For the last three months, Montreal's mobile social intervention team has been meeting with the homeless community in the Plateau.
Équipe mobile de médiation et d'intervention sociale (EMMIS) was launched in February. Teams spend their days driving and walking around specific boroughs to meet with the homeless population and offer resources.
Last year, Montreal's ombudsman released a report detailing tensions between the homeless community and people living in the Milton Park neighbourhood. The probe was launched because some citizens complained about the cleanliness and safety of their area.
Borough councillor Maeva Vilain said that, for years, she's heard about cohabitation problems.
"It's a structural problem. How long will it take? It's difficult to know," Vilain told CTV News.
"We have to understand day-to-day issues and answer day-to-day issues, and people have been asking us for a social intervention brigade."
EMMIS works in partnership with another group, the Native Friendship Centre.
Both squads spend their days meeting the homeless community, many of whom are Indigenous.
"The main premise is just to ensure the housed community members and the unhosed community members are living in proper cohabitation with one another," said Olena Kania of the Native Friendship Centre. "Because there is a lot of tension and conflict that can happen."
EMMIS works in three boroughs: Sud-Ouest, Ville-Marie and Plateau-Mont-Royal. In June, EMMIS will also extend to the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough.
