After years of searching and an eviction that forced some of their residents to sleep in the forest , managers at the Ricochet Centre thought they had finally found an ideal spot for the only homeless shelter in the West Island.

Located on the grounds of a former Jesuit spirituality centre in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, the site includes an expansive two-storey stone-walled building with dozens of rooms and vast lawns bordering the Rivière des Prairies, where clients can decompress. Ricochet moved there 15 months ago from the institution it had been in since 2020, and soon its 80 beds were full. The centre turns away 20 people a night on average, administrators say.

In May 2024, the centre was forced to close its previous location suddenly. Staff handed out sleeping bags and tents to clients. S

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