An Indigenous-led organization that supports Montreal’s homeless community is asking all three levels of government to increase their commitment to solving the homeless crisis.
In a letter sent to key government figures, obtained by CityNews via email, Resilience Montréal is requesting bi-weekly meetings focused on consultation, resources, and future planning.
The goal is to support the implementation of recommendations made by the Office de Consultation Publique de Montréal (OCPM) in its July report on homelessness and social cohabitation.
“Two years ago, we were fortunate to participate in meetings with all our government partners, which resulted in additional funding for Resilience Montréal,” the letter reads. “We request the resumption of these important meetings in order to implement the report’s recommendations.”
Resilience Montréal also says it’s operating with limited resources and is “concerned about securing the funding necessary for our basic operations.” It adds its previous requests for operational funding have been ignored.
The letter was addressed to Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, Quebec Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière, Minister of Indigenous Services of Canada Mandy Gull-Masty, and others.
This summer’s nearly 300-page report by the OPCM included 22 recommendations for the City of Montreal. It also concluded the municipal and provincial governments needed to “significantly increase” their support for organizations helping the homeless.
READ: Stop dismantling encampments: OCPM report on homelessness and social cohabitation
“The community depends on our culturally appropriate services, which include more than 1,200 meals, emergency response, and basic necessities every day,” the Resilience Montréal letter continues. “The building we currently operate out of is in poor condition, creating a challenging environment for both staff and clients. Despite regular seasonal flooding, our team consistently mobilizes to quickly manage cleanup, allowing us to remain open without interruption. The recent heat wave caused extensive damage to our air conditioning system and now our cold storage.”
The organization was scheduled to move into a new building this October, but construction delays mean the new move-in date will be closer to April 2026.
Neither the City of Montreal, Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs Ian Lafrenière, nor Quebec Minister of Social Services Lionel Carmant have responded to our requests for comment.
“Resilience Montreal exists thanks to the combined support of the municipal, provincial, and federal governments. We are reaching out to strengthen our partnership with you so that, with your guidance and assistance, we can continue to grow and ensure the sustainability of Resilience Montreal. Your support is essential to our continued success.
“We are committed to transparency, collaboration, and the use of all available resources, but we cannot do this alone. We look forward to your collaboration.”
