After several months of legal challenges, the homeless people who took refuge under the Ville-Marie highway overpass, near Atwater Street, were finally evicted from their camp on Tuesday morning.
From 7 a.m., under close police surveillance, aid organizations went back and forth to take out the meager belongings of homeless people in order to put them safely in containers provided by the Ministry of Transport (MTQ), which gave the evacuation order after winning the case before the Court of Appeal.
“I won’t lie to you, I didn’t come here this morning dapper with joy,” laments lawyer Gabriel Pelletier, who defended the cause of homeless people in court. We are sad, but we are doing our best so that they can leave with respect. »
David Chapman, director of the Resilience organization, arrives at the wheel of a van loaded with the effects of a resident of the camp. The lawyer puts on orange latex gloves. “I’m not here today as a lawyer, but as a mover,” he says, setting to work to store cushions, mattresses, mirrors and other personal belongings of the lady.
“Last Friday they were still 8-10 [personnes] who had still not been relocated,” said Marie-Pier Therrien, director of communications at the Old Brewery Mission, who was there to support the homeless.
Homeless
At 9:00 a.m., the loader and convoy of dump trucks entered the camp site. And this, in order to “clean up the site,” said the spokesperson for the Quebec Ministry of Transport, Sarah Bensadoun. They were greeted by a handful of activists from the Autonomous Union of Tenants of Montreal (SALM) who chanted “No to evictions! », denouncing the lack of collaboration and humanity of the MTQ.
According to the police, the campers cooperated well and the site was empty when the trucks arrived on the scene, access to which was blocked by the police.
Several homeless people met by The duty had heavy hearts, not knowing where they were going to sleep at night. “We did nothing wrong,” repeats Jacco Stuben, who has lived at the camp for ten years and who finds himself on the street. “Give us a chance! »
Cesar and Cathy, too, don’t know where they will go until they have access to social housing. They stored their belongings in a container and walked sadly around the site. “It’s not the first time we’ve lost our home,” sighs César. “We lost our apartment several years ago because of renovations and we just can’t afford the $1,500 rent. The couple also finds no place in mixed accommodation resources that impose strict regulations and offer no privacy. “I have the impression that there is no more room for poverty. »
According to David Chapman, around 80% of the camp’s residents are on the waiting list for social housing. Only two already have a roof over their heads, and three others are simply not interested in obtaining housing. “They say a camp under the overpass is dangerous, they’re right, but it’s even more dangerous to force them out. They are forced to isolate themselves and hide,” denounces Mr. Chapman.
Further details will follow.