A Homeless Man Reportedly Died Outside Near A Montreal Shelter During A Night This Weekend

A homeless man tragically died outside during Quebec's curfew hours on the night of January 16 in Montreal, according to multiple reports.

In a Facebook post, The Open Door, a shelter and service centre for homeless and low-income Montrealers, said the man's name was Raphael. Nakuset, director of the Native Women's Shelter of Montreal, identified him as Innu in a tweet on Monday.*

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When people are in a safe place with support workers watching over them, help can be called when someone is in distress.

The Open Door Montreal

A spokesperson for the Quebec coroner's office confirmed his full name as Raphael André. They also explained that the details surrounding his death are confidential pending an investigation and report.

"This man was someone that we used to serve on a daily basis at The Open Door," said the centre said in its post.

"He was often the last person out since we've been required to close at 9:30 pm and would have definitely stayed if we were allowed to remain open 24/7, as we were before [...] instead, he tragically passed away in a portable toilet. This needs to change."

Quebec's curfew makes it illegal to be outside after 8 p.m., with few exceptions, which has advocates concerned that the city's shelters would be unable to fully accommodate the homeless population. 

The Quebec government and François Legault insist that homeless people must be inside during curfew.

Several homeless Montrealers have reportedly been ticketed by the SPVM.

This article's cover image is used for illustrative purposes only.

*Editor's note: This article has been edited.