The homelessness crisis and drug addiction problems have weakened the sense of safety in the Village this summer, believe merchants and residents of this neighborhood east of downtown Montreal.
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Rue Sainte-Catherine Est, a pedestrian street between Rue Saint-Hubert and Avenue Papineau, was not very busy on Saturday morning when our journalist visited.
Traders and customers interviewed by TVA Nouvelles are sad that the social crisis is damaging the village’s reputation.
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“During the day, yes, but not in the evening. After dinner I stay in the house. I’ve been here for two years and there’s still more [d’itinérants]», confides a citizen accompanied by her son.
“It used to be nothing like today. People used to not be afraid to go anywhere. “Today you don’t know if there’s someone following you,” says one Montrealer sadly.
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However, the owner of Le Cocktail bar near Champlain Street has noticed an improvement in the last two weeks.
“I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or cause and effect, but there was an incident at the Yamato Dumpling restaurant, which is right across the street from the bar [c’était] quite violent,” said Luc Généreux.
Business owners on Sainte-Catherine Street East, who don’t want to speak on camera, even claim that the commercial street’s partially pedestrianized street is contributing to the homelessness crisis.
The latter claim that the temporary presence of street furniture attracts wandering customers.
The artery will be accessible to motorists from October 9th.