Quebec court to hold public hearings for Innu man who froze to death in Montreal

The Quebec coroner's office has announced that public hearings into the death of Raphael Andre will begin in May.

A 51-year-old Innu man was found dead in a portable toilet on January 17, 2021 — he was seeking shelter.

The incident took place at the corner of Milton Street and Park Avenue, steps away from the Open Door shelter in downtown Montreal, after health officials ordered it to close for the night due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A press release announced Monday that Coroner Stephanie Gamach has been appointed to oversee the investigation.

“The hearings will provide an opportunity for any interested party to comment on the circumstances of this death in order to analyze all contributing factors and propose solutions to better protect human life,” the coroner's office said in a statement.

Public hearings will be held between May 13-24 and June 3-14.

A projection in Andre's memory took place outside the Open Door Shelter after his death – based on pictures and images provided by his family and his Matimecoche-Lac John community.

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