Toward a renewed, integrated and coherent vision for mental health, homelessness and addiction

National consultations on future directions

Questionnaire

In addition to the call for briefs, the Gouvernement du Québec wanted to provide a space for experts by experience[1] who are participating actively in the collective discussion. As part of the call for input, it was proposed that they voice their concerns regarding mental health, homelessness and/or addiction issues. So, in the questionnaire, the population is asked to comment on points which seem especially important in the view of people who are experiencing or who have experienced these issues, by answering them directly.

Through the questionnaire, the Gouvernement du Québec wants to ensure that the concerns of the main people involved (people affected by the issues, their loved ones and communities) are addressed and that they recognize themselves in the process. Note that the questions they have formulated stem from their experience, not from a government position. The objective of the questionnaire is to enrich the dialogue by integrating the perspective of the people concerned and to emphasize the fact that the societal issues related to mental health, homelessness and/or addiction problems are first and foremost human issues.

All the questions are open ended. The answers will be summarized and communicated to the experts by experience who formulated the questions and to the Gouvernement du Québec in order to support it in developing the future directions. Some passages in the answers may be cited in government documents; this is why respondents are asked to identify themselves. The answers will not be made available on the Consultation Québec website. If you do not want your name to be mentioned in ministerial documents, please indicate “confidential”.

Note

1. Experts by experience are people who have experience in the issues mentioned because they have experienced them themselves and who agree to relate certain chapters of their lives in order to improve services, policies or practices. (Adapted from: Mobiliser. Accompagner. Participer : plan d’action gouvernemental visant la lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale 2024‑2029, in French only)

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Identification of the person answering the questionnaire

1. First name and surname

2. Organization (if applicable)

3. Region

Questions from experts by experience

4. What should the Gouvernement du Québec do concretely to combat prejudice against people living with mental health disorders that are associated, for example, with the notion of violence?

Question from Pierre Cardinal, expert concerned, mental health, fight against poverty and related issues, who points out that, in Québec society, there is often a direct link between mental health disorders and violent behaviour and that there is still much to be done to combat stigma and prejudice against people affected by these issues.

5. In your opinion, what improvements could be made so that psychiatric practices are better known, more humane and more respectful of the dignity of people receiving care and services?

Question from Maxine Timperley, partner user, collective voice in mental health, who points out that, in psychiatry, some hospital interventions – for example, physical or chemical restraints, electroconvulsive therapy, large quantities of medication or isolation in locked units – can be experienced as difficult, even traumatic, by some people and that, at the same time, care providers often work in complex conditions and with few resources.

6. How can we help people in precarious situations, especially those who are experiencing homelessness, get out of this spiral?

Question from Geneviève Caron, expert by experience, homelessness advisory committee, who indicates that, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the average rent for a studio apartment in Québec in 2025 is about $900 per month, that this amount is already too high for many people with little income, including workers, and that many often find themselves in debt before even thinking about food and other basic needs.

7. How could the hidden homelessness of women and LGBTQ+ people be taken into account in the development and implementation of housing and accommodation policies?

Question from Jeannine Foisy, expert by experience, addiction and related issues, who points out that women and people from LGBTQ+[1] communities often experience hidden homelessness that makes them particularly vulnerable, that the lack of non‑mixed safe places, such as exclusive shelters or day centres, is a major obstacle, as the strong male presence in mixed organizations can awaken trauma and expose them to risks of violence.

Note 1. As indicated in the Bureau de lutte contre l’homophobie et la transphobie’s Lexique sur la diversité sexuelle et de genre (in French only): [Translation] “The LGBTQ+ acronym is composed of the initial letter of the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer. The ‘+’ refers to other realities not represented by the letters in the acronym.”

8. Pending a better solution, what would be simple and inexpensive initiatives that would allow street people to have spaces designed for them?

Question from Mathieu Rioux, painter, editor and expert concerned, substance use.

9. In your opinion, what is the impact of the criminalization of people who use drugs on individuals, public health and the current overdose crisis?

First question from Isabelle Boisvert, expert concerned, addiction and related issues.

10. What types of services or approaches could encourage parents living with an addiction to seek help earlier, in a safe environment for them and their children?

Second question from Isabelle Boisvert, expert concerned, addiction and related issues.

11. How do you think we can adapt help and resources to meet the specific needs of today’s youth?

Question from Caroline, expert by experience, addiction and homelessness, who indicates that addiction among young people is a growing issue today, whether related to substances or technology, that teenagers are dealing with anxiety that is different to that of previous generations and that what they are experiencing requires tailored solutions and support.

12. In your opinion, why are Indigenous people so disproportionately affected by mental health, homelessness and addiction issues, and what can we do, collectively, to understand and change this phenomenon with a view to better cohabitation between nations?

Question from Pierre Parent, Indigenous expert by experience, judicialization, mental health, addiction and related issues, who points out that, according to the 2021 Statistics Canada census, Indigenous people represent about 2.5% of the total population of Québec and yet they are strongly and systematically overrepresented in populations affected by mental health, homelessness and addiction issues. According to Pierre Parent, although the injustices Indigenous peoples have suffered and are still suffering are increasingly recognized, many Quebecers are unaware of these realities and their historical roots.

13. In this context, how can we ensure that everyone agrees on the objectives to be achieved and the means used to achieve these objectives?

Question from Richard Jasmin, expert by experience, homelessness advisory committee, who points out that many organizations and individuals are involved in preventing and reducing mental health, homelessness and addiction issues and that, moreover, each life journey is different.

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