Full Breakdown
St-Henri protests spotlight clash over Maison Benoît Labre supervised consumption site
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On a rainy Tuesday evening in St-Henri, residents and merchants protested Maison Benoît Labre’s supervised consumption and day-centre services, while supporters held a counter-demonstration nearby. Police positioned themselves between the groups, separating participants as chants and boos echoed through the neighbourhood.
Background & Context
Maison Benoît Labre moved to its current site in spring 2024, locating a supervised consumption service (SCS) and a day-centre next to an elementary school and the Atwater Market. The centre also operates 36 studio apartments for people transitioning out of homelessness and a drop-in facility offering meals and showers. Quebec’s Bill 103 bans SCSs within 150 m of schools and gives the organisation four years to relocate the consumption area. The centre estimates relocation will cost $6.6 million and is awaiting provincial funding.
Data & Statistics
- The SCS turns away roughly two-thirds of people who seek help, operating over capacity.
- In the 2025-26 reporting period the site logged 5,619 visits and recorded 28 overdoses; more than 20 were reversed with naloxone, and four were fatal.
- Police statistics show a rise in theft, vandalism and break-ins in the streets surrounding the centre since its opening.
- Over 2,400 local residents signed a petition demanding heightened security and removal of the SCS.
- Relocation proposals must be submitted by November.
Official Statements & Responses
Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada called on citizens to show “tolerance and compassion,” while acknowledging residents’ desire for safety. She said the city is working “very hard” to improve social cohesion.
Public-health spokesperson Danny Raymond said Montreal public health is developing relocation scenarios and will submit them in November, stressing the need to balance community safety with continued support for vulnerable residents.
Criticism & Opposition
Residents such as André Lambert argue the centre’s presence has made neighbourhood life “untenable,” citing incidents where children were chased by a distressed individual. Business owner Peter Sergakis described the current approach to homelessness, addiction and mental illness as ineffective and urged greater investment in hospital-based treatment. Merchant Herman Alves reported increasing burglaries, stolen bicycles and the need to install steel fences that are still breached.
Supporters’ Perspective & On-the-Ground Reports
Community advocates contend the centre is being scapegoated for broader systemic failures. Alex Berthelot, director of community services at CACTUS Montréal, said the organisations “do not cause the problem.” Long-time resident Emily Zajko highlighted the importance of the services for accessing health care, while former volunteer Peter-Erik Kristoffersen noted that “the problem is the spillover,” not the work inside the centre.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Police data indicate a spike in crime after the SCS opened, yet supporters point to the centre’s high demand and the fact that it turns away many users, suggesting that open drug use may stem from capacity limits rather than the site’s existence. No definitive study linking the centre to the reported increase in theft or vandalism is cited, leaving the causal relationship unresolved.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We’re not against helping homeless people,” — André Lambert
- “These organizations do not cause the problem,” — Alex Berthelot, director of community services at CACTUS Montréal
- “Closing Benoît Labre would just exacerbate the crisis we have right now.” — Matisse Lo Giudice
What’s Next
Provincial health officials will present relocation scenarios for the supervised consumption component in November. The centre must relocate the SCS within four years under Bill 103, while the day-centre, housing units and other services are slated to remain at the current location.