Canada/Gatineau's Transitiôn Village is making inroads in Quebec
Converting containers into temporary housing for the homeless? The idea seemed ambitious a year ago, but now Gatineau's Village Transitiôn is beginning to realize the effect it has on the lives of its residents several months after their arrival. An effect that cities like Montreal and Quebec City are trying to recreate in part.
Montreal is making final preparations for the official opening in September of a first village of converted site trailers, which will provide housing for some 30 homeless Montrealers in the Hippodrome area.
Two other similar projects are also due to open in 2026 in the city's Ahuntsic and Outremont neighborhoods.
In Quebec City, three containers with six units will welcome their first residents in the next few days, in the D'Estimauville sector. The Office municipal d'habitation de Québec is piloting the project.
In Montreal, the project received some headwinds even before opening, as in Gatineau.
However, in the Outaouais region's largest city, the results are starting to show.
Transitiôn, eight months on
Since the launch of Transitiôn Village in December 2024, nearly forty people have found shelter in the containers. Transition Québec, the organization behind the project, along with other stakeholders, are interviewing potential tenants to accommodate a total of around one hundred, spread over 85 containers.
The site is located next to the itinerant camp set up several years ago on the site of the former Robert-Guertin arena.
Transitiôn is the result of a collaboration between real estate developer Devcore, the city and the province.
In this enclosed space, each resident has his or her own unit, bed, bathroom, small kitchen and access to common areas, all heated and air-conditioned. The cost is between $200 and $500 a month, equivalent to 25% of the tenant's social assistance.
The aim is to provide a home for people in need over a five-year period, while offering psychosocial support. Residents can come and go as they please, but not just anyone can access the property.
I'm at home," says Mike Tremblay, a tenant for the past few months. Everything is there: a microwave, a toaster, a coffee machine. Everything was ready to live in. Previously, he got help from Gîte ami, a shelter located a few steps from Transitiôn Village.
Mike appreciates the community spirit in the area. We all know each other, we all buy cigarettes from each other.
Residents have to deal with the presence of outreach workers and security guards. These employees help residents obtain goods and get to appointments. It's okay to have a little surveillance," says Mike. I have nothing against that.
Manon Dessureault finds this presence sometimes invasive. However, she appreciates the sense of security and peace of knowing you're not out there. It makes a big difference. This grandmother moved into one of the containers with her cat about 4 months ago, after 14 years of homelessness. Now I see a future," she says.
Rules to respect
Not everyone has had the same experience. To live and stay in a dwelling, a tenant must respect a code of living.
Failure to respect these rules can result in eviction, which was a challenge for Jean-François Bourgon. Smoking in his apartment and not respecting the rules of cleanliness, despite a warning, pushed him towards the exit.
Since then, he has returned to live in his tent with his 12 dogs - which he calls his family - next to the Transitiôn site.
It's impossible to be as clean as they want, especially after living in a tent for four years," he says. Limits on visits and the number of animals allowed also caused him problems.
From an early age, Jean-François Bourgon was placed in foster care. Since then, he has regularly found himself on the streets. After finding his own apartment, living alone led him to the site of the former Guertin arena. Being homeless means feeling isolated," he confides.
He would like to find housing at Village Transitiôn, which he believes would give him a 50% chance of getting out of the situation. However, he prefers more flexible regulations. It's sad to be alone all the time. It's really hard," he sums up.
Benefits for homeless people... and taxpayers?
It's a service that doesn't currently exist in the network," explains Nancy Martineau, Executive Director of Transition Québec. This is an area that has been occupied by homelessness for several years, with people living in trailers and tents, in a state of disorganization.
Transition Québec also believes that its project will save taxpayers money. It relies on data from the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ), which estimates that a person experiencing homelessness costs the province an average of $72,500.
The UMQ calculates that Transitiôn Village costs $21,500 per person, which would result in savings of $51,000.
We're capable of coming up with a rapid solution at a lower cost.
A quote from Nancy Martineau, Executive Director of Transition Québec
Nancy Martineau explains that a person wishing to stay at Transitiôn Village must be ready to commit to a process that will take them a long way.
Some people will have to go and get their social assistance card. For others, it's going to be doing their taxes," she adds.
Some also decide to take the necessary steps to reduce their drug use. Her organization's role will then be to accompany them to the appropriate resources.
Source: ici.radio-canada.ca/
