City of Montreal won’t implement moratorium on dismantling encampments after OCPM recommended it

“We want to do much more to solve this crisis,” said Robert Beaudry, in charge of homelessness on the executive committee of the City of Montreal.

Following the release of the OCPM report on homelessness and social cohabitation, Beaudry told reporters at City Hall on Thursday afternoon that they take the report seriously, but that the City will not implement a moratorium on dismantling encampments.

“Our approach about the encampment was always the same. It’s not always the first step. It’s always a procedure, a human approach, because we care about the safety, first of all, of the population who are in encampment, but also to population who surround those encampments,” said Beaudry. “People need and deserve services, and we want to deliver those services. So the approach ain’t going to change. We need to intervene on the encampment.”

Beaudry says it’s part of a larger humanitarian problem. The report also calls out a lack of leadership on the issue between the City and Quebec.

“It’s a shared responsibility, so it’s our responsibility as well, and the report of the OCPM, it’s really clear about that,” he said.

“The City of Montreal it’s about the cohabitation mostly, but can be a partner to find places with the government of Quebec and fight against homelessness and deserve social and medical services. It’s belong to the government of Quebec. So we want to work in team. We need to increase our investment, and we will do so, and we hope that the government of Quebec will do as well.”

The City says they’ll look to implement each recommendation – and provide alternatives if its not possible to do so.

“We will respond to every one recommendation and explain why we can do those recommendation (…) and sometimes why we cannot go forward with a recommendation but what is the other option to the response of the needs that is expressed by the population.”

Last month, the STM brought back a ban on loitering in metro stations. It was a temporary measure, introduced as a pilot project from mid-March until April 30, that prevented people from loitering, including those who use stations as makeshift shelters.

Beaudry explained the city is working together with the STM, social organizations and the Quebec government, to develop adequate services for people.

“The subways cannot be a shelter. A park cannot be a shelter or a hospital,” said Beaudry. “Those people need and deserve services and it’s really important as a city to work with the (Quebec government) to create those services.”