An independent city councillor is calling on Montreal to declare a state of emergency to deal with the homelessness crisis.
Speaking during the regular council meeting Monday afternoon, Craig Sauvé, a councillor in the Sud-Ouest borough, said calling a state of emergency would give the city special powers, like the ability to take possession of hotels and turn them into emergency shelters for those living on the street.
“The housing crisis is worsening, the homelessness crisis is growing,” Sauvé said in council chambers at city hall Monday. The opioid crisis is more dangerous than ever. What is the city waiting for to take action and immediately house people?”
Robert Beaudry, the executive committee member in charge of homelessness, said a state of emergency isn’t needed, because many of the city’s actions targeting homelessness rely on services that are provided by Quebec.
“The city isn’t waiting; the city is acting,” Beaudry responded. “But the city also has its limits on the actions it can take. People need a roof over their heads, but they also have to be able to maintain that roof, because if we offer a home, but we don’t offer services that are also adequate, then we are not further ahead.”