full. What are we going to do?”

So far, an agreement has not been reached, but the Quebec government says it is confident the deal will go through. The Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services tells CityNews in an emailed statement the negotiations are going “very well.”

“For the amount of money, we expect to receive our fair share. As for Quebec’s financial participation, discussions are already underway considering all the money that the government invests in homelessness (shelters, heat shelters, programs, etc.). Furthermore, there is no question of refusing the money offered by Ottawa.

“I reiterate that we are confident of reaching an agreement very soon. A proposal was made to the Federal Government and we are awaiting feedback from them.”

This comes as cold winter temperatures are on the horizon in Montreal, and many within the homeless community will once again have to find a warm place to sleep.

“We need those investment right now, because there’s an increase on the field in many boroughs,” said Robert Beaudry, the Montreal executive committee member responsible for homelessness.

“With homelessness being at its highest levels in history, with more visible homelessness, people living in encampments, in doorways, under bridges, in the metro, in the emergency rooms, than we’ve ever seen before, we need more resources than we ever needed before,” added James Hughes, president and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission. “So it can’t come soon enough that the federal and provincial governments come to some sort of arrangement.”

Currently Montreal has more than 1,600 emergency and transitional shelter spaces to welcome homeless adults.

“We’re really supporting all the groups that are saying, ‘we need that money.’ It has to be solved quickly. Winter is coming, so let’s make it happen,” said Plante.

A Quebec government count of the homeless community in October 2022 estimated there are close to 4,700 visible homeless people in Montreal.

“The problems will get worse,” said Hughes. “There’ll be more tension and conflict in our streets and in our parks if we don’t start taking this issue seriously. Everybody benefits if we invest massively in addressing the issue.”

Hughes says there are a couple of essential things needed to ensure a safe winter for the homeless population in Montreal.

“We probably need closer to 2,000 spaces, really good individual or double rooms with professional services,” he said.

“We also need more significant investment in housing. There is housing investments going on, but in the hundreds of units for homeless people, not in the thousands that we need. There’ll be 5,000 people, minimum, who are homeless tonight.”