The 15.5 million in emergency funding announced Thursday morning by the minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, is largely insufficient to combat the homelessness crisis, denounces the mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante.
In fact, this sum would not even meet the needs for the metropolis, underlined Mr.me Plante, who couldn’t help but let out a laugh when she was questioned on the subject, Thursday at a press conference.
“The amount announced by the minister only represents plasterwhile homelessness is an open wound that bleeds,” she said.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFACON, THE PRESS
Homelessness is exploding in Quebec and has jumped 44% in five years.
The solution to homelessness requires social housing with support from workers who can support people struggling with multiple mental health, drug use and other problems, argued the mayor, deploring that Mr. Carmant only mentioned emergency shelters in the press scrum Thursday morning.
Valérie Plante, however, appreciated the fact that the Minister of Housing, France-Élaine Duranceau, was alongside Minister Carmant for this announcement.
More details to come.