Montreal to create homeless ‘wet shelter’

Montreal is set to join other Canadian cities in offering a space where homeless people suffering from alcoholism can drink in a controlled environment.

The so-called “wet shelter” is part of a three-year, $7.8-million plan the city announced Wednesday to help its homeless population. There is also a goal of building about 950 social housing units designed to help people get off — and stay off — the street.

Serge Lareault, commissioner for the homeless, said the $7.8 million will be distributed to different community organizations that offer varying services to people who sleep outside.

The plan to build 950 housing units is an “objective,” he said, and the budget still needs to be negotiated with other levels of government.

The city conducted a census in 2015 of people living on the street, Lareault explained, and discovered that about 500 people sleep outside every night, with the vast majority having an alcohol, drug or mentalhealth problem.

Due to their diseases or other issues, “they told us they couldn’t stay inside a shelter overnight,” Lareault said. “They need a place adapted to their condition.”

One of those places will be a centre where the homeless can drink in a controlled environment, he said, but added the city will announce details of the pilot project at a later date.

Other Canadian cities such as Ottawa and Toronto have similar resources.