Mutual Aid is a Common Practice at Homeless Shelter

John Tessier, coordinator at homeless shelter the Open Door, says that many of the clients who use the services help volunteer to keep things running.

Eugene "Yogi", who goes on a first name basis for privacy reasons, has been sleeping and staying at the Open Door for the last few months after leaving the Salvation Army because he could not afford rent. He helps out at the Open Door by serving meals to the clients.

Clémentine Mwabange, an intervention worker at the Open Door, says while volunteers are helpful, they ultimately need more staff, as clients who volunteer are not always able to help assist all the time. She says due to staff shortages as a result of COVID-19 outbreaks, she is sometimes having to work multiple jobs during some of her shifts. 

Tessier says it's necessary that the government provides more funding for the Open Door to be able to have 3-5 staff for each shift. He says currently there's only 2 staff per shift, but with Omicron being very contagious, they are combatting vicious outbreaks among staff and clients at the centre. 

He says the Open Door used to have consecutive months without clients or staff testing positive, now he says the situation is much different during the fifth wave. 

What was once a homeless population of 2,000 pre-pandemic, has doubled to 4,000 homeless people on the streets of Montreal. 

How can homelessness be reduced in the city? Yogi says with more access to affordable housing.

Tessier says there needs to be more mental health support services, to both prevent homelessness and support those who are living with mental illness while being homeless.

This interview was used for the most recent episode of Local 514.

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