Opposition parties in Quebec are calling for more shelters dedicated exclusively to homeless women to meet their specific needs and ensure their safety. For his part, Minister Lionel Carmant, who has just announced an additional 15.5 million to counter the current crisis, assures that part of this sum will be paid for “projects intended for women”, but without specifying their content. since “the breakdown of the sums announced is not yet public”.
Reacting to an investigation by Duty which highlighted the fear of women to go to mixed shelters, for fear of suffering sexual violence, the Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, affirmed to be aware of the particular problems experienced by women in the street.
“Homelessness comes with additional barriers when you are a woman; “it’s something people talk to me about when I visit shelters and it touches me,” he responded by email.
“This is why, as soon as the Homelessness Action Plan deployed in 2021 was submitted, we have measures that are specifically aimed at women,” he adds. It is in this context that “organizations that work with women experiencing homelessness such as the Chaînon and the Patricia Mackenzie Pavilion have seen their annual budget significantly increased,” he explains.
But this seems far from enough, if we are to believe the figures from the Partnership for the Prevention of the Fight against Women’s Homelessness, which brings together 5 women’s shelters in Montreal. These houses alone had more than 25,000 refusals due to lack of space last year. The minister did not indicate whether he would increase the funding and the number of shelters dedicated exclusively to women, but affirmed that “projects intended for women” will be financed as part of the new envelope for shelters in roaming, announced a few weeks ago.
Crying need
The opposition parties believe that Quebec must do more and better. “When we have women who roam the city in the evening because they are afraid of going to a mixed shelter [et] to be attacked, it’s really unacceptable,” says Elizabeth Prass of the Liberal Party of Quebec.
According to her, the solution involves creating more shelters for women. “When La rue des femmes tells us that there are up to 30 refusals per day, it is certain that the government cannot deny the fact that there is a crying need and that they are aware of it. So it’s a matter of taking action. »
Same story with the Parti Québécois. “It is important to develop shelters for women only, for those who have experienced trauma and for those who do not feel safe in mixed shelters,” says MP Joël Arseneau. As for mixed shelters, security must be increased in and around them. »
He also calls for an increase in funding for organizations that help women. “It is estimated that 70 to 85% of women experiencing homelessness have been confronted with some form of violence. We also know that female homelessness is often hidden, which is why it is poorly documented and underfunded, while housing resources for women require more resources to meet the specific needs of women. We must therefore increase the allocation of resources based on these realities,” he asserts.
On the side of Québec Solidaire, MP Étienne Grandmont calls on Prime Minister Legault. “It must take concerted action and it is the Prime Minister who must call there shot, as we say in good Latin. It is he who must say that from now on, homelessness is an issue that we take head on. »
He reiterates the need for an action plan that includes “at a minimum” the Ministry of Social Services and Housing. It calls for more single-sex resources to meet the specific needs of women, but also better protection of tenants’ rights and more social housing. “What I hope is that we wake up now. »