On September 9, 2026, the Quebec Court of Appeal ruled against the City of Montreal’s request to lift a ban that prevents the removal of a homeless encampment situated beneath the Van Horne viaduct in the Mile End neighbourhood. The city had asked a lower court for an order that would allow officials to dismantle the encampment, but the existing prohibition remained in force after the appellate decision.
The appeal centered on the city’s desire to clear the site, which it described as a public health and safety concern. By refusing the request, the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier restriction that bars any dismantling activity at the encampment. The decision means that, for the time being, the encampment must remain intact and no municipal action to remove it can proceed under the current legal framework.
Legal proceedings began when the city filed for a court order aimed at authorising the removal of the structures and occupants of the encampment. The request was initially denied, prompting the city to seek an appeal. The appellate court’s denial of the city’s motion confirms that the prohibition continues to apply, and no further legal steps have been reported to alter that status.
The Van Horne viaduct area has been the focus of municipal attention due to the presence of the encampment, but the court’s ruling leaves the situation unchanged. The city of Montreal must now consider alternative approaches within the bounds of the existing prohibition, while the encampment remains under the viaduct as the legal barrier to dismantlement stands.
No additional actions or statements have been reported following the September 9 decision, and the status of the encampment remains governed by the upheld ban.