The Hôtel des Arts, in the heart of downtown Montreal, was requisitioned by the City of Montreal to host the first homeless shelter in February, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“With the 24/7 shelter at the hotel, it will meet the needs of the Aboriginal community of Montreal,” said Heather Johnston, Executive Director of Quebec Native Projects (PAQ), which oversees this service. .
The organization manages two shelters for native homeless people in Montreal. It is one of them, located at the Guy-Favreau complex and accommodating around fifty people, which will soon be moving to the Hôtel des Arts.
“By moving its services to this location, PAQ will free up premises at the Guy-Favreau complex, which will again be available and can be used by the health network if necessary,” the City of Montreal said in a press release Thursday.
Remember that around 200 emergency beds for people living in the streets are missing this winter, compared to last year. The large shelters are full and refuse people every night.
“High eligibility threshold”
This new hotel refuge will have the distinction of being open at all times, becoming the first service of its kind for the homeless Aboriginal population of Montreal. It is also a “high eligibility threshold” service, meaning that it welcomes the entire population, whether or not they are intoxicated.
The Hôtel des Arts is located on rue Saint-Dominique, near the Saint-Laurent metro station and Milton-Parc, a nerve center where many indigenous homeless people live in the metropolis.
“The idea is also to better serve the community in Milton-Parc,” confirms Heather Johnston. This new service will open its doors on 1er February. It could start earlier, if labor recruitment accelerates. “The challenge is to find frontline workers,” says Heather Johnston. Especially with the Omicron variant. ”
Isolation places
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
The Chrome hotel, located on rue René-Lévesque, in Montreal, will welcome 111 people starting this week.
As reported by Press Wednesday, the Chrome hotel, located on rue René-Lévesque, in Montreal, will welcome 111 people this week. “This new site will make it possible to accommodate people in a situation of homelessness declared positive for COVID-19 and who do not require hospital care as well as those awaiting a result or who must isolate themselves”, specified the City of Montreal in a press release Thursday.
This is more than double the places reserved for homeless people declared positive. In fact, they were previously isolated at the hotel l’Abri du Voyageur, rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, which had about 40 places.
This service is managed jointly by the Mission Old Brewery organization and the CIUSSS du Center-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.