Tent city evictions, outbreaks in shelters and deaths during the curfew – this is what the homeless population has been experiencing during the pandemic in Montreal.

Every night, about 4 thousand are homeless in MTL. This is double the number from before the pandemic. 

Local 514 covered homelessness during the pandemic in January, where we focused on tent city evictions and what needed to be done to prevent COVID outbreaks. The episode was released just after the death of a Raphael “Nappa” Andre, a homeless Innu man who froze to death during the curfew.

But how has the situation evolved the beginning of this year and since tent city removals?

Local 514 invites James Hughes, the President and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission, a shelter and resource for homeless people in Montreal and Sam Watts, CEO of Welcome Hall Mission to speak with Local 514 about how the situation has evolved since January.

Municipal elections coming up in November, what do our candidates have to say about homelessness in Montreal?

Mayor Valerie Plante has promised to end sleep only shelters and provide instead 24/7 services if re-elected. She’ll double the budget for services for the homeless, bringing it from $3 million to $6 million annually. Plante has called on the province to create a five-year plan for tackling homelessness in Montreal, saying there needs to be a better partnership.

From Ensemble Montreal, candidate and former mayor Denis Coderre has not presented a plan for social housing or homelessness, but plans to on Oct. 15

From Mouvement Montreal, Balarama Holness wants to push for broader powers so the municipal government can build social housing without having to wait for the province to act. He wants to reserve the Peel Basin for social housing.

Adam Amsel, the President of the Milton Parc Citizen's Committee, joins the show to discuss his thoughts on the municipal candidates platforms and what needs to be done to benefit the homeless population in Montreal.