The “emergency aid” provided by Quebec on Wednesday will allow Accueil Bonneau to maintain its food aid services seven days a week “for a few months” while finding “long-term solutions” to the organism's chronic lack of financial resources.
Posted at 5:02 p.m.
The Old Montreal establishment feared it would have to stop food distribution in February, which it said “could trigger a catastrophe that could have serious consequences for the ecosystem of the fight against homelessness in the Greater Montreal area.” Montréal.”
The Minister in charge of Social Services, Lionel Carmant, met with Accueil Bonneau's general manager, Fiona Crossling, on Wednesday morning to avoid a disruption in the service of the daily distribution of around 400 meals on Rue de la Commune.
“This is certainly a relief both for the people who benefit from a hot meal every day and for the employees whose jobs have previously been at risk as a result of this situation,” Ms Crossling said in a statement following the meeting.
According to our information, the organization, which helps homeless or vulnerable people, has access to a fund of around 7 million managed by the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal.
This extreme case funding will allow Accueil Bonneau to maintain its services until March 31, “while the long-term problem is resolved thanks to adequate, predictable and recurring annual funding of the mission.”
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, LA PRESSE ARCHIVE
The organization announced it would suspend its weekend meal offerings starting Jan. 6. Thanks to the aid announced on Wednesday morning, food distribution will resume seven days a week from mid-January.
At the end of December, La Presse revealed that the almost 150-year-old Accueil Bonneau was on the verge of collapse after three years of losses. Its expenses — labor costs, inflation, rising social needs — have risen in recent years, but its income has plateaued or even declined because of the end of pandemic aid.
The meal service “is an essential service, but it does not fit within the PSOC’s funding framework [Programme de soutien aux organismes communautaires] », explained general director Fiona Crossling in an interview.
“Accueil Bonneau offers transitional and long-term accommodation, but not 24-hour emergency accommodation. Because we do not check this box, our requests to increase the funding category at the Mission will not be accepted. »
The organization announced it would suspend its weekend meal offerings starting Jan. 6. Thanks to the aid announced on Wednesday morning, food distribution will resume seven days a week from mid-January.
Unanswered questions
At the end of the meeting, Minister Carmant wrote that /7 was necessary in the long term, which would open the door for additional funding.
“It is a fundamental element if we are to provide the best possible services and help people experiencing homelessness get off the streets,” he commented. “Discussions regarding a permanent solution to the financing problems at Accueil Bonneau are ongoing. This is a priority for our government. »
“While discussions with the Quebec government continue, Accueil Bonneau will have no further comment at this time,” said Fiona Crossling.