By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

Montreal has come up with an initiative to relieve the homelessness crisis that the unhoused can live with and in: actual homes, temporary though they may be.

The city will be building three developments in three different spots around the city. Each one will be made up of modular units like those seen on construction sites. Each development will have 30 furnished living spaces either for individuals or couples, or people with mobility issues. Each development will have a common area, plus a shared kitchen and bathroom.

The units will be set up in three different locations, one at the Hippodrome site, one on Louvain Street in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough. The location of the third one is not yet known.

This is being done in collaboration with the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal.

It comes at a time when the city’s homeless shelters, whether night shelters or day centres, are overflowing. Mayor Plante has been calling on the provincial government to do more to help solve the homelessness crisis in the city.

The mayor admitted that the project,“will not replace the crying need to accelerate the construction of social housing.” The city’s executive committee member responsible for homelessness, Robert Beaudry, agreed, adding that this pilot project is in addition to Projet Montréal’s Loger Plus program to develop more social housing. The mayor is touting the temporary units as a holdover for those waiting for more social housing to be built.

Last month the city announced it had awarded a $3.2 million contract to RCM Modulaires for the prefabricated units. The city is describing them as high-quality units that had actually been used by Hydro-Quebec workers during the construction of the La Romaine power plant. Each unit will have a full bed, including mattress and box spring, chairs, TV stands, small refrigerators, and a window.

Residents will also have access to psychosocial workers. Construction will start next month and should be complete in April. n