As in several places in Montreal, a small migrant camp was set up near the Jacques Cartier Bridge this week, in the midst of a turbulent time.
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One of the people who spends his nights in this place, where two tents have been set up and where there are a total of ten people, says that he had to leave his accommodation almost three weeks ago.
“I was kicked out because my landlords said they had family who came from France,” explains the man. I researched and no family came, it was just a reason for me to leave the apartment. They told me that three weeks before July 1st.
After trying to contact organizations, he turned to this place.
“The Bonneau reception and places like that are all full of waiting lists that have yet to be processed,” he says.
According to Welcome Hall Mission CEO Sam Watts, camps like this are becoming more common in Montreal.
“What we’re seeing is an increase in the number of small camps here and there in several different counties,” he said. This is a really worrying phenomenon, especially in counties that have never experienced homelessness.
This phenomenon does not only exist in the metropolis.
“It happens in the vast majority of North American cities, but we haven’t seen it in Montreal for a long time,” adds the CEO.
Watch the full explanation in the video above.