Hanes: No more stopgap measures, say Montreal homeless groups

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They have a plan, a reasonable budget, a proven track record, and an ultimatum for the Quebec government.

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The seven organizations that serve 90 percent of the homeless Montréal have joined their heads and devised a strategy that they believe will offer the supports needed to put a permanent roof over the heads of those living on the streets. Drawn from their collective experiences prior to COVID-19 and heroic efforts during the pandemic, they have a common vision to appreciably reduce homelessness in the next five years. What they need from the government is stable and recurring financing to achieve this.

If they don’t get it, these nonprofits are warning the health and social services department not to bother calling them at the last minute this winter to set up temporary emergency services, such as housing the homeless population in hotels during the winter. night or operation of the heating centers during the day.

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“We cannot continue to engage in underfunded emergency measures that do not address the real needs of the people we serve,” reads a joint statement released last week and signed by Welcome Hall Mission, Old Brewery Mission, Accueil Bonneau, Maison du Père, CARE Montreal, Projets Autochtones du Québec and CAP St-Barnabé.

If this statement is measured, Fiona Crossling, CEO of Accueil Bonneau, put it more directly:

“We perpetuate (homelessness) by saying in the winter, ‘It’s really terrible that people are homeless, so let’s throw millions of dollars into these emergency measures and get them off the street.’ But it’s terrible for someone to be homeless at any time of the year, “he said. “We not only have to stop this, we no longer want to be a part of perpetuating this. We know we can do this more efficiently if we work together, and we know we can do it more economically because every time an emergency response is implemented, it costs a fortune. “

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Instead, the groups have a plan called Un Pas de Plus, which they presented to Quebec’s minister of health and social services, Lionel Carmant. Requires:

– 600 shelter beds open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with assessment teams on site. The spaces would be distributed throughout the city with between 50 and 200 beds per site. After this year, the number would be reduced by about 100 beds per year, as people who depend on the service move towards permanent housing.

– 150 places in respite centers that would offer access to meals, showers, toilets and reorientation towards social services. This resource would also be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The number of spots would be reduced by 10 per year for the next five years, leaving 100 spots at the end for new people falling on the streets.

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– Two shuttle buses that operate year-round and a third during the winter to transport Montreal’s homeless between different service points, shelters, centers, and appointments so they don’t get lost in the confusion.

The groups are asking for $ 14 million in funding for this winter and $ 34.8 million for 2022-23. Funding would be reduced to $ 19 million a year by 2025-26 as the strategy begins to achieve results.

The plan has been in Carmant’s hands since June 15. But as the leaves begin to change color, the groups are still waiting for an answer.

The key concept is 24-hour resources so Montréal’s have a place to go during the day and don’t get lost among different support services, said Heather Johnston, executive director of Projets Autochtones du Québec, which serves to the necessities. of the indigenous community.

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“We run a low barrier shelter at Complexe Guy-Favreau, and we close at 7:30 in the morning. So every morning, you have to get everyone up and out at 7:30 in the morning. It does not satisfy anyone’s needs. It does not meet the needs of the people staying at the shelter; it certainly doesn’t meet the needs of the community, ”he said. “Those people are wandering the streets and we know the challenges that we have seen in Milton Park.”

The blueprint for the plan is a new 24-hour program established on July 1 at the former Hôtel Dieu hospital operated by Welcome Hall Mission. In just three months, he has helped 76 homeless Montreal residents find permanent housing, which is no small feat in this difficult housing market.

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“What we have developed is this idea of ​​a continuum of services that works in partnership with the health care system. Because ultimately this is urban healthcare, ”said Sam Watts, CEO of Welcome Hall. “It’s possible. It’s not that complicated to do. It just requires the right amount of funding and a lineup of all the people. The seven of us say, ‘We’d like to be a part of that. We are more than willing to help, but we don’t want to do it in last minute and we don’t want to do it wrong. ‘

James Hughes, executive director of Old Brewery Mission, said the reactive establishment of temporary interim measures each winter not only fails to help Montreal’s homeless out of the crisis, but is more costly and very difficult for organizations and your staff members, who do challenging work with little job security.

“There is a better way – it’s a more planned way, a more consistent way, and most importantly, a more efficient way,” Hughes said.

But time is ticking as winter quickly approaches.

“These are teammates from Montreal,” Hughes said. “We cannot leave it to the last minute to find out how we are going to protect them from winter.”

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