Montreal announces new plan to allow encampment 'tolerance zones'

Montreal will permit some homeless encampments on designated city land under a new 'tolerance zones' protocol, and officials said camps will be relocated only for safety or nuisance concerns because dismantling often harms vulnerable people.

Montreal is changing its approach to people experiencing homelessness by allowing some encampments on city-owned land. Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada unveiled a protocol creating designated 'tolerance zones.' Officials said camps are not a long-term solution but that dismantling them often causes trauma and typically displaces the problem. The policy emphasizes dignity and respect for rights and says camps that meet safety rules may be permitted while the city works on housing and shelter options. Key details: - The new protocol creates designated "tolerance zones" on city-owned land where encampments may be permitted under safety rules. - Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said dismantling camps has not worked and can cause trauma for vulnerable people. - The city said it would relocate, rather than dismantle, a camp only if there are security or nuisance issues. - Officials framed tolerance as temporary while building transitional housing and emergency shelters, and drew inspiration from rules used in nearby Longueuil. Summary: The policy represents a shift from routine dismantling toward managed tolerance that aims to balance dignity and local security concerns. The city says transitional housing and shelters are the long-term goal, but timelines and specific next procedural steps were not provided and are undetermined at this time.