A homeless encampment in Montréal-Nord was unexpectedly dismantled by city workers this week,sparking a debate over the rights of unhoused residents and the city’s response to a growing homelessness crisis. While Mayor Christine Black attributes the demolition to a “misunderstanding” stemming from a planned cleanup, advocates and those who lost their belongings dispute that account, alleging a lack of prior notification.The incident has prompted calls for a clearer protocol for encampment removals and highlighted the challenges faced by municipal workers responding to complex social issues.
Montréal-Nord’s mayor is standing by her account of a “misunderstanding” after a homeless encampment was dismantled without warning earlier this week, as the city seeks solutions with a local outreach organization. The incident has sparked debate over the city’s approach to addressing homelessness and the rights of those living in encampments.
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Despite the city previously tolerating the presence of people experiencing homelessness on the site while a long-term solution was sought, the encampment was cleared without notice.
Mayor Christine Black explained that a cleanup of the area had been planned in recent weeks due to accumulating waste that had become “dangerous.” “They were aware that we needed to sort through things. It was a misunderstanding,” she said, adding that she wasn’t assigning blame.
PHOTO MARCO CAMPANOZZI, ARCHIVES LA PRESSE
Montréal-Nord Mayor Christine Black
RAP Jeunesse, a local organization working with people experiencing homelessness, points to a “collaboration guide” adopted in Montréal-Nord in 2023. The guide is intended to ensure communication between the city and those living in encampments during cleanup or dismantling operations.
However, René Obregon-Ida, the organization’s executive director, disputes the mayor’s account, stating that residents of the encampment received “no notice” of the impending demolition.
“There was a whole team. They had two bulldozers, three trucks,” said René Marquis, one of the encampment residents, describing Monday night’s events. “They started collecting all our belongings and putting them in the trucks.”
“What I’m told is that there was a pile to be discarded, that the city needed to manage, and another pile of things to keep. Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding,” Black maintained.
According to the mayor, city workers were on site to remove trash and mistakenly took items from the “keep” pile. Upon the arrival of encampment residents, “difficult and tense” discussions ensued, along with a call to 911.
I have asked the city to investigate. We are missing details to fully understand what happened. We want to get to the bottom of it: who said what, who did what?
Christine Black, Montréal-Nord Mayor
Efforts are now focused on finding solutions. A meeting took place Thursday between RAP Jeunesse and city representatives. “We need to ensure they can be compensated. The conversation will continue next week,” the mayor said.
Montréal-Nord is considering designating specific areas for people experiencing homelessness, potentially with gravel and safety barriers, as a “very short-term” measure.
“My heart goes out to these people. It was an unfortunate incident. We will ensure that this kind of thing doesn’t happen again.”
The City of Montréal’s commissioner for homelessness declined to comment on the matter, stating that it “falls under the jurisdiction of the borough.”
City Workers Call for Clear Protocol
In response to the incident, the Montréal Blue-Collar Union (SCFP 301) has criticized the city’s handling of the situation.
“We can’t make the decisions. It’s the managers who give the directives. Our blue-collar workers are made to look like the bad guys, but we’re just following orders,” said union president Jean-Pierre Lauzon.
The SCFP 301 offered to pay for four nights of hotel accommodations for the residents of the Charleroi Street encampment, following the demolition.
“It doesn’t make any sense. Our blue-collar workers aren’t equipped to respond to human distress,” Lauzon continued, adding that municipal workers—who are neither security agents, social workers, nor police officers—often find themselves on the front lines of these situations.
The union is calling on Soraya Martinez Ferrada to “provide a clear and precise protocol” for dismantling encampments in the city.
Montréal’s mayor appears receptive to the call. “It’s a mess. It comes down to what I’ve been saying from the start: we need a protocol. Can we all agree and have a protocol?” Martinez Ferrada said in an interview Wednesday.
Announcements are expected “soon.” “People need to understand that encampments will be one of the most complex and difficult issues we will have to deal with,” she said.
On a more positive note, RAP Jeunesse has expressed gratitude for the public’s response. Following reports in the media, “we are receiving a lot of emails from readers asking how they can help. This demonstrates a great deal of solidarity with people experiencing homelessness,” said René Obregon-Ida.
With contributions from Chloé Bourquin and Henri Ouellette-Vézina.
