Montreal Worried About July 1st Due to Increase in Homelessness

The city of Montreal held an executive council meeting during which they discussed sustainable mobility, climate change and homelessness.

Sophie Mauzerolle, a city councillor for Ville-Marie, discussed one of the city's current project regarding the management of the roads, curbsides and parking to improve sustainable mobility as well as public spaces for the different users of the roads. The city intends on transforming three parking lots on Masson St., in the borough of Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie, to incorporate mobility hubs that will include the addition of trees, charging stations, stations for bicycles reparation, as well as social stations. Mauzerolle explained that the city of Montreal was also hoping to eventually be able to develop mobility hubs in other boroughs. 

During her segment, Mayor Valerie Plante discussed climate change. She insisted that the city of Montreal was preparing itself in the face of the upcoming heat waves. In preparation, the city put in place the intervention plan Chaleur Extreme to conduct interventions and ensure the safety of the more vulnerable individuals.

Plante also discussed the matter of homelessness, emphasizing it was a big preoccupation for Montrealers. She mentioned that more and more Montrealers were finding themselves without housing, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. She informed the council that more and more individuals were having a hard time paying for their rent or ended up finding themselves in unsanitary units. While shelters are helpful, Plante said that they are not a long-term solution, but that long-term housing is. With the 1st of July first approaching, the Plante Administration wants to be able to support unhoused individuals with better financial and material resources.