Quebec releases $28 million emergency funding for homelessness as winter approaches

Quebec announced Thursday $28 million in one-time emergency funding to address homelessness ahead of winter, with nearly $18 million allocated to the Greater Montreal area. The money will support approximately 200 projects across 16 regions of Quebec.

Premier Paul St-Pierre Plamondon made the announcement at Accueil Bonneau in Montreal, flanked by Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada and provincial ministers. The funding will create more than 1,000 additional emergency spaces over five months, covering heat shelters, emergency accommodation, and transitional housing. It will pay for facility setup, meal services, and complementary support.

Playmondon described the move as urgent response to an immediate crisis. "We are releasing money urgently because we are a few days, or a few weeks, away from the first frosts, but we will have other announcements in the coming weeks," he told media. He has made homelessness a personal priority, saying "l'itinérance, j'en fais une affaire personnelle" — and noting that "on ne peut pas accepter dans une société riche comme la nôtre qu'autant de personnes vivent dans la rue" (we cannot accept that so many people live on the street in a wealthy society like ours).

Playmondon campaigned on a $1 billion, four-year commitment to cut homelessness in half by 2030 and appointed himself minister responsible for the file. He has signalled a major summit on homelessness is planned for early 2027 to address root causes. Federal Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to contribute his part to the effort.

The announcement reflects a shift in who is experiencing homelessness: Plamondon noted it now affects people across all Quebec regions and socioeconomic backgrounds, visible in neighborhoods like Verdun and LaSalle where local residents report tents appearing.