Municipal officials are harming the City of Montreal’s efforts to house the homeless, the person responsible for the file within the Plante administration argued on Monday.
Robert Beaudry accused municipal councillors linked to the opposition of inciting citizens to fight the arrival of such installations in their neighbourhood.
At stake: the recent failure to open a shelter in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, after a neighbourhood outcry. The current owner of the targeted building ultimately refused to sell to the City of Montreal.
“We worked on social acceptability, while the opposition worked to mobilize the population against a project that could have been integrated very well,” asserted Mr. Beaudry, visibly angry. “We were ready to take the time, we were ready – in the current homelessness crisis situation – to put the resources in place to have an integrated project, while the opposition worked against this type of project.”
“Our commitment to Montrealers who are suffering, who are on the streets, is to find quick and effective solutions to give them a roof over their heads,” he continued, calling on his counterparts to “look in the mirror.”
Mr. Beaudry was questioned on this issue by opposition elected official Benoit Langevin. “They just do that, blame others on the homelessness issue. It’s never their fault, they have no responsibility,” he replied. “The Plante administration sows chaos wherever it decides to open shelters near schools and early childhood centres (CPEs) without taking into account the impacts.”