On September 8, 2026, Quebec City mayor Bruno Marchand issued an open letter addressed to the leaders of the province’s political parties, urging them to adopt a zero‑homelessness target. The letter sets out a four‑point agenda aimed at eliminating homelessness across Quebec.
Marchand’s proposal asks parties to publicly commit to a goal of zero homelessness, to convene a national summit on the issue, to accelerate the construction of social housing, and to revise the way homelessness is measured in the province.
By establishing a clear zero‑homelessness objective, the mayor says parties would have a shared benchmark that could shape policy development and enable coordinated action across the political spectrum.
The suggested national summit would bring together municipal, provincial and federal officials, as well as non‑governmental organizations and subject‑matter experts, to align strategies, exchange best practices and set common priorities for addressing homelessness.
Increasing the pace of social‑housing construction is presented as a practical step to provide stable accommodation for individuals and families currently without homes, thereby reducing reliance on temporary shelters.
Revising measurement methods reflects concerns that existing statistics may not fully capture the extent of homelessness, limiting the ability of policymakers to assess progress and allocate resources effectively.
Homelessness remains a persistent social challenge in Quebec. Marchand’s letter seeks to shift the response from fragmented initiatives to a unified political effort, hoping that coordinated commitment and policy reform will move the province toward eliminating homelessness altogether.