Macaulay Emergency Shelter for Men

Each night, Welcome Hall Mission opens its doors to welcome around 200 Montrealers in need of a safe place to rest. In the winter months, we make sure no one is left out in the cold, providing warmth, protection, and care. During the summer, our shelter also offers relief from extreme heat—a safe, cool space where people can recover from dangerous temperatures.

Clients also receive nutritious, well-balanced meals to help restore strength and support overall health, along with clean clothing, new underwear, hygiene products, and access to hot showers. Beyond meeting immediate needs, our team offers support and guidance to help individuals take meaningful steps toward stability and a better future.

Welcome Hall Residences- Social Reintegration and Housing Program

The Social Reintegration Program at ‘Résidences Bon Accueil’ is a housing program with two components: Social Reintegration in Addiction Recovery and Social Reintegration. It is intended for individuals experiencing homelessness who are dealing with substance use issues related to alcohol or drug addiction and who wish to change their lifestyle. The program is based on abstinence.

Intervention strategies focus on the individual’s potential to overcome their difficulties and on the resources available in their environment, rather than on their problems and challenges. This approach serves as a lever and helps increase motivation toward maintaining a sober lifestyle.

The program is structured around two main objectives:

1. Stabilizing the client by addressing their basic needs.

2. Providing the client with the opportunity to reinforce and apply the skills gained after a period of therapy or detoxification through structured activities and personalized support.

Transitional Housing

Welcome Hall Mission operates several transitional housing programs, including the ‘Programme de transition vers un logement (PTL)’ and ‘Program Bienvenue’ at 2222 Ontario East, as well as the Bash Shetty Residence at 591 Courcelle Street, offering safe and supportive environments where individuals can build stability and work toward greater independence. These programs provide rapid access to housing solutions and individualized support services tailored to each person’s needs, helping them address barriers, strengthen autonomy, and transition more effectively into permanent housing.

Cœur à sœur

In the ‘Cœur à sœur’ program, our team of dedicated professionals supports young mothers with children up to age 5, as well as pregnant women aged 15 to 30, in rebuilding stability and regaining control of their lives. Participants receive individualized support through personalized life plans that help strengthen self-esteem, foster a sense of responsibility, and develop essential parenting skills. They also have access to practical resources, including basic baby supplies such as formula, diaper bags, diapers, and other essential items to support both mother and child.

Health Services

Everyone deserves access to quality healthcare. At Welcome Hall Mission, clients can book medical consultations with an on-site nurse, provided in partnership with CIUSSS Centre-Sud de l’Île-de-Montréal. Clients also have access to free, high-quality dental care at the Jim Lund Dental Clinic.

In addition, families benefit from specialized pediatric services for children through the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), ensuring that young patients receive appropriate, expert care when needed. We also offer bi-annual breast cancer information sessions for Marché clients, made possible through the support of a private donor, helping to promote awareness, prevention, and early detection.

PRISM

In December 2017, we opened the doors to our short-term mental health unit, PRISM (a mental health reinsertion program for individuals experiencing homelessness), in partnership with CIUSSS West-Central Montreal and the Jewish General Hospital of Montreal. This 8-bed, 24/7 unit provides continuous, around-the-clock support in a safe and structured environment.

Under the care of a psychiatrist, nurse, and with the dedicated support of intervention workers, clients facing severe mental illness and chronic homelessness can find stability, hope, and a pathway toward a new life. In fact, after just a few months in PRISM, several men have transitioned into their own apartments with ongoing follow-up from an outpatient mental health team, and are living successfully on their own—an immeasurable achievement after years spent on the streets.