Near Montreal – Controversial day center, supervised injection site opens in Montreal

Efforts to quell the fears of residents over a new supervised injection site in Saint-Henri were seen on the opening day of the Benoît Labre Day Centre.

A controversial day care center and transitional housing project in a Montreal suburb officially opened its doors on Monday, despite huge criticism from residents.

The newly built center, which welcomed its first guests, is being treated as a safe haven for people experiencing homelessness in the area and beyond.

The facility's location, right next to a school and park, has caused controversy and concern among parents.

Some parents, such as Jean-Francois Gauvin, say they are moving because of safety concerns.

“I have two kids, and I don't want my kids to be there, so we're moving to a new school,” Gowin said.

Several efforts have been made to ease the transition.

Twice a day, a newly introduced cleaning crew sweeps the streets surrounding the area and removes any dangerous drug paraphernalia.

A school corridor with guards was also created to ensure that students can walk to school.

Borough spokesman Craig Sauve acknowledges it will take time to ease residents' fears, but says the community needs such a service.

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“I completely understand the neighborhood's concern,” Sauve said.

“There will be people here who are not at their best, of course. But as a society, as a community, the idea is to try to help people have a safe environment and an organized life.”

Faced with construction delays, Sauvé says the center's configuration and appearance will change significantly once it's finished.

Working closely with municipal officials, housing project officials say every effort will be made to maintain and modify, if necessary, to provide a harmonious space for all residents of the area.

“I hope there will be many more such projects. They are needed to address the growing problem of homelessness in the city,” said Sauve.

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