A shelter in Montreal will soon be opening a new “second stage” housing facility that will allow residents to live there for five years before moving on.
The three story building is located in an area of the city where much of the “unhoused” Indigenous population lives.
Stacy Boucher-Anthony, executive director of Indigenous Project Quebec, told APTN News this area of the city has been described as a “humanitarian crisis” by the city’s ombudsman.
“So Indigenous Project Quebec and its various partners wanted to address this crisis, which has been going on for some time,” he said.
As of July 1, 14 rooms will be available for Indigenous people who are in recovery. The building has indoor and outdoor communal spaces.
Lailani Shaw, executive director of the Montreal Indigenous Community Network, said the space is going to be a centre for “healing and catching people when they need to.”
“I really hope that it gives a space for people to really heal and to kind of ask those introspective questions to themselves and kind of have a space where they can see a future for themselves,” said Shaw.
The goal of the program is to support the residents in their healing journey.
Indigenous Project Quebec has a five year lease on the building.
