The Ricochet Shelter on Montreal’s West Island has a new lease on life.
The only emergency shelter for the homeless of the area was forced to leave its previous location when its lease expired at the end of May.
On July 8, the shelter reopened in a temporary location on Gouin Boulevard in Pierrefonds-Roxboro.
“It’s so secluded from the city and they have a space to just be away from all the noise and the chaos, where they can actually really focus on themselves,” said Caterina Modica-Amore, the programs and projects coordinator for Ricochet.
“A lot of beneficiaries will sit outside in the back in front of the water. They’ll relax, they’ll work on their objectives, they’ll sit down and just have a safe place for them to feel comfortable.”
About 50 clients had to leave the former location on May 29 when the shelter, which had operated in the same location for three-and-a-half years, had to give the property back to the regional health board that owns the building.
Ricochet distributed emergency kits to users at the time.
“I was devastated,” recalled Modica-Amore. “I’ve been at Ricochet since January of 2021. And to watch the faces of when we had to tell the beneficiaries that they’re not going to be having a place to feel safe and secure and comfortable was gut-wrenching.”
But all that turned around when they found the new spot in Pierrefonds-Roxboro. There are 12 rooms – with both single and bunk beds – that can accommodate up to 48 residents.
“They’re just amazing,” said Colleen Wilson, who uses Ricochet’s services. “They just really help you, they really care, they really go out of their way. They don’t have to do what they did for me. But I got a bed today because of them.”
Modica-Amore says she’s already seeing the benefits of the new location.
“We’ve already had some individuals who’ve gotten into rooms, someone’s already gotten into an apartment. So these are very good new outcomes that we’ve seen that already have progressed due to our new program.
“Things have actually been really going great.”
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Ricochet signed a one-year lease at the new location. But the building and its land is up for sale, so if anyone buys it, Ricochet will have 90 days to vacate.
Those at Ricochet hope to move to a permanent location by next year.
“This place should be open constantly, never, never closing,” Wilson said. “This place needs a permanent place that they continue for 20 years.”
Until then, they’re looking to hire more staff and volunteers – and spread the word that they are operational once again.
“So I’m kind of excited to see where we’re going to go from now if we’re already seeing results. So starting now, it’s only going to progress from here,” Modica-Amore said.