Longueuil shelter to be replaced with social housing, but mayor hopes nearby tent encampment will move

At an overflowing shelter in Longueuil, Que., work is underway to replace it with social housing

LONGUEUIL, Que. — At an overflowing shelter in a church basement in this South Shore suburb of Montreal, work is slowly progressing to replace it with social housing.

The overflowing shelter is set to close in 2025, and the plan is to move the shelter's services — including 24 beds — to the new social housing building. But the new building will not have any additional beds.

Meanwhile, some 30 tents have sprung up in the past few years on a grassy strip of land next to the shelter on Bourassa Street. Most of the people living in the tents used to sleep inside the shelter, but they say they were kicked out for various reasons, including substance use and conflicts with staff.

Now, they're worried about what will happen to them when the shelter closes.

“Hopefully the encampment will move to the new location,” Longueuil Mayor Catherine Fournier told CBC News.

Fournier said the city has offered services to the people living in the tents, including addiction treatment and help finding housing, but they've all refused.

“We can't force them to accept the services,” she said.

Fournier said the city is working with the province and the CIUSSS (integrated health and social services centre) to find a solution for the people in the tents.

“We're hoping that the encampment will move to the new location, but it's not guaranteed,” she said.

François Moissan, who used to live in a tent outside the shelter, said the people experiencing homelessness aren't getting the help they need from the city or the CIUSSS.

“They just want to sweep us under the rug and forget about us,” he said.

Moissan said he was kicked out of the shelter for using drugs and alcohol, and he's been living in a tent for the past two years. He said he's tried to get help with his addiction, but he's been on a waiting list for over a year.

“I'm tired of living like this, but I don't know what else to do,” he said.

The City of Montreal has intervened in 460 homeless encampments in the past year. And with warm weather on the way, front-line workers are expecting to see more.

News source：https://www.kdj.com/cryptocurrencies-news/articles/longueuil-shelter-replaced-social-housing-mayor-hopes-nearby-tent-encampment-move.html

The above is the detailed content of Longueuil shelter to be replaced with social housing, but mayor hopes nearby tent encampment will move. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!