Montreal vows to protect homeless, names first ombudsman

MONTREAL – The city has named its first ombudsman, whose goal is to take care of the homeless population in Montreal.

Serge Lareault will act as the city’s advisor when it comes to homeless-related issues across the island.

He has been working with the homeless for over twenty years as head of community organization L’Itinéraire.

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Lareault’s first priority as ombudsman will be to educate city workers and police officers on developing strategies to help, rather than arrest, those living on the street.

Recent figures estimate there are more than 3,000 homeless people in Montreal.

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Lareault will be Coderre’s right-hand-man when it comes to issues of homelessness in the city and will be given complete autonomy.

The city is looking to reduce that number by two-thirds by 2020.

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