Sherbrooke homelessness advocate warns of stigma, centralization
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
A new provincial bill intended to regulate the placement of supervised consumption services is facing strong opposition from homelessness advocates across Quebec, including in Sherbrooke. Bill 103, introduced by Minister Lionel Carmant, would prohibit the establishment of such centres within 150 metres of schools and daycare centres. But critics say the proposed law is not only incoherent—it threatens to increase stigma, reduce access to essential services, and strip decision-making power away from local communities.
Gabriel Pallotta, coordinator of the Table itinérance de Sherbrooke, expressed concern that the bill sends the wrong message and risks undoing two decades of collaborative efforts in the region.
“The first issue is the message it sends,” Pallotta said in an interview. “It makes an amalgam between people experiencing homelessness and public nuisance. That’s a dangerous association—especially right now, when public discourse is becoming more polarized.”
According to Pallotta, the bill’s language implies that people who use drugs or who live on the street are a threat to be managed rather than citizens to be supported. “The term ‘inconvenience’ is used in the legislation. That’s really problematic. It fuels a narrative where some people are framed as less welcome, less worthy.”
These concerns are echoed at the provincial level. The Réseau SOLIDARITÉ Itinérance du Québec (RSIQ), a network representing over 200 community groups, released a statement calling the bill “stigmatizing and incoherent.” Boromir Vallée Dore, Executive Director of the RSIQ, stated that Bill 103 contradicts several foundational policies the government claims to uphold, including the National Policy to Combat Homelessness and the Public Health and Social Services Act.
“Bill 103 represents a troubling step backward,” Vallée Dore said. “It undermines principles of inclusion and access to services.”
