Always surprised at how many Homeless people on the streets of Montreal...

[link72]

I can't believe how many homeless people are on the streets of Montreal, aren't there any shelters there? I can't remember the last time I was asked about 15x for money in a 3 day span. Can't remember the last homeless person I saw here.

Actually I flipped a $1.25 into a street performer's guitar case as he was singing something in french, he did sound good. There wasn't that much in the case. I was told that Montreal is a rather poor city, that's too bad.

 

[CS Martin]

I can't believe how many homeless people are on the streets of Montreal.......I was told that Montreal is a rather poor city, that's too bad.

No, really?? I've been told by many locals (and those on this board) that this is not the case and that there are no more poor people here than any other city in North America. So whom am I to believe? You or the indisputable experts on this board?

 

[link72]

I don't know. All I know that I've never seen so many homeless people. If you were offended by the statement, too bad. Just going on seeing many homeless people and being begged for money so many times in 3 days.

This surprised me the first time I went to Montreal and it did again.

Montreal I'm sure is better off than most large American cities in this respect.

C.S Martin, did you walk on the streets or did people tell you about the homeless people? I walked all over the city and I saw. While in Toronto, I've never seen this many homeless people. Just posting an observation and somebody told me that Montreal was a "poor city". I never though it to be, but, like you, I don't live there. Maybe I saw a skewed sample size as it was very warm the last few days...

All I know is Montreal is an extremely safe city, as I walked at night in any part of the city and felt safe. I've walked in downtown Detroit after a sporting event and have been scared.

 

[man77777]

Maybe cause Montreal policemen and society are more comprehensive with homeless.

Maybe a part of french culture in a North American ocean of repression...

 

[link72]

I agree, an extremely safe, large city. Maybe it was the warm weather? I love Montreal, beautiful city, everyone is nice. I was just surprised that so many people begged me for money and seeing people lying on the cement.

I do agree on the major cities in the US...

There is a misconception in Ontario that Quebecers are rude. I find the complete opposite. Everyone is nice. When people say that here, I correct them.

 

[CS Martin]

If you were offended by the statement, too bad.

LOL, didn't offend me a bit. I made the same observation on this board a few years ago and was soundly shouted down by other posters. I just assumed all these experts were right and I was wrong. All the people I saw begging on the sidewalks must have been a drug deprived mirage. So, I took my meds and shut the hell up. You got to love it!!!

Credibility check here: I also believed the campaign slogan "Change you can believe in". Yup, see the sign every day. They still haven't taken it down.

 

[Trenus]

Link72, Montreal is a poor city. One third of Montrealers live at or under the poverty line and the average income per person is almost $30K. But one doesn't really need to look at the stats. If one travels a little to other North American cities, it is clear that Montreal lags behind.

However, it is sort of taboo to talk about Montreal's poverty because some blame the whole language debate as one of the reasons as to why Montreal is where it is today, while others blame poor government management, in the form of higher taxation, since only 40% of Quebecors pay taxes, while 60% don't. This has led to significant wealth leaving Montreal, and of course future brains, that Quebec paid for in the form of virtual free public university education.

There are also other factors like the number of people on public welfare, since wealth is not being created. For example, the city of Montreal, last year, had about $60 billion worth of potential projects it was considering, but between lobby group A and lobby group B, and lobby group C, nothing is being moved forward. It's as if the government apparatus is stagnant, and major projects cannot come to fruition.

 

[TheDon]

I find that other cities hide their homeless so that they are not an eye sore to the public and tourist in the more popular parts of town.

 

[montrealboy75]

I believe homeless people in Montreal are a little more agressive when they beg. They used to be located only in the downtown area but have been spreading into the rest of the island these last years, usually at metro exits

 

[CLOUD 500]

I have seen a lot more homeless people in major US cities then Montreal. For sure the average income of Montrealers is lower then other cities but also the cost of living is a lot lower here. For example compare Toronto to Montreal. Housing is far more expensive in Toronto, food is more expensive, owning a car is more expensive, and escorts and stripclubs are more expensive also. One has to look at the discretionary income left over and that is an indication of the standard of living of people.

 

[sergejean]

There are a lot of homeless people in Montreal but I do see a lot as well when I travel to major cities. One thing I found in Montreal though is that a lot of homeless folks have mental illness and would be better off in an hospital then in the streets.

 

[daydreamer41]

I have seen a lot more homeless people in major US cities then Montreal. For sure the average income of Montrealers is lower then other cities but also the cost of living is a lot lower here. For example compare Toronto to Montreal. Housing is far more expensive in Toronto, food is more expensive, owning a car is more expensive, and escorts and stripclubs are more expensive also. One has to look at the discretionary income left over and that is an indication of the standard of living of people.

That's it. For once and for all, they have to lower the SP rates in Toronto for the sake of the homeless.

 

[daydreamer41]

How do you know that these people are homeless? There was a thread last year commenting on the panhandlers on St. Catherine's street. There's always a lot of panhandlers, musicians, people with dogs. You don't know if they have places to live during the night and panhandle during the day.

I would imagine being homeless in Montreal is rather rough given the rough winters. Does Montreal have homeless shelters?

 

[David Bowie]

There is an estimated 30,000 homeless in Montreal. The young ones head south or to Vancouver for the winter.

 

[simonpaul]

they changed the law about 10 years ago,now the mission of the hospitals is to return to the street mental illness homeless as fast as possible.

 

[Turbodick]

Homeless people in Canada and many other places are just trying to get by. I don't feel sorry for all, but is it so wrong to err on the side of generosity?






Sadly, the statistics on homeless people you actually see are skewed by guys like ruling party what-ever -it is called member Jim Flaherty banning them from the streets. Conservatives, Reform, Reform conservatives???

 

[cloudsurf]

There is an estimated 30,000 homeless in Montreal.

There would be 5000 more if prostitution were illegal