By Sidhartha Banerjee and Morgan Lowrie

The creation of the Roman Catholic Actual Property Corp. of Montreal, introduced Thursday, is the primary non-profit subsidiary created by a Catholic archdiocese “to leverage actual property improvement as a instrument for neighborhood profit” and heritage preservation, the church says in a information launch.

With congregations dwindling and buildings getting older, pastoral work is changing into tougher, Archbishop Christian Lépine stated in an interview Wednesday inside Montreal’s Mary Queen of the World Cathedral.

Earlier this month, the left-leaning opposition occasion Québec solidaire known as on the Coalition Avenir Québec authorities to look to underused or empty church areas to assist battle Montreal’s homelessness disaster.

Lépine stated church buildings have at all times been keen “to supply area, to supply room,” in occasions of disaster, and there are already church buildings which are welcoming homeless folks. Some parishes have transformed buildings that previously housed clergy into social housing, he famous, however church buildings are solely a part of the answer.

“We can not do this alone,” he stated. “It’s additionally with the town concerned, with organizations.”

The Catholic Church in Montreal consists of about 180 parishes, stated Stefano Marrone, who at present oversees church actual property and can run the brand new non-profit arm.

Marrone helps parishes with redevelopment or actual property initiatives. The objective, he stated, is to work with totally different ranges of presidency and different potential companions “in order that any improvement goes to have social impression for the neighborhood.”

Robert Beaudry, the Montreal govt committee member accountable for combating homelessness, famous there’s already an extended historical past of the church serving as a haven for susceptible folks.

“There are a variety of neighborhood teams that began in church basements, soup kitchens too,” he stated in a cellphone interview. “Remembering the place neighborhood motion in Quebec was born, it was in church basements.”

Beaudry stated church buildings are often positioned within the coronary heart of their communities and are sometimes bought at costs that make them enticing for repurposing. However he famous that some have been poorly maintained, and lots of would wish intensive renovations, together with further washrooms, common entry and emergency exits, in the event that they have been to turn out to be shelters.

Beaudry stated the necessity for housing and shelter is so nice that governments want to judge all choices on the desk, together with church buildings and any unused authorities buildings, to see in the event that they might help handle the disaster.

“It’s not an choice with out its challenges, but it surely’s an choice that deserves to be explored,” he stated.

These challenges can transcend constructing codes. Lately, the town and province paid round $2.5 million to buy a former church within the Rosemont neighbourhood to assist serve the wants of susceptible folks. Even earlier than a proper announcement was made, the information drew robust neighborhood opposition to the thought of the constructing serving as a homeless shelter.

Beaudry stated social acceptability is on the coronary heart of each undertaking, however he acknowledged it may be onerous to achieve when opposition and media consideration begin even earlier than a undertaking is outlined.

Mario Beauchamp, social pastoral agent within the metropolis’s Côte-des-Neiges neighbourhood, believes church buildings are a last-ditch resolution.

“For some church buildings which are about to shut, certain, however for these which are totally in use with a lot of parishioners, it’s one other factor. There’s the problem of social cohabitation at play,” Beauchamp stated.

One of many church buildings in his parish, St. Pascal Baylon, was used for just a few winters as an in a single day warming centre, ending in 2023. It was run by a local people group, offering meals and shelter to a couple dozen folks an evening.

“There was no query of renting that area year-round as a result of the church had some considerations,” Beauchamp stated. He stated there have been just a few incidents of harm or vandalism stemming from the shelter.

“That stated, there have been good moments and the church was joyful to do its half and assist individuals who wanted it, however there are much less good moments too,” he stated.

This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed March 27, 2025.

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Coalition Avenir Québec housing Mario Beauchamp Montreal Quebec quebec government Québec solidaire real esate Regional Robert Beaudry Roman Catholic Real Estate Corp. of Montreal social housing The Canadian Press The Catholic Church

Final modified: March 28, 2025