Quebec's Homelessness Strategy Must Evolve, Says Welcome Hall Mission CEO
Sam Watts, the CEO of Welcome Hall Mission, has issued a stark critique of Quebec's current approach to addressing homelessness, describing it as a "dysfunctional system" in urgent need of comprehensive reform. In a recent interview, Watts emphasized that relying solely on well-intentioned but under-equipped charities is no longer a viable solution for the complex challenges faced by unhoused individuals.
A Flawed System in Need of Restructuring
"We have to rethink how we approach the care of the most vulnerable," Watts stated. "And it can't just be good-intentioned people with wonderful hearts. It needs to be that, but it can't just be that." He drew a powerful analogy, noting that while no one would accept an unqualified individual opening a hospital, Quebec essentially expects community organizations without adequate resources or standardized oversight to manage critical homelessness services.
Watts, who has led one of Montreal's largest non-profits for a decade, highlighted that homelessness has grown exponentially and diversified since the community sector model was established roughly fifty years ago. Today's unhoused population includes individuals with vastly different needs, from older adults who have experienced sudden hardships to young people emerging from foster care systems.
The Role of Healthcare and Systemic Integration
While Quebec rightly considers homelessness a public health issue under provincial jurisdiction, Watts argues the execution is flawed. The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal primarily disburses funding to a network of 73 non-profits, including Welcome Hall Mission, which then deliver front-line services. This structure, according to Watts, fails to adapt to modern complexities.
"When you look at homelessness and the reality of homelessness as it exists today," he explained, "the person who is 55 years old and has worked all his life and has had three or five bad things happen to him has different needs than the 22-year-old who has been in foster care for most of her life." Many face overlapping issues like physical disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, trauma, and addictions.
Watts advocates for a reorganized system where hospitals play a defined role, particularly for complex medical cases. He cited the example of Dr. Andrew Boozary in Toronto, whose hospital reduced emergency room visits by homeless patients after building permanent housing on a parking lot. "I think what we need is a system that makes decisions around how do we care best for many different types of people," Watts said.
Success Stories and the Path Forward
Welcome Hall Mission's transitional housing project at 2222 Ontario St. E. serves as a beacon of what effective re-housing can achieve. Since opening in May 2025, the facility has placed 62 formerly homeless individuals into permanent apartments. The building, purchased and renovated for $8 million, offers 50 studios with an average stay of just 25 days. Program supervisor Koffi Abalo shared that residents range from 19 to 83 years old and include workers from various sectors.
"The best moment is when they leave to go to their new apartment and they thank us," Abalo remarked. "There are a lot of stories." One couple moved directly from an encampment while the woman was four months pregnant and recently welcomed their child after being assisted into stable housing.
Watts sees organizations like his focusing on prevention—such as free grocery programs to help people retain housing—and rapid re-housing for those who become homeless. "If you're doing both of those things, then the emergency services in the middle will be limited to those complex cases that really require extensive medical intervention," he noted.
Urgent Calls for Action and Collaboration
Watts has been appointed by Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada to a new tactical intervention group aimed at improving the city's homelessness response. He praises municipal efforts, like winter warming shelters, but stresses that systemic change is imperative. Burnout among community sector workers is rising, not from overwork but from feeling trapped in an ineffective system.
"Burnout doesn't typically happen because you have too much work," Watts observed. "It happens because you feel the work that you're doing isn't getting you anywhere. We're contributing to a system that was established in the 1970s to do work that was suitable in the 1970s. But here we are in 2026 with a different set of problems."
With Montreal aiming to add 2,000 transitional housing units, concrete solutions are emerging. However, Watts underscores the urgency of overhauling Quebec's approach to ensure that care for the most vulnerable is both compassionate and competently managed.
