Future home for women victims of violence | The City of Montreal blocks a project in Anjou

The borough of Anjou wishes to donate municipal land for the construction of a second-stage shelter for women victims of violence on its territory, but its project is thwarted by the central city, which intervenes by affirming that the rules do not allow such a gift.

Isabelle Ducas
The Press

Luis Miranda, mayor of the borough of Anjou, is furious at the situation.

“It’s a land we’ve had for 33 years, it doesn’t cost the City a penny,” he protests. We want to donate it, because we know that community organizations lack funding. »

The Borough Council of Anjou therefore passed a resolution to this effect two months ago.

Funding compromised

In this period when many feminicides are shaking Quebec, Mr. Miranda denounces the intransigence of the City.

The Transit 24 organization has been planning for eight years the construction of a nine-unit building in Anjou intended to house women victims of domestic violence and their children, who would have previously gone through first-stage shelters.

It’s a 4.3 million project. The organization expected to receive funding from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to make it happen.

However, to grant a subsidy, the CMHC asks for a partnership with the community. The refusal of the City to donate the land could therefore compromise all the financing of the project.

Administrative meanders

“There is a lack of places in second stage accommodation”, underlines Blandine Tongkalo, director of Transit 24, who specifies that 59% of women who need this type of accommodation are currently refused.

“We are caught in administrative maze, and there seems to be a misunderstanding of the problem in question,” laments Maud Pontel, coordinator of the Alliance of second stage shelters.

On Tuesday, during its monthly meeting, the Montreal City Council adopted a motion to improve support for victims of domestic violence.

Luis Miranda then intervened to deplore the fact that “when it’s time to take action, we don’t do it”.

Why does the City of Montreal refuse that the borough of Anjou cede this land? Because it is not its responsibility, replied city councilor Robert Beaudry, responsible for urban planning on the executive committee, during the meeting of the city council.

“The housing service will work on the file with the property management and planning service,” he explained.

” Analyzing ”

“The land transfer policy provides for the sale to organizations at a highly preferential price of $12,000 per dwelling in order to facilitate this type of project”, specifies Catherine Cadotte, press officer for Mayor Valérie Plante.

Does this mean that the City could sell the land for $108,000 to Transit 24, because their project includes nine apartments? “It’s being analyzed,” replies M.^me Cadotte.

The land in question is 642 m^⁠2 and has a property roll value of up to $200,000. It is located near a school and the main axes of public transport, underlines Luis Miranda. We cannot reveal its exact location to preserve the safety of the women who will eventually stay there.

Second-stage shelters allow women to have support and stabilize their situation before they manage to find their own apartment, explains Blandine Tongkalo. They pay rent based on their income.

In the absence of this kind of resource, where they can live in safety with their children, women who are victims of conjugal violence “risk returning to their violent spouse”, emphasizes Maud Pontel.

Unfortunately, it is often during this period, when a woman has made the decision to leave her spouse, that feminicides occur, adds Ms.^me Pontel.