More resources needed for people forced out of homeless encampments in Quebec City, experts say
CBC
Every year, Quebec City's police force dismantles homeless encampments. Just this week, one was taken down near the Saint-Charles River.
These operations typically take place in collaboration with community organizations who help those displaced from their makeshift homes find somewhere else to stay, but a lack of resources is making it harder to assist them.
"Since 2019 we've observed more and more incidents of what we call visible homelessness: sleeping bags outside, people who sleep outside," said Éric Boulay, the general manager of the Lauberivière shelter, in an interview with Radio-Canada.
But even with a new building that has some 100 beds, the Lauberivière shelter is unable to keep up with the demand. Some nights, it has to turn people away because there isn't enough space.
"It's always hard, imagine for the workers at night, to tell people 'I'm full, I don't have a space for you tonight,'" said Boulay.
Boulay said more resources and funding are needed for some 40 community organizations in Quebec City that work to assist those experiencing homelessness.
"It's not just adding beds for winter," he said. "We need a global vision for prevention, street workers, support after people leave shelters, and support before people go to shelters."
The Service de Police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) dismantled about 20 camps last year, a trend that seems to be continuing this year, according to spokesperson David Pelletier.
Pelletier said in an email that the police are forced to dismantle the camps because the city of Quebec can't allow them to stay in place.
"It's not a sustainable or safe solution for people experiencing homelessness, especially with regard to the risk of fire," he said.
Pelletier said police officers work with community partners when they do these interventions, and their priority is to ensure the well-being of the person whose encampment is being dismantled.
One of these partners is the Programme d'encadrement clinique et d'hébergement (PECH), a non-profit organization that offers assistance to people experiencing homelessness.
It has been working with the police for about 20 years, according to its director general Benoît Côté.
Part of the issue, Côté said, is that there is a lack of political will at all levels of government to truly tackle homelessness.
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