A small encampment of roughly ten residents continues to occupy a vacant lot wedged between the Ville‑Marie Expressway and the Canadian National Railway in Montreal’s Saint‑Henri neighbourhood. The site, known as the Saint‑Rémi encampment, has drawn the attention of local firefighters who have been called to the location repeatedly to address open fires lit by the camp’s occupants.
Camp resident Mehdi Samsari, one of the people living on the lot, is among those maintaining the makeshift settlement that has existed for an extended period. The encampment is situated on unused land that borders major transportation routes, a factor that has kept it visible to passing motorists and municipal services.
Firefighters have responded to the site on multiple occasions, extinguishing flames that have been set openly on the ground. Each intervention has been documented as a routine call for assistance, reflecting the ongoing challenge of managing fire safety in a setting where residents rely on open fires for warmth and cooking.
The Saint‑Rémi encampment is described as a longstanding makeshift settlement, indicating that the presence of the tents and temporary structures has been a feature of the Saint‑Henri area for some time. While the number of occupants remains small, the proximity of the lot to both the expressway and the railway line underscores the strategic location of the encampment and its visibility to city services.
Municipal authorities have not issued new directives in the report, and the situation continues to evolve as firefighters respond to each fire incident. The persistence of the encampment, despite repeated fire calls, highlights the steady presence of the small community in the vacant lot near the highway.
No additional incidents or changes have been noted beyond the regular firefighting responses and the continued residence of approximately ten people at the Saint‑Rémi encampment.