Sainte-Émélie Residence Converted into a Warming Centre during Winter 2025–2026

Since December 2025, Sainte-Émélie Residence, the former convent of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM), has been converted into a warming centre to respond to the growing needs of people experiencing homelessness in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighbourhood.

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since early January, the facility offers 60 chairs and a light snack to those who come in. The site is managed by Cap St-Barnabé, an organization recognized for its expertise in emergency shelter services, which oversees nearly 350 spaces in eastern Montreal.

A Concrete Response to a Particularly Harsh Winter

With an early start to winter and several periods of intense cold, the opening of this warming centre has proven especially beneficial. It forms part of a broader set of measures implemented in the area, including:

• an overnight warming centre at Sainte-Bibiane Church (20 spaces reserved for women)
• another overnight resource at the Cap St-Barnabé site on Bennett Avenue (30 chairs)
• a shuttle service connecting metro stations to the various warming centres.

Together, these initiatives have helped ease the pressure on emergency organizations responding to increasing needs.

Positive Outcomes Amid Ongoing Challenges

Michelle Patenaude, Executive Director of Cap St-Barnabé, welcomed the funding provided by the City of Montreal, which made it possible to hire a social mediator to support harmonious coexistence with neighbours around the former convent.

She also noted that coordinated efforts across the city have produced measurable results: the number of daily emergency shelter refusals in her sector has dropped from approximately 40 last year to about 10 this year.

However, significant challenges remain. As she stated in an interview with RDI Info: “The crisis has gone beyond the crisis stage—it feels like it will never be enough.”

These observations highlight the importance of continued collaboration and more stable, long-term public funding. In this regard, the City of Montreal has announced its intention to triple its investment in homelessness services, increasing funding from $9.8 million to $29.9 million.

A Temporary Agreement

Sainte-Émélie Residence will not be included in plans for warming centres for the 2026–2027 winter season. According to Ms. Patenaude, the current agreement was temporary, as a development project is planned for the former convent building.