Homelessness
Homelessness is not limited to being without a home. It is a living condition resulting from multiple issues in a person’s life course that leads them to live on the fringes of society.
Who is at risk of homelessness?
Homelessness has multiple faces. Each story is unique. It is often the accumulation of multiple factors that lead someone to experience homelessness. Here are a few examples:
- Having difficulty accessing housing or keeping affordable, sanitary, and safe housing
- Going through a conflicting dynamic with one’s family and social network
- Experiencing issues with physical health, mental health, addiction, isolation, or traumatic events
- Living below the poverty line and having difficulty reintegrating the community after being institutionalized or incarcerated (e.g., hospital, detention centre)
- Having difficulty maintaining functional, stable, and safe relationships within the community
How to get assistance
Dial 8-1-1 Info-Social, press 2 (service available 24/7)
OR
Contact your nearest CLSC where workers at the psychosocial intake desk will welcome you to analyze your needs, support you, and guide you to the appropriate services:
- Coaticook: 819-849-9102, Ext. 57344
- Des Sources: 819-879-7158, Ext. 39438
- Granit: 819-583-2572, Ext. 37512
- Haut-Saint-François: 819-346-4000, Ext. 38213
- Haute-Yamaska: 450-375-8000, Ext. 65325
- La Pommeraie: 450-266-4342, Ext. 34608
- Memphrémagog: 819-843-2572, Ext. 0
- Val-Saint-François: 819-542-2777, Ext. 55200
- Sherbrooke: 819-780-2222
Warming stations open year-round
Warming stations are secure shelters where you can rest and get help. Snacks and spare clothes are available on site. Qualified staff is also available to respond to the clientele’s immediate needs.
Sherbrooke
Partage St-François
115, rue Galt Ouest
Schedule:
Spring, summer, fall: Daily from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Winter: Daily from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
La Chaudronnée de l’Estrie
470, rue Bowen Sud
Schedule:
Saturday and Sunday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Granby
La Halte du Partage
170, rue Saint-Antoine Nord
Schedule:
Monday to Thursday: 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Friday to Sunday: 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.
*Entrance on rue St-Jean
Partage Notre-Dame
309, rue Racine
Schedule:
Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
*Closed on holidays
Entr’elles
80, rue d’Ottawa
Schedule:
Friday to Sunday: 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
*Service for women only
*Closed on holidays
Le Passant
436, rue Horner
Schedule:
Daily from 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
*Overnight shelter
*Admission: 9:00 p.m. to midnight
How do you obtain a medical insurance card
In Québec, there is a specific administrative procedure to enable people experiencing homelessness to obtain a medical insurance card. This procedure is free (no issuance and photo fees).
Step 1: Attest the identity of the homeless person.
A person may have their identity and homelessness situation attested by three different types of actors:
- By a practitioner at a health care and social services institution who knows the person and who completes a declaration of identity and domicile in Québec (Déclaration d’identité et de domicile au Québec)
- By a community organization recognized as a collaborating organization of the RAMQ
- By an agent at a local employment centre or at a Services Québec office who can attest that the person is receiving last-resort financial assistance or is participating in an employment program by completing a declaration of identity and domicile in Québec (Déclaration d’identité et de domicile au Québec).
Step 2: Authenticate the request for the medical insurance card and take a photo of the person at an authentication service point
The person experiencing homelessness who receives confirmation or their declaration of identity and domicile in Québec has 45 days to complete their request for a medical insurance card. The person must go to an authentication service point that offers the service to this client group.
List of authentication service points:
- CLSC Camirand (CSSS-IUGS): 50, rue Camirand, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 4J5
- CLSC Richmond: 110, rue Barlow, Richmond, QC J0B 2H0
- CLSC Windsor: 23, rue Ambroise-Dearden, Windsor, QC J1S 1G8
- CLSC Cookshire: 700, rue Craig Nord, Cookshire-Eaton, QC J0B 1M0
- CSSS du Granit: 3569, rue Laval, Lac-Mégantic, QC G6B 1A5
- CLSC de la Haute-Yamaska (Providence service point) : 279, rue de la Providence, Granby, QC J2G 4S7
- CLSC de Cowansville-du-Sud: 397, rue de la Rivière, Cowansville, QC J2K 1N4
- CSSS Memphrémagog: 50, rue St-Patrice Est, Magog, QC J1X 3X3
- CSSS Coaticook: 138, rue Jeanne-Mance, Coaticook, QC J1A 1W3
- CSSS des Sources: 475 Ave 3, Asbestos, QC J1T 1X6
Help and Support Resources
Many services are offered by community organizations in the region. Visit the ROC de l'Estrie website.
For information on services provided by the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, call Info-Social: 811, option 2.