Up to 22 people can stay at Maison Akhwà:tsire
22 Indigenous people who have been living on the streets in downtown Montreal will now have access to subsidized permanent housing.
Monday afternoon, the Maison Akhwà:tsire, which means “family” in Kanien’kéha, officially opened its doors. The house has been being built by Projets Autochtones du Québec (PAQ) since 2021.
During the opening ceremony, one of the people living there said, “Thank you for giving us a roof.”
Heather Johnston, who is in charge of PAQ, sees the shelter as a way to make peace with Indigenous people.
In a news release, Johnston said, “This space will be able to house people who have lived on the streets for years or even decades and who live with intergenerational trauma.” “They will now have a place to live that is nice and respectful, in a neighborhood where they feel safe and at ease.”
People can stay at the house for as long as they want, which is different from homeless shelters.
The 18-room facility will have a team of social workers and nurses on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Johnston said it is for people who have been homeless for a long time and have a hard time finding a place to live.
PAQ works alongside the CLSC du Centre-Sud de l’Île-de-Montréal as well as with the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal(CHUM) for its program to control how much alcohol people drink.
Residents will be able to get back in touch with their language through outdoor activities and cultural services, such as having an elder visit the house regularly.
Johnston said that making sure the people who lived there were comfortable was a top priority.
“Why can’t there be a nice place for homeless Indigenous people to live in downtown?” she asked.
Julia Hervieux, an Innu from Pessamit who works for the company Evoke, was hired by the group to decorate the house. The building at 1025 Rue Saint-Hubert Street used to be a bed and breakfast. In 2021, PAQ bought it.
Hervieux said, “We based the different rooms on the seasons and looked for cultural elements from each country so that everyone could feel at home here.”
A plan that brings all governments togethe
Marc Miller, who is also an MP for the riding and is in charge of Crown-Indigenous Relations, said that all levels of government are working together to help people who are homeless in Greater Montreal.
Under the Rapid Housing Initiative, the federal government has given $4.7 million, and the Quebec government is giving $1.6 million through the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the First Nations and Inuit Relations Secretariat.
For its part, Montreal will offer the PAQ both social support and technical help.
Miller said, “When it comes to Indigenous people who are homeless, there is a huge gap that isn’t going to be filled soon, but [the Maison Akhwà:tsire] is a step forward.”