Montreal’s homelessness crisis is worsening, and policies aimed at managing it are drawing criticism for being punitive rather than supportive. David Chapman, director of Resilience Montreal, highlights the return of “hostile architecture” like anti-homeless benches in Cabot Square—installed to prevent people from sleeping—despite a previous mayoral promise to remove them. This square is a key gathering place for Indigenous homeless people, and the use of deterrents like redesigned benches and altered heating vents is making survival more difficult.
Homelessness in Quebec has surged dramatically, with Montreal seeing a 33% increase between 2018 and 2022, and the South Shore suburbs facing a 98% rise. Province-wide, the homeless population jumped from about 3,000 in 2018 to 10,000 in 2022—a 216% increase. In response, the city and STM (Montreal’s transit agency) have implemented rules and measures to evict homeless people from public spaces, including transit stations. While the STM cites safety, advocates like Chapman say the measures displace vulnerable people without offering solutions.
Chapman and others urge governments to fund emergency services, not just long-term housing, warning that ignoring immediate needs may erase the presence—not the problem—of homelessness. Mayor Valérie Plante’s silence on the issue marks a stark shift from past promises.
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