The homeless encampment set up along Notre-Dame Street will be able to remain in place until at least Aug. 27, a judge ruled Monday.
The ruling prohibits the Ministry of Transport (MTQ), which owns the land, from cleaning up the area where the shelter and people’s belongings are located.
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After Aug. 27, the tents cannot be dismantled until Montreal and Quebec City have made a clear decision on the fate of the encampments.
The Clinique juridique itinérante (CJI) obtained a previous injunction on June 30 preventing the MTQ and the City of Montreal from evicting those camping there until at least July 10. The founder and executive director of the CJI, Donald Tremblay, explained the rationale for the legal action taken by the non-profit organization.
“At a time when Quebec is experiencing an unprecedented homelessness crisis and there are insufficient emergency shelter spaces, let alone housing, to accommodate people living on the streets in survival mode, the government’s decision to proceed, without alternative solutions, with the dismantling of camps where some of the most vulnerable people in our society reside is inhumane and undermines their lives, safety, and dignity,” said Tremblay.
The CJI had argued that evicting encampment occupants would cause serious harm, adding that it shouldn’t be done at a time when shelters are overflowing.
Authorities have cited safety issues with the camp, like fire hazards and the building of permanent structures.
