Merchants and community groups in Montreal's Chinatown are calling the situation "a ticking time bomb" as crime, drug use and homelessness is on the rise in the historic district.
"Montreal's Chinatown is facing a critical and urgent public safety situation," a news release signed by Chinese Association of Montreal vice president Bryant Chang reads.
The release says that when Mayor Valerie Plante launched an action plan to address the homelessness and crime situation in The Village, many in that population moved to Chinatown. In addition, the eviction of the camp under the Ville-Marie underpass further caused populations to head to Chinatown, the association says.
"Both the City of Montreal and the SPVM cannot just off-load the problems of one part of the downtown core to the next part of downtown and expect the problem to be solved," the release reads. "Crime is rising in Chinatown, and residents, merchants and visitors feel unsafe."
A type of tent city has popped up on Brady Lane behind Clark Street in the area, and the association says illegal activity, including drug dealing and "illicit sexual activites," are ongoing day and night without police responding.
Business owner Eric Ku said it’s rattled local businesses.
"Just the other day, a buddy of mine was telling me one of [his] workers was smoking in the back and one of the addicts kind of followed him into the restaurant and fallowed him into the back and he was, like, 'What am I supposed to do, fight him?' You know, like, [they] kind of poked him away and the guy got scared and ran away, but we don't need that.," he said. "You know, we've been in Chinatown for 40 years now, and this is the worst I've ever seen it."
The association said many who visited the Montreal Comiccon at the beginning of July were met with "aggressive behaviours," "threats of violence," and "attempted robberies" when they went to Chinatown after the convention.
"May of these people were left with a bitter taste of their Chinatown experience," the release reads.
The news comes within a week of Quebec designating Montreal's Chinatown neighbourhood a provincial heritage site.
The association is calling on the city and police to set up a task force and come up with a safety and crime prevention plan immediately.
