Montral-Nord still reeling from COVID-19 and community groups say residents feel abandoned

Montral-Nordisn't grabbing headlines as it did during the first wave of COVID-19, but the virus continues to do damage in the neighbourhood, and community groups want governments and health authorities to do more.

According to Montreal Public Health, the neighbourhood has recorded 780 cases per 100,000 residents forthe last two weeks the most of any borough or municipality on the island.

Hoodstock, a community organization, conducted a series of surveys, reaching close to 5,000 residents who live in apartment buildingswith at least six units in the eastern part of the borough. The group says the results show thatresidents feel they aren't being given the proper help to navigate the pandemic.

Nearly 200 of the people surveyed contracted the virusand 92per cent of them saidthey didn't receive any services after their diagnosis services thatare needed, given the reality of many people in the neighbourhood, according to the group.

"It"s important to show the numbers," said Cassandra Exum, a co-ordinator with Hoodstock. "It's important to show that the reality of the public health measures in the lives of Montral-Nordresidents is not the same as it is in other neighbourhoods."

About 37 per cent of the people surveyed say they needed help, such as babysitting orsomeone to pick up their groceries.

Last spring, Hoodstock and others called on elected officials to step up their pandemic response in the neighbourhood, but community groups say those efforts still don't take into account the challenges residents face.

Factors such asmultiple families living together in small apartments, ora single parent working odd hours, are among the common realities in the neighbourhood that make it difficult for people to respect pandemic rules.

Even with all forms of gatheringbanned,many residents depend on loved ones whodon't live in the same household, the groups said, and the province's curfew has made things even more difficultfor families.

"They don't take that into consideration" said Marie-Livia Beaug, a lawyer and Hoodstock's top co-ordinator. "When someone contracts COVID, they have to go back to that apartment where there are children that have to go school. There are other adults that have to go to work."

The need for mental health services

Malcolm Philoctte, who is 20, did a lot of the legwork for the surveysand was taken aback by the mould and poor insulationin many of the apartment buildings he visited, and how thoseliving conditions make the pandemic evenmore challenging.

About a quarter of the residents surveyed said they would like more access to mental health services, according to Hoodstock.

"Imagine, someone living with six children, that is a single parent, that is looking for a job, that has to pay the rent, their building is in bad shape," said Philoctte.

The 20-year-old says more financial supportfor communitygroups would helpthem better assist residents.

"We don't need to generalize. Not everyone is living in this kind of poverty, with these kind of problems," he said. "But it's too much of a big population to turn a [blind eye] and just ignore it."

In an email to CBCNews, Montral-Nordborough Mayor Christine Black said the survey results aren't surprising.

"The data from Hoodstock's research data confirms the information we knew and shared in many forums over the past year," wrote the borough mayor. "Despite the borough and the community's efforts, we know that much remains to be done regarding information and awareness of health measures."

The regional authority maintains that its teams have been offering an "adapted and targeted response" to residents of the borough.

"Over the past few weeks we have redoubled our efforts and they seem to be bearing fruit," Emilie Jacob, a spokesperson for the CIUSSS du Nord-de-l'le-de-Montral wrote to the CBC. "We have put a lot of effort into screening and the number of screenings per 100,000 inhabitants is today the highest in our territory."

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