Quebec Leaders Call for National Summit to Address Homelessness Crisis

A diverse coalition of political, union, and community leaders, spearheaded by former Quebec Premier Pauline Marois, is calling on the provincial government to convene a national summit on homelessness by June 2027. The initiative aims to shift the province’s approach from fragmented local efforts to a unified, provincial strategy targeting the total eradication of homelessness.

A Call for Coordinated Action

The urgency of the request stems from a significant rise in the number of individuals experiencing homelessness across Quebec. Data comparing the 2022 and 2025 counts indicates that the population of people living on the streets has increased by more than 20%.

Pauline Marois, who also served as Quebec’s Minister of Health and Social Services from 1998 to 2001, emphasized that while many organizations are working to help, their efforts are often siloed. “There is goodwill everywhere, there are interesting actions being taken, but there is a problem of coordination,” Marois noted. She advocates for a “great chore”—a collective mobilization—to streamline efforts ranging from preventative measures and housing construction to long-term support and specialized care.

Support from Municipal Leadership

The call for a summit has gained significant traction, drawing support from various municipal leaders, including Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand, who is among the signatories of the proposal.

Mayor Marchand has publicly praised the initiative, framing it as a necessary step toward holding the provincial government accountable. He stresses that the proposed meeting must be a functional “working summit” rather than a performative communication exercise. For Marchand, the goal is to move beyond mere rhetoric to establish concrete, actionable objectives that ensure resources are being deployed efficiently across the province.

Key Objectives for the Proposed Summit

The coalition argues that the current landscape is marked by stakeholders working in parallel rather than in concert. By bringing together the province, municipalities, and community groups, the organizers hope to achieve several critical goals:

• Systemic Coordination: Improving communication channels to ensure that housing, health, and social services are integrated.
• Accelerated Housing Development: Streamlining the process for constructing new, affordable housing units.
• Unified Strategy: Moving toward a “zero homelessness” model that views the issue through a continuous lens of prevention, housing, and ongoing support.

As the province grapples with rising numbers, the push for a national summit highlights a growing consensus that current investments, while noted, require a more cohesive political will to address the structural roots of the crisis effectively.

Key Takeaways

• Proposed Deadline: Organizers are requesting a national summit on homelessness to be held by June 2027.
• Rising Need: Official counts show a more than 20% increase in the homeless population between 2022 and 2025.
• Call for Integration: The coalition advocates for moving away from parallel, fragmented services toward a coordinated provincial continuum of care.