In addition to the dirt and the growing problem of homelessness, walking in downtown Montreal is increasingly unsafe, say two young women who live in the Ville-Marie district, one of the worst of the metropolis.
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Jessica Giroux and Florence Lamoureux, both collaborators who work at QUB, are confronted almost every day with behavior that would make the majority of citizens uncomfortable and even frightened.
“There is a great decline,” denounces M.me Giroux. I went from someone who wanted to spend time in the Village with their friends to someone who goes off the Island to spend time with their friends because I don’t want to put them in danger.”
Florence Lamoureux, for her part, indicates that she has been living in Montreal for almost a year and that before moving to the island, she was eager to leave her car behind and walk the streets of Montreal on foot.
However, his experience fell far short of his expectations.
“As soon as I passed Sainte-Catherine Street the first time, obviously there are a lot of homeless people so we ask for money, then when I refuse, it’s very common to get spit in the face and being insulted,” she says.
And these episodes are not isolated moments since this type of event can happen “several times a week”, underlines Mme The lover.
Although the two women work in the QUB offices located at the intersection of Berri and Sainte-Catherine, they say they no longer want to pass on the street in the heart of the Gay Village, despite pedestrianization and attempts to beautification of the Plante administration.
Not only Sainte-Catherine Street, but also Ontario Street, a little further north, would begin to deteriorate.
“There are a lot of homeless people who are intoxicated and who fight among themselves,” she noted.
Jessica Giroux was also the victim of similar incidents.
“Once, my coffee was simply stolen from my hands and I was prevented from taking it back afterwards,” she says.
The individual simply took his reusable container in which the woman was carrying her coffee under the pretext that he was hungry.
Mme Giroux also allegedly had an altercation with two children between 10 and 12 years old who went so far as to threaten her with a scooter.
The situation is such in downtown Montreal that the two women are considering moving outside the island.
“I don’t think it’s normal to not feel safe like that in your own city,” complains Mme The lover. We don’t really feel that the situation is being taken seriously.”
Watch the full interview with Jessica Giroux and Florence Lamoureux in the video above.
