In the Montréal-Nord borough of Montreal, a homeless encampment was unexpectedly bulldozed this week, leaving residents like René Marquis without their possessions and sparking an internal investigation by local officials. The incident, which occurred on Monday, has been described by Borough Mayor Christine Black as a misguided cleanup operation rather than a deliberate dismantling, contradicting the new administration's pledges to handle such sites with greater compassion.
René Marquis, who had called a vacant lot in the borough home for the past six months, returned from a brief absence to find city workers already at work. According to Marquis, his medication, food, sleeping bags, and other essential items were either destroyed or left in a muddy pile after he confronted the crew, who then departed. "Now we have nothing," Marquis told CBC News. "Four years I'm outside. I need help. And nobody helps me now."
The lot in question, used primarily for storage and heavy machinery training, had become a temporary shelter for people experiencing homelessness, a situation tolerated by borough officials due to the lack of alternative housing options. Mayor Black, representing the Ensemble Montréal party, emphasized in a statement that while residing there was not permitted, the administration recognized the vulnerabilities of those affected. "As a borough, we must show compassion toward those who have less than we do," her statement read, acknowledging that the site's accumulation of debris had posed safety risks to everyone involved.
In response to the outcry, Black announced an internal probe to clarify the events. "I have asked the borough to investigate. We are still missing details to fully understand what happened," she said. "Regardless, I have requested that awareness and sensitivity training be provided to employees." The mayor maintained that the action was intended as a routine cleanup and not a full-scale eviction, though affected individuals and advocates see it differently.
René Obregon-Ida, executive director of Rue Action Prévention (RAP Jeunesse), a local organization operating a nearby day shelter, expressed frustration over the lack of prior notification. RAP Jeunesse collaborates with the borough to monitor and support the encampment, ensuring its relative safety and cleanliness. "It was destroyed, not dismantled," Obregon-Ida told reporters, highlighting that established protocols for such interventions were ignored. He questioned why no advance warning was given to residents or partnering groups, calling the operation a clear violation of agreed-upon procedures.
Black pushed back on the characterization, insisting the event was an unfortunate miscommunication. "It's really unfortunate what happened. That’s not how things should be done," she acknowledged. To prevent future mishaps, she noted that the City of Montreal is developing a new framework for managing encampments, focusing on supervision for hygiene and security rather than abrupt removals.
This incident unfolds against the backdrop of Montreal's recent municipal elections, where now-Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada campaigned on expanding resources to combat homelessness. During her bid, Martinez Ferrada promised increased funding and a shift away from destructive dismantlings toward more supportive policies. The Montréal-Nord event appears to undermine those commitments, at least in the eyes of critics, though officials attribute it to operational errors rather than policy shifts.
Adding another layer of complexity, Montreal's blue-collar workers' union has weighed in, deflecting blame from its members and pointing to broader systemic issues within city management. In a statement following coverage by La Presse, Jean-Pierre Lauzon, head of the Syndicat des Cols bleus regroupés de Montréal (SCFP 301), defended the workers involved. "Our members perform tasks assigned to them by their superiors, and they never decide when, where or how to intervene in situations involving homeless people," Lauzon wrote.
The union highlighted the challenges faced by frontline employees, who often interact directly with vulnerable populations. "On the contrary, they are among the most exposed, most aware and most frequently called upon municipal workers to intervene with this vulnerable population," the statement continued. Lauzon criticized the city's inconsistent approach across boroughs, noting that procedures vary widely from one area to another, leading to confusion and risk for workers.
"This places blue-collar workers in difficult, often unfair and sometimes dangerous situations," the union added, calling for standardized guidelines to address homelessness citywide. The statement underscores a long-standing grievance: shifting instructions and uneven rule enforcement that leave employees uncertain about how to proceed in sensitive scenarios.
For Marquis, the immediate aftermath has been dire. With his belongings ruined, he has relied on temporary aid from RAP Jeunesse, which is covering a few nights at a nearby hotel as he plans his next move. However, Marquis has already improvised a makeshift outdoor shelter, underscoring the ongoing housing crisis. "I have nowhere else to go," he said, voicing a sentiment echoed by many in Montreal's homeless community.
The broader context in Montreal reveals a city grappling with rising homelessness amid economic pressures and limited shelter capacity. According to city data, thousands of individuals experience street homelessness annually, with encampments popping up in parks, lots, and underpasses as stopgap measures. Previous administrations have faced criticism for heavy-handed clearings, prompting the recent push for reform under Martinez Ferrada's leadership.
Advocates like Obregon-Ida argue that incidents like this one erode trust between homeless individuals and city services, potentially deterring people from seeking help. He called for immediate restitution for affected residents and stricter adherence to collaborative protocols. Meanwhile, Black's office has committed to expediting the investigation, with findings expected to inform training and policy tweaks.
As Montreal moves forward with its new encampment framework, the Montréal-Nord case serves as a cautionary tale. It highlights the delicate balance between public safety needs—such as clearing hazardous debris—and the human cost of rapid interventions. For now, Marquis and others displaced remain in limbo, awaiting both practical support and systemic change.
The event has drawn media attention across Quebec, with outlets like CBC and La Presse amplifying voices from all sides. While the borough maintains it was a one-off error, the union's critique points to deeper managerial flaws that could affect similar situations borough-wide. In the coming weeks, as the investigation unfolds, Montreal's approach to homelessness will face renewed scrutiny, testing the new mayor's promises against on-the-ground realities.