An envelope of $900 million in funds dedicated to housing is blocked due to lack of agreement between Quebec and Ottawa, denounces the Union of Municipalities of Quebec (UMQ).
“We are waiting, our hands are tied, we can do nothing,” lamented its president, Martin Damphousse, during the Summit on Homelessness in Quebec. “Without this agreement, we cannot do anything, the money remains frozen. »
The latter took the opportunity to criticize Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who criticized cities on Wednesday for adhering too slowly to the federal fund aimed at accelerating housing construction.
Hundreds of people gathered this Friday at the Homelessness Summit organized by the UMQ in the capital.
A report from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec indicates a 44% increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness compared to 2018. During a count carried out in the fall of 2022, no less than 10,000 homeless people were identified. Four years earlier, there were fewer than 6,000.
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