Federal government providing Quebec with $50 million to help homelessness crisis

As the homelessness crisis hits Montreal hard, the federal government announced Friday that it will provide the Legault government with $50 million to support 205 projects over two years across Quebec.

This will include projects such as drop-in shelters and emergency shelters.

It should be noted that in recent weeks, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased significantly in the Montreal metro, and the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) has banned loitering by imposing a traffic restriction.

Ottawa and Quebec have reached an agreement on the selection of the 205 projects, according to the office of the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant. The funding would therefore come at an opportune time as the situation deteriorates.

The $50 million will also be used to strengthen mobile teams for rapid and targeted intervention with people experiencing homelessness, it was stated.

The funds will also go to day centers and food banks. In addition, there will be support for young people at imminent risk of homelessness to obtain specialized support and resources.

This funding follows the Canada-Quebec Agreement on Homelessness Outside Shelters and Encampments, signed on December 12, 2024.

The one-time funding aims to provide a rapid and targeted response to the urgent needs of encampments and homelessness outside shelters, the two governments specified.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, homelessness has increased across Quebec, particularly due to the housing crisis, the rise in opioid use, and mental health issues.

The STM must manage an influx of people experiencing homelessness into its network and incidents involving users, which increase the feeling of insecurity. It has therefore put in place a compulsory movement measure until April 30, which must be applied with discernment, it is said.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews