‘Would you sleep here?’ Lauberivière asks

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

A question has begun popping up in unexpected places around Quebec City – “Dormiriez-vous ici?” (“Would you sleep here?”) The stencilled messages, in parking lots, public squares and doorways across the city, are part of a campaign by Lauberivière to get more people to put themselves in the shoes of a person experiencing homelessness and support the homeless shelter with financial and in-kind donations. 

“More than ever, the shortage of affordable and accessible housing is exacerbating the housing crisis, putting a growing number of people at risk of homelessness. In this context, Lauberivière plays a vital role by providing not only a roof over their heads, but also vital support to those who need it most. Each year, the organization provides more than 45,000 overnight stays to approximately 2,500 different people, and the needs continue to grow,” said Éric Boulay, the longtime executive director and self-described “innkeeper” of Lauberivière. 

The shelter in Saint-Roch has 131 beds, which may be used by two or three people sleeping in shifts on any given day, 18 medium-term housing units and a separate facility for intoxicated people who need to “dry out.” It also offers a soup kitchen, a day centre and money management and job search assistance for people coming out of homelessness. 

“This year, three out of four people who came through our doors were experiencing homelessness for the first time. This shows how the housing crisis and economic precariousness are affecting more and more people. Lauberivière is here to offer shelter, but also to accompany anyone who needs it. Our greatest desire will always be to make the first time the last,” Boulay said. “We have more tools to help people than we did 26 years ago when I started, but the social safety net is weaker, people’s purchasing power is weaker, we’ve talked a lot about the housing crisis. When you’re anxious about being able to fulfil your basic needs … you’re vulnerable. When you’re vulnerable, when you hit a wall, a challenge – a lost job, a breakup, a major change, having to move because you’ve been renovicted, it’s harder, because you don’t have as many tools to pick yourself up. We used to say people [experiencing homelessness] might have made bad choices, but now, even if you make the best choices possible, there’s no guarantee you won’t end up at Lauberivère.”

Boulay also said he has seen “really difficult, complex situations” that people managed to overcome, with help, to get their own apartments. “I still have hope, but what I find unfortunate is that we don’t do enough prevention.” Economic uncertainty and the fact that it’s increasingly difficult to get medical care and mental health support through the public health care system make prevention harder to access, he said. 

“Our staff can help a person find housing, but if they can’t find housing, then they’re going to stick around here,” he added. 

Boulay said he hoped the campaign, which aims to raise $1.4 million for the shelter’s core programs, would persuade people to “contribute to the safety net” which they or their loved ones might eventually rely on. 

To make a financial donation, visit the Lauberivière website at lauberiviere.org. To volunteer or make an in-kind donation, call 418-694-9316. Boulay anticipates that the need for volunteers will be greater after the holidays.