Quebec in favor of relocating the Maison Benoît Labre day center

Photo: Christinne Muschi The Canadian Press “We expect, however, that the City will offer us several alternative sites, to avoid a concentration of services,” declared the office of Minister Lionel Carmant.

Léo Mercier-Ross

Published yesterday at 3:39 p.m. Updated yesterday at 6:50 p.m.

• Québec

The Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, is “in favour” of the relocation of day services for the homeless at Maison Benoît Labre, which was requested by Montreal. The difficult cohabitation with an elementary school in the Saint-Henri district, located near the centre, had been cited as a reason. Maison Benoît Labre says for its part it wants to continue providing its services.

In response to a question from a citizen who lives near Maison Benoît Labre, during a municipal council meeting on Monday evening, the mayor of the Sud-Ouest borough, Benoit Dorais, stated that he had had “discussions with Minister Lionel Carmant.” These discussions were aimed at “asking him to move the day centre services to another, more suitable location,” a request partly due to the approaching school year.

By email, the minister’s office confirmed that it was “in favour of relocating the day services at Maison Benoît Labre.” “We note that cohabitation issues remain, despite all the efforts that have been made.”

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Difficult cohabitation

In early 2024, Maison Benoît Labre was set up about a hundred metres from an elementary school and a park in the Saint-Henri district. Social cohabitation is difficult between the centre and the residential area where it is located, Mr. Dorais admitted during the city council. The mayor of the Sud-Ouest borough also specified that the measures put in place — such as a cleanliness brigade for syringes and plant screens — have not proven effective and that there is still “a lot of incivility”.

Maison Benoît Labre offers support services open at all times for homeless and marginalized people, spaces for drug use and 36 transitional housing units for homeless people. Only support services are affected by the relocation request, because it is the services “associated with the day centre that create the most difficulties and insecurity with citizens,” noted Benoit Dorais.

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In a statement sent by email, Andréane Désilets, general director of Maison Benoît Labre, indicates that she will continue to “request the full collaboration of all our partners, including the City of Montreal, to continue to provide services that are essential and save lives.” “In recent months, we have put several measures in place to limit the effects on the neighborhood,” she adds.

In order to “enable the relocation of the day centre”, Minister Carmant's office specifies that they will “continue to work with all stakeholders involved”. “However, we expect the City to offer us several alternative sites, to avoid a concentration of services”, it states. At the city council, Benoit Dorais said that he had offered Minister Carmant his full cooperation to find a suitable location.