People with poor 'personal hygiene' could be fined, kicked out of Montreal's public libraries

A new bylaw adopted by some Montreal boroughs is raising some eyebrows and sparking concern among librarians and groups who work with the unhoused. 

The new code of conduct for people who visit public libraries will bar them from blocking library doors, sleeping inside, threatening others and bringing in bedbugs.

The Ville-Marie, Anjou and Sud-Ouest boroughs also included an article that authorizes the library to eject or fine those with "personal hygiene that inconveniences staff and other users."

The bylaw, which comes into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, allows for fines between $350 and $1,000 for a first offence, a fine of up to $2,000 for a second and up to $3,000 for subsequent offences. 

Ericka Alneus, the city councillor who is responsible for culture and heritage on the executive committee, told CBC that the bylaw will only be applied in "extreme measures." 

"No matter your social status, you're welcome in all the 45 libraries of the city of Montreal," said Alneus, adding that the bylaw "really doesn't target a specific group of individuals, but it applies to everyone."

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the bylaw is not intended to discriminate and the city would be modifying its wording to "reflect our desire for inclusion in all city spaces."

Plante added that the city's libraries are facing "delicate and complex situations, which need to be better managed."

Investing in more inclusive measures 

Eve Lagacé, general director of Quebec's association of public libraries, says she was "surprised."

Although Lagacé says librarians are facing significant challenges in their ability to accommodate some members of the public — especially in some areas of the city — she wishes the city of Montreal would focus less on exclusionary measures

"I can understand that it could be seen as a solution because of a lack of resources, but there are investments that need to be made so that we can serve people in an inclusive way," she said. 

"There are libraries that have collaborated with community organizations in the area where they have social workers or street workers, and we really see a lot of benefits for both people and staff," she said. 

"We think that's the path to take."

'Us vs. them mentality'

Advocates for the unhoused like Sam Watts, CEO of Welcome Hall Mission, aren't convinced that the city isn't targeting specific groups of people. He thinks the bylaw has the city's most vulnerable in mind and enforcing it will worsen the plight of those who are already suffering.

"I think [the bylaw] is counterproductive. We know that anytime you put rules in place that are designed to exclude, we create an us versus them mentality, and that's the last thing we want in our society," said Watts. 

According to Watts, the surge in homelessness in recent years has generated fear among Montrealers but making new rules to police unhoused people fails to address the root of the problem.

"If we're doing things that are going to actually help them get to where they want to be — which is back into permanent housing — then I think we're going to have fewer cases where we're going to have our libraries or our public facilities 'overrun' by people who are vulnerable," said Watts

This bylaw comes as concerns are also being raised by community groups who work with people experiencing homelessness about a decision by the transit authority to place more police officers and security staff in Montreal's metro systems.