It's been a few months since the fifty-year-old has no roof over his head. “I was based in Larouche. I worked as a smuggler. I had a wife. We lived in a house we rented. Our relationship ended and then I had a difficult time ahead of me. “The pandemic didn’t help,” he says in a deep tone.
Curfews, lack of work and isolation have been an additional burden, admits Mr Bédard. “I was alone. I couldn't really work anymore. I fell into depression and that's when the spiral started. I was behind on my payments, I neglected my credit cards and my rent. I was living on CERB, but it took me finally caught up. I had to make decisions. In the end, all I had left was my truck and my personal belongings.”
To get out of there, the man in his fifties looked for work. “I ended up getting a job with a parcel delivery company. At minimum wage, I started working night shifts a full 35 hours a week. I still work and try to find additional transport contracts during the day when I can so that I can work more.”
“An invisible force”
Despite the tireless efforts and the almost non-existent rest, Éric Bédard still has problems. “I can't do it. I really want to get out of there. I just want to stay. Some would have taken a different path, would have slipped into illegality, where it is sometimes more profitable, but I wanted to remain something positive for society. It seems like it’s society that doesn’t want to give me a bit of positivity back,” he says.
The battle is endless and arduous. In fact, it's as if it were endless, sighs the Saguenéen.
“I feel like I'm fighting an invisible force. I feel like all my efforts are in vain. It's like I'm fighting a ghost. I have to admit that I'm getting tired of holding on to life. It’s not pleasant to burn into nothingness.”
— Eric Bédard
Eric took a look at the resources available to people in vulnerable situations. “The road workers accompanied me to find a place to shower without disturbing me. I decided not to sleep in the homeless shelter, even though it was offered to me. I told myself I was lucky to at least have my truck. Others have nothing, absolutely nothing. When it's -20 degrees outside, the person without a roof is much more at risk than me. Your chance of survival is significantly lower. That's why I don't take a bed in a homeless shelter. I don’t want to deprive anyone who really needs it,” he argues.
A cry from the bottom of my heart
The homeless man living in his truck is out of breath and needs help. He also questions in depth the causes of this wave of homelessness, which is increasingly manifesting itself in the regions. “There used to be a lot fewer people on the streets in Saguenay. There are now hundreds of them. I have met many. Some aren't quite on the streets, but they're not far from homeless, as they told me. It has become difficult to live,” he states.
There are many factors that can lead to homelessness. Eric's story is indeed one of thousands.
“How can we believe that someone can pay for their food, their rent, their car with today’s prices? Something is wrong somewhere. I think it's time for the government to wake up. It can not go on like this. On the street, people don't really believe it anymore. It’s like the connection is completely broken.”
— Eric Bédard
Éric Bédard calls for collective solidarity. He wants everyone to come together and rise up to change things. “We are all Quebecers. We have to stick together. I think we have the ability to make some noise, get the pots out and get the message across. If that's not enough, less pleasant things can happen. I hear a lot of people talk to me about violence. It has to be said that some people really have nothing to lose,” he suggests.
Homelessness has changed
Stéphanie Bouchard, the general director of the Chicoutimi Street Work Service, is at the forefront of the social changes that have been taking place for several years. “We often hear that the face of homelessness is changing, but it’s true. It is anything but an overused phrase. We see it on the ground. There are more and more people we work with. When you roam around Saguenay, it’s noticeable, it’s noticeable,” she assures.
The number of people needing support has exploded, confirms Ms Bouchard. “Whether visible or invisible, homelessness has increased significantly. This has never been the case, but it is no longer just the stereotype of the disorganized person. There are people who have children, who have decent jobs, who can no longer make ends meet. In the last two years we had to adapt our services because we noticed that there were more homeless people. In this context, too, we had to expand our intervention team. It’s ongoing and getting worse,” she concludes.