Montreal’s oldest organization serving people without housing says it can no longer afford to serve meals on weekends.

Accueil Bonneau, which operates a soup kitchen and provides other services in Old Montreal, says it will stop its weekend meals this Saturday.

It says that if an agreement isn’t reached with the province to increase funding, it will have to stop serving meals completely in February.

The organization, which was founded in 1877, says it provides meals to around 400 people every day.

Lionel Carmant, Quebec’s minister responsible for social services, is scheduled to meet with the organization Wednesday. 

A spokesman for Carmant says that the minister has been communicating with Accueil Bonneau about the situation and that $50,000 in emergency funding has already been provided.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press