New database tracks homeless resettlement in Montreal

There’s a new tool in the battle to curb homelessness in Montreal.

A new database aims to keep track of more than 2,000 homeless people in the city.

“You put somebody in an apartment, no questions asked, and then you provide the support they need,” explained James McGregor from the Movement to End Homelessness in Montreal.

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That support will now be tracked by a $14,000 database.

The database is confidential so no names of the reported 2,000 chronically homeless people will be listed. However, age, gender, individual circumstances, mental health support and job searches will be monitored.

“What we want to be able to do is tell Montrealers, ‘Are we making enough progress? What are the challenges we are facing,’ so people can get a deeper understanding of how challenging it is to move people out of homelessness,” said Matthew Pearce, executive director of the Old Brewery Mission.

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This latest tool is part of the City of Montreal’s plan to get those 2,000 homeless people into homes by the year 2020.

Since the city put out its five-year plan in 2015, more than 500 homeless people have already transitioned from the streets into a home.