The presence of an emergency homeless shelter at the Guy Favreau complex in downtown Montreal has caused thousands of criminal and security incidents, according to a federal document obtained by La Presse.
Published at 1:08 am. Updated at 5:00 am.
This information reinforces concerns repeatedly expressed by residents and traders in the region about the growing insecurity there.
In just eight months, “between October 1, 2022 and May 30 [2023]“2,243 incidents of a criminal and security nature were reported in connection with the 85-place shelter,” said a memo prepared for Justin Trudeau in preparation for a meeting with Valérie Plante last June. La Presse got it thanks to the Access to Information Act.
“Several users and commercial tenants of the Guy Favreau complex witnessed these incidents and expressed concerns about their safety,” the statement prepared by the Privy Council Office continued.
Given the presence of a large number of officials, other residents and numerous citizens present on a daily basis, it is clear that the presence of a refuge in this building is incompatible with the purpose of the Guy Favreau complex.
Excerpt from note to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
This shelter, which opened at the height of the pandemic in May 2020, closed at the end of 2023. After several renovations, Ottawa took possession of the premises to carry out “priority and extensive work to ensure the integrity of the building” after the discovery of mold, the notice explains. “These extensive works cannot be carried out in the premises in which the accommodation is located if there are still residents there. »
The city of Montreal announced last fall that a former seniors' residence in Verdun, Gordon Gardens, would take over the facility.
Violence, rudeness and drugs
Entrepreneur Winston Chan, a member of Montreal's Chinese community who has often denounced the insecurity surrounding the Guy Favreau complex, said he was not surprised by the high number of incidents.
“It doesn’t surprise me,” he said in a telephone interview. “Several local dealers are talking to us about it [de l’insécurité] because of this refuge. »
In recent years, people in the neighborhood have reported being insulted and even beaten by suspected shelter residents, as well as frequently witnessing crack and injection drug use. In 2022, a homeless man was stabbed to death in the neighborhood.
“The shelter opened at a certain time and people lined up to get in, so they stood in that corner most of the day,” Mr Chan added. “It's really not a pleasant coexistence for the residents. »
The city of Montreal argued that it had done its best to mitigate the impact of the presence of a homeless shelter in the Guy Favreau complex.
“During the operation of a temporary shelter, the City of Montreal worked closely with the Société de développement social (SDS), which managed the resource, and the building's managers to ensure safety and harmonious coexistence between residents, workers, merchants and others Users of the shelter,” public relations officer Guillaume Rivest argued in an emailed statement.
“The City of Montreal always strives to ensure social coexistence and safety in public spaces,” he continued. “That is why, among other things, we have strengthened the Mobile Mediation and Social Intervention Team (ÉMMIS) and added patrols from the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) to the sector. »
Public Services and Procurement Canada, the agency responsible for managing federal buildings, had not responded as of this writing.
“The location was not ideal”
The Montreal mayor's office declined to comment on the situation.
“That the federal government wants to carry out major renovations [au Complexe Guy-Favreau]“We understand that, but it is certain that it shakes an entire ecosystem, an environment with very vulnerable people,” Valérie Plante said in mid-August when the shelter’s closure was announced.
On Friday, the opposition spokesman responsible for the homeless issue shot at the mayor and her team.
“I'm not surprised at all. “We had said that the location was not ideal,” Benoit Langevin said in a telephone interview.
[Le] The plan for living together was, let's say, non-existent. These numbers are evidence that the Plante administration did not listen to the heartfelt cry of residents and business owners in Chinatown who did not feel safe.
Benoit Langevin, spokesman for the official opposition in the fight against poverty and homelessness
“The hasty opening of shelters without a plan for coexistence has been the hallmark of Projet Montréal in recent years,” he added.
In collaboration with William Leclerc, La Presse