Community groups urge Quebec political parties to prioritize homelessness, ahead of elections

A coalition of community groups is urging Quebec political parties ahead of the provincial elections to commit to solving homelessness.

“I’m extremely worried,” said Michele Chappaz, executive director of the Montreal Movement to End Homelessness (MMFIM). “Twenty per cent of Montrealers cannot pay their rent or are afraid they cannot pay their rent, one in four people going to the Food Bank.

The organization released a list of priority areas needing provincial investment.

From having a province-wide action plan, funding of community organizations and investment in non-market housing, the collective of over fifty community groups and businesses, said the government’s response needs to reflect the growing need.

According to MMFIM, the number of people experiencing homelessness in Quebec topped 12,000 in 2025 — an increase of 20 per cent in three years. In Montreal, people without stable housing is currently at 5,000, the organization said.

“We have the knowledge, proven solutions, and on-the-ground expertise needed to act and reverse the trend. The question is no longer what to do, but whether there is the political will required to move from a crisis-management approach to a sustainable strategy for preventing and ending homelessness.”

MMFIM also urged political leaders to make preventing homelessness a top priority by “introducing an interministerial directive guaranteeing that no individual leaves a correctional facility, mental health institution, healthcare establishment, detention centre, or youth protection placement without a housing plan and appropriate support.”

The collective said that the preventive measures should also include actions for general populations as nearly one in five households in Montreal struggle to pay their rents, while nearly a quarter rely on food banks, making them vulnerable to losing their housing.

Focus on prevention

“It costs a lot to society to have people in homelessness,” said Chappaz. “We stated earlier, $72,000 dollars a year per person.  And that doesn’t include all the private care and everything else that we pay to deal with this crisis.”

Chappaz says that prevention from homelessness costs $15,000 per person yearly.

“[Prevention] makes economic sense as well as human sense.”

Former Quebec Premier Pauline Marois took to the podium in support of the action plan.

Marois acknowledged that incoherent political policies are a serious impediment to fighting homelessness.

Monday’s event was also attended by Alexandre Lampron, director of public affairs at MMFIM; Sonia Côté, president and executive director of Le Chaînon; Marie Depelteau-Paquette, executive director of ACHAT; Jaëlle Bégarin, president and executive director of Maison du Père; and Benoît Langevin, city councillor responsible for homelessness at the City of Montreal.

MMFIM said community organizations were under increased pressure due to the growing demand for services even as costs have increased.

“When I’m saying a humanitarian crisis, I’m calling for help on our governments,” said Chappaz.

Quebecers will head to the polls on Oct. 5.