The City of Montreal and the province are opening three new temporary homeless shelters to offer beds and services to people living on the streets during the winter months. Mayor Valérie Plante said the pandemic has forced most shelters to halve their capacity in order to maintain social distancing. In a statement, the group noted that the criteria for admission into the facility at the old Royal Victoria Hospital would exclude many homeless people. "Faced with this situation, we shouldn't be surprised to see the emergence of homeless camps throughout the territory of the island of Montreal," the RAPSIM statement said. Police won't raid homeless camps, Plante saysSeveral impromptu camps have popped up around the city this summer, including a large one on Notre-Dame Street in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

Source: CBC News August 27, 2020 19:18 UTC