A man who camped in a public square in Montreal reportedly died of hypothermia during a cold weekend, sparking outrage in the neighborhood.
“It’s very sad to see that we are not even able to provide them with a roof over their head, at least a heated place,” laments citizen Alexandra Desrosiers.
Sunday morning around 9 a.m., emergency services were called to intervene for an inert person on Place Simon-Valois, located on Ontario Street in the borough of Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.
The 55-year-old man was pronounced dead in hospital. According to municipal officials, he was a homeless person.
The City of Montreal Police Department favors hypothermia as a hypothesis to explain the death. The mercury dropped to -13 degrees Celsius overnight and morning in Montreal with a wind chill of -20, according to Environment Canada data.
An autopsy must nevertheless be carried out by the Coroner’s Office.
“It is with great sadness that I learned of the death of a homeless person at Place Valois. It’s a tragic death, I offer my most sincere condolences to the person’s loved ones,” Councilor Robert Beaudry, responsible for homelessness at the City of Montreal, reacted on X.
Camping on a terrace
The victim was found on the empty terrace of a restaurant which has not opened its doors for several months. Last summer, the place became a campground for many homeless people, according to neighboring business employees and residents.
Sunday afternoon, blankets, suitcases and drinks testified to the recent presence of homeless people.
The terrace where a man was found dead on Sunday on Place Simon-Valois.
Photo Olivier Faucher/Le Journal de Montréal
Since the arrival of autumn, no one camped there anymore. However, despite the cold, one or two people have once again taken up residence on the terrace in recent weeks.
“I’ve always seen little crouching heads. They didn’t want to stand out too much. I think they spent the night there. It’s cold in Tabarouette. It breaks the heart,” says Rosalie Lussier, who works at the Arhoma bakery, located a few meters away.
“I find it really sad that this is the solution for them. It’s really ordinary. These people should not have to spend the night on Place Simon-Valois,” adds Émile Tremblay, employee at the William J. Walter, which also overlooks the public square.
– With the QMI Agency
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