MONTREAL One of Montreal s oldest hospitals will become a homeless shelter on Thursday. Hotel Dieu, which was founded by Jeanne Mance in 1645, is among two sites that will become temporary shelters. The new shelters will open as two other temporary sites close. Hotel Place Dupuis and the Pierre-Charbonneau Arena both served in that capacity during the pandemic, as permanent shelters saw their ability to serve the homeless population stretched by increased demand and the pressures of social distancing. Hotel Dieu s patients and staff have been moved to the CHUM superhospital site, though the CHUM still owns the building. The 24/7 facility will be funded by the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l Ile-de-Montreal.
As temporary homeless shelter at Place Dupuis closes, two new shelters are on the way montreal.ctvnews.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from montreal.ctvnews.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Hotel Place Dupuis has been acting as a makeshift homeless shelter for months, but after June 30, that won t be the case any longer. With the hotel no longer an option, advocates are working to find a new way to offer beds to those who need them.
Posted: Jun 05, 2021 5:00 AM ET | Last Updated: June 5
Roger Gobeil, Programme Bienvenue client, is seen across the street from Hotel Place Dupuis, a temporary overflow shelter for Montrealers experiencing homelessness.(Matt D Amours/CBC) comments
Roger Gobeil spends the afternoon at Place Émilie-Gamelin in downtown Montreal, the day before he moves into his new home. This was the same spot where a stranger approached him two months ago, and asked if he was OK.
Gobeil wasn t OK.
It was the start of Quebec s third wave, and he had just been evicted from his apartment. Sick with emphysema, a lung condition, depressed and unsure of what to do, he wound up outside the Berri-UQAM Metro station a known gathering place for people experiencing homelessness.
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For many people in Quebec, April is when the search for housing begins in earnest. Those with a one-year lease ending on June 30 typically have until March 31 to decide whether they wish to move, modify or renew their agreement. It can be an exciting, but uncertain time.
For people experiencing chronic homelessness in Montreal, the end of March normally signals the closure of facilities operated during the winter months and the beginning of a new set of challenges, like searching for a safe place to sleep.
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