Motel Montcalm as a transitional housing facility for people experiencing homelessness

Sonia Roy

On March 25, the Centre intégré de santé et des services sociaux (CISSS) de l'Outaouais issued a press release announcing the renewal of the mandate of Motel Montcalm, located at 175 Gréber Boulevard, as a transitional housing facility for people experiencing homelessness. 

Following the first initiative of this project in June 2021, when the first people experiencing homelessness moved into the motel in the midst of a health emergency, as well as the great success of many residents of what is now a well-established transitional facility, CISSSO announces that the project coordinated by Gîte Ami will remain on the site of the Motel Montcalm until June 2023. This temporary residence, which is the result of a collaboration between the City of Gatineau, Gîte Ami and the CISSS de l'Outaouais, is available to people experiencing homelessness who are involved in a social reintegration process. 

During their stay at the motel, these people benefit from support and follow-up from interveners and are assisted throughout their stay, with the goal of obtaining their own housing afterwards. Since the beginning of the project, CISSSO mentions that of the hundred or so people who have been able to take advantage of the motel stay offer, about 40 now have a home and/or have returned to society. 

As mentioned in the March 25 press release by Pauline Mineault, director of mental health and dependency programs at the CISSS de l'Outaouais, the goal of such an initiative is and will continue to be to reintegrate vulnerable people into society during a difficult period in their lives. Ms Mineault also mentions that "we must now pursue the development of all initiatives that will prevent people from ending up on the street (e.g., emergency housing, stabilization, transitional, permanent housing) with strong intersectoral and community partnerships."

This project, which was not unanimously supported in June 2021, has caused a lot of discussion among the residents of the neighbourhood. Indeed, many people mention that the location of such a site, although necessary, is poorly chosen. The Motel Montcalm, located in the middle of the commercial artery that is Gréber Boulevard in the Pointe-Gatineau sector, is close to several residential neighbourhoods and schools, such as Le Tremplin elementary school, Nouveau Monde elementary school, as well as Le Carrefour high school. Neighbouring business owners, many of whom demonstrated in front of the CISSSO offices in June 2021, still denounce the lack of communication on the part of CISSSO following the announcement of the project's renewal. The owners say that they were not consulted about the extension of the transitional housing mandate at the Motel Montcalm. In August 2021, during a call to businesses for the awarding of a contract to prepare meals for people living at the Motel Montcalm, a clause stipulating the possibility of renewing said contract for a period of one year had raised many eyebrows. When asked if such a clause meant that the project could also be renewed for another year, Marie-Pier Després, spokesperson for CISSSO, told Radio-Canada that no, a clause concerning the scope of services was common in this type of contract and that if the project at the Motel Montcalm were to end, meal preparation services would still be required for the people relocated. 

Following the CISSS de l'Outaouais press release, Louis Sabourin, municipal councillor for the district of Limbour, and chair of the Ville en Santé commission, said he was satisfied with the project and mentioned that social acceptability of the Motel Montcalm's mandate had increased and the project partners were still committed to proactive communication. Councillor Mike Duggan, from the Pointe-Gatineau district in which the motel operates, expressed disappointment with the effect this renewal will have on local merchants who must coexist with theft and loitering. Finally, Lise Paradis, general manager of the Gîte Ami, mentioned via the CISSSO press release, "The phenomenon of homelessness is a collective problem. This is why solutions must be found collectively and we are working hard to put in place services for this clientele in need. The ''Mon Calme'' project is a project in which we believe and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people and partners who, from near and far, have helped us in the project and continue to support us."