Non-profit Transition Québec in Gatineau has opened a shipping container village that was built to manage a 268% increase in homelessness since 2018.
Meanwhile, many migrants who recently came to Canada have been housed in hotels with catering and security.
"The ones who are going to move here are really happy," said Nancy Martineau, executive director of Transitiôn Quebec, of the project, which will eventually house 100 people in a parking lot.
"They enjoy to have a nice place because they're going to be in security. It's going to be warm."
In February of this year, there were approximately 7,800 migrants, including 2,500 in Quebec and over 5,000 in Ontario living in 34 hotels across several provinces, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, reported CBC.
Reports have claimed that there were over 35,000 migrants housed in hotels by September and over 125,000 distributed throughout the country by December. The Canadian government provides accommodation and meals for many.
"We're spending over a billion dollars a year on housing illegal immigrants in fancy hotels when our own homeless veterans are living on the streets," said Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. "This is not the Canada we want."
The total cost for providing free hotel rooms and meals for refugees and illegal immigrants was reported at $557 million in 2023.
The daily cost per person for hotel stays, including room, meals, and security, was reported to be around $208.
Federal Budget 2024 proposed to provide $1.1 billion over three years for the Interim Housing Assistance Program.