The Quebec government is reportedly considering legislation or new rules that would prohibit day shelters for the homeless or drug-consumption facilities from being built near schools or daycares.
According to La Presse, Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant has asked the Ministry of Health and Social Services to evaluate how locations for such establishments are chosen in the future.
This follows the ongoing controversy about a Montreal supervised drug-inhalation site, Maison Benoît Labre, which is less than 100 metres away from an elementary school in the city’s St-Henri neighbourhood.
The site opened April 15 and has been facing heavy criticism from parents and concerned residents in the area. They say they’ve witnessed open drug use and aggressive behaviour, including when children are around.
There have also been reports of adults exposing themselves and engaging in sex acts in front of children.
Carmant has maintained he was involved too late in the decision-making process for Maison Benoît Labre. The province now wants to be more proactive, according to La Presse.
After defending the facility for months, the City of Montreal, last week, asked the province to relocate the day centre services at Maison Benoît Labre.
Chantal Rouleau, minister responsible for social solidarity, told reporters in Quebec City last Wednesday the province is in discussions with the city to move the day services, but she says resources for the vulnerable have to go somewhere.
Maison Benoît Labre’s executive director says the solution is not to move day services from the centre but to add resources to “help us ease the pressure.”
–With files from The Canadian Press