It’s the end for the St-Jacques Motel, an establishment that had become the epicentre of violence, sexual exploitation and sometimes fatal drug overdoses in the south of Montreal’s Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood. Police and social services evacuated the last residents of the building on Friday, which had come under the control of the courts.
About ten women, some of whom were sexually exploited by pimps, had already been rescued by police on June 20. On Friday, it was the turn of several other vulnerable residents to be escorted outside, to be redirected to housing assistance organizations and hotels with the help of the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’île-de-Montréal. Some had been frequenting the place for years, taking advantage of the rooms rented for $45 a night, a rarity in Montreal.
More than twenty police officers from the Montreal Police Service (SPVM), accompanied by CIUSSS workers, showed up late in the morning at the entrance to the dilapidated building with its many barricaded windows, to which hung a sign announcing “Colour TV, cable video”.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Evacuation of the last residents of the St-Jacques motel
Taxis and moving trucks drove back and forth, transporting residents and their belongings elsewhere. A community organization had agreed to store belongings for those in dire straits.
“It’s a motel that has been known for many years,” explained Stéphane Desroches, the commander of neighbourhood station 9, when we met on site. The SPVM had several concerns about the place, where emergency calls had increased by 354% since 2017. This year, the police intervened there on average once every 1.6 days, often for conflicts, fights and violent acts, according to a report filed in court. The SPVM had concerns about mental health issues, sexual exploitation and the presence of weapons. In January, the occupant of room 33 was arrested with a sawed-off rifle and a bulletproof vest.
But the most worrying thing was the consumption of crack and opioids, which made the establishment a real public health problem, according to the SPVM report filed with the court.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Stéphane Desroches, head of PDQ 9
“We have a lot of concerns about overdose cases,” says Commander Desroches. Since 2019, seven people have died at the St-Jacques motel, including four from overdoses. Thirteen non-fatal overdoses were reported in 2023, and five more in the first few months of 2024, according to the report filed at the courthouse.
When police intervened to rescue the sexually exploited women in June, they also found four people unconscious after drinking.
The report highlights that overdose cases are underreported because drug users who frequent the scene often self-administer naloxone, a powerful antidote, in order to revive victims without the help of emergency services.
Accomplice owner
To obtain a court order to close the premises, the SPVM’s proceeds of crime section had to demonstrate to a judge that the owner of the premises was an accomplice to the acts of pimping and drug possession for the purpose of trafficking, which allowed his motel to be considered an offence-related property under the law.
“For over 20 years, the St-Jacques motel has been known for various problems related to drug trafficking and prostitution,” the SPVM stated in its request.
Several undercover operations this year by officers posing as prostitutes and pimps found that a janitor was providing crack cocaine and fentanyl to customers who asked the owner how best to get them. The owner, Jitendrakumar Patel, also gave an undercover officer posing as a pimp the contact information for a local convenience store where smuggled Viagra and Cialis could be purchased.
Mr Patel also demanded additional fees from an undercover officer who said he invited several clients to his room to obtain sexual services from a prostitute. The businessman has not been charged with anything at this time.
He is clearly aware that prostitution is taking place in his establishment and is also profiting from the fruits of this crime.
Excerpt from SPVM documents presented to the judge
Joined by The PressMr Patel declined to discuss the matter. “I don’t want to discuss it, I’m tired of it all. I’m a simple man, and I’m thinking mostly today about the good tenants, who weren’t causing trouble and who had to leave too. Some of them had been there for 10 or 20 years. I feel bad for them and I hope they’re okay,” he said.
Some unhappy, others relieved
At the passage of The Press On Friday, regulars at the place were grumbling about the intervention of the authorities.
PHOTO MARTIN CHAMBERLAND, THE PRESS
Sandy Mesher, former hotel resident
“They’re exaggerating! It’s not that bad, there were people who needed a place to stay,” exclaimed Sandy Mesher, one of the former residents of the place.
He returned to ensure that the elderly residents of the motel were taken care of.
“All they care about is kicking the tenants out,” added Andrew Ezard, a resident and motel employee who was recently arrested for allegedly selling drugs to undercover officers.
But local residents met in the area said they were relieved to see the premises evacuated of their occupants.
“It’s a wonderful day!” said Tess Anderson, a neighbor who lives across the street from the motel. She said some motel residents have already insulted her daughter. “They’re always walking around and doing drugs,” she said.
“It’s dirty, dirty, dirty,” says Kamal Maradi, a taxi driver who works in the area. “I’m very happy [que ça ferme]I hope it doesn’t reopen,” he said.
With Daniel Renaud, The Press