More homeless people hiding from the cold in Montreal’s crowded ERs [Video]

When warming centres are full, homeless people with nowhere to go are turning to emergency rooms.

The population that lives in encampments or on the street throughout the summer can no longer stay there in extreme weather conditions, says the Old Brewery Mission’s spokesperson Marie-Pier Therrien.

“That’s when they’ll start looking for other options,” she said.

But ERs are already operating beyond capacity.

Across the city, the average stretcher occupancy rate is 143 per cent, with many hospitals exceeding that.

As of 7 a.m. Friday, the Montreal General Hospital had a 213 per cent occupancy rate.

The Royal Victoria Hospital recorded 206 per cent.

A spokesperson for the MUHC says the situation in ERs can worsen during cold snaps when some homeless people come in for warmth.

Therrien says some need medical help while others are looking for warm place to stay.

“Sometimes they want to recharge a cell phone, use a bathroom…we know that living on …