As winter approaches, Québec solidaire calls for predictable funding for the homeless

Photo: Valérian Mazataud archives Le Devoir Only 1,417 beds would be confirmed for this winter in Montreal to accommodate homeless people, underlines the solidarity MP Guillaume Cliche-Rivard.

Jeanne Corriveau

Published at 12:00 am

• Québec

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Every winter, additional resources and emergency beds are made available to people experiencing homelessness in Montreal. But Québec solidaire believes that the government should stop waiting until the last minute to reveal the funding that will benefit community groups that work with this vulnerable clientele.

In November last year, the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, announced $9.7 million in funding to add 188 beds in shelters for the winter season.

But according to the MNA for Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, this type of announcement should be made much earlier in the year to allow organizations and shelters to prepare. “From year to year, groups never know if they will be funded for winter measures and how much money they will receive,” says the person responsible for homelessness files at Québec solidaire. “They risk finding out at the last minute once again.”

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However, the elected official argues that this way of doing things, in addition to creating uncertainty, causes logistical problems, particularly in terms of workforce and premises management. According to him, Québec should consider predictable funding over three years with indexation. “From there, organizations would know what to expect and could focus on developing spaces.” »

The latest homeless count reported 4,000 homeless people in Montreal, while only 1,417 beds have been confirmed for this winter in the metropolis, emphasizes Mr. Cliche-Rivard. “I know we won't reach 4,000 places tomorrow morning, but can we stop releasing funds in the form of 25 or 50 more places in November? ?”

The MP even believes that public health authorities should take more responsibility for housing homeless people. “We have a public health crisis. There are hundreds of Quebecers sleeping on the streets. When we had a pandemic, the CIUSSS opened premises to vaccinate people. Now, we have a public health crisis in Montreal. The CIUSS should develop places and warming stops,” he maintains. “We can’t just put this in the hands of organizations that have to submit projects [to obtain funding].”

Plea for permanent housing

Welcome Hall Mission CEO Sam Watts acknowledges that funding for winter measures often comes at the last minute, when organizations are already at maximum capacity. “Every year, I wonder what we’re going to do. And yet, it’s a known fact that winter is coming,” he says. And according to him, these are often measures aimed at responding to a problem observed in one or another neighbourhood. “It’s always a bit random.”

“But these actions are not really linked to the problem. The problem of homelessness is a housing problem. It requires a change, perhaps a more profound one on the part of governments,” he believes.

He believes that we need to create stepping stones to permanent housing to get people off the streets, a mission his organization prioritizes with a vision of dignity for vulnerable people, he explains. “We’re not going to put mattresses on the floor of a church basement. If upstream investments were made to help people in precarious situations stay in their homes, that would reduce the rate of entry into homelessness.”

A preliminary call for projects has been submitted to organizations, he says. While waiting for confirmation of funding for additional places, Sam Watts is worried about another difficult winter for the homeless.