(Montreal) The influx of asylum seekers in Quebec is putting strong pressure on the network of social and community services, particularly on Montreal shelters for people experiencing homelessness.
France Labelle, who co-founded the Refuge des jeunes de Montréal some 30 years ago, says a growing number of requests for beds are coming from refugee claimants, who she says now make up about 10% of her clientele. .
Sam Watts, CEO of Welcome Hall Mission, believes that homelessness among Montreal’s refugee claimant population is a relatively new phenomenon.
The federal government says that between January and November of last year, 45,250 asylum seekers arrived in Quebec, compared to 7,290 for the whole of 2021.
Premier Francois Legault said last month his government needed Ottawa’s help to house, educate and integrate growing numbers of refugee claimants into Quebec.
At the Montreal Youth Refuge, sponsored by Dan Bigras, Mr.me Labelle points out that these shelters and other social and community resources need adequate funding to meet the growing needs of asylum seekers arriving in the city.