Montreal inaugurates 50 studios to help people come out of homelessness

The Welcome Hall Mission inaugurated 50 studio apartments to help homeless get back on their feet.

The Welcome Hall Mission officially opened a 50-studio transition housing program near Montreal’s Village to help people come out of homelessness.

The transition to housing program reserves 42 spots for men and eight for women and gender-diverse people on their own floor as they go through the process of finding a permanent home with personalized support.

Some pets will also be allowed to stay with their owners thanks to a collaboration with the Montreal SPCA.

Unlike a traditional emergency shelter, a selection committee will screen applicants for the program based on their level of self-sufficiency, willingness and preparation for a return to permanent housing.

Welcome Hall Mission CEO and Executive Director Sam Watts said the project aims to help fulfil the need for reintegration resources and make the experience of homelessness “rare, brief, and non-recurring.”

“It is imperative to shift from an emergency management philosophy of homelessness to an urgency of preventing and eliminating any prolonged experience of homelessness,” he said in a news release.

According to the Welcome Hall Mission, the program lasts an average of three months.

The first 30 days are without charge, after which participants are asked for a “minimal fee” for services during the rest of their stay.

Those services include fully furnished studios, three daily meals and snacks, a laundry room, a communal dining room and lounge area, workshops, accompaniment for housing searches and 24/7 security.

No substance use is allowed on-site. The program does not include harm reduction, addiction management or health services but works with organizations and health establishments to ensure coordinated access.

Watts told journalists support will still be offered to people who leave the facility once they find a place to make sure they can stay housed.

Julia, who will be moving into one of the new studios in a few weeks, never expected to find herself on the street.

Her path to homelessness goes through the pandemic, a family emergency in Spain, a stolen wallet and phone and a frozen bank account and pension that took years to sort out.

“This is only the third month that I received my cheques punctually, before that I was left with no money at all,” she told CTV News.

She said she needs help finding affordable housing and believes she’ll get it, thanks to the transitional housing program.

Coordinating with neighbours

The project was funded in part by Quebec’s Ministry of Health and Social Services and the City of Montreal.

“This initiative helps individuals experiencing homelessness or vulnerability move off the streets while preserving their dignity,” said Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant.

“People have been staying in shelters for too long. They’re ready to go into housing. It takes time ... to build new buildings, but I think, transitions is a way to do it.”

Despina Sourias, Montreal’s special advisor on housing and Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce city councillor, stressed that there will be consistent communication with the residents of the neighbourhood to ensure peaceful cohabitation.

Prior to the new facility’s opening, Watts said the Welcome Hall Mission held consultations inside the building with neighbours to mitigate concerns.

Sourias said the program is “essential in our metropolis to fight and prevent homelessness” and hopes it will serve as a “model for the implementation of new resources.”