Faced with Montreal's affordable housing crisis, the population experiencing homelessness, including many substance users, continues to grow. However, the resources available to help them are often ill-adapted to their specific needs, and subject to sobriety rules that frequently exclude them, which can exacerbate their traumas.
This research explores what these people need to escape homelessness, identifies the limitations of current services and proposes adjustments based on a trauma-informed approach to care. The testimonies show that, despite promising practices recommended by people with experience of homelessness, organizations are slow to modify their programs to better respond to this reality.