WHO WE ARE

A Unique Resource

Ricochet (Hébergement/Homes) is the only organization offering housing solutions and support to individuals experiencing residential instability and homelessness in the West Island of Montreal. Founded in 2017, Ricochet works daily to ensure the well-being and advocacy of vulnerable individuals across the region.

Vision

Ricochet is committed, through its actions, to creating a united and safe community. It weaves a social net allowing everyone to develop their potential and improve their quality of life.

Mission

Ricochet is committed to developing and offering housing and support solutions for people experiencing residential instability in the West Island and surrounding areas.

Objectives

To establish, operate and maintain one or more housing projects, including a shelter, for low- or modest-income beneficiaries to support their social reintegration.

To offer rental residential units to beneficiaries with low or modest incomes.

To address and prevent the conditions affecting beneficiaries and promote their social integration by supporting them in an empowerment process. This includes providing personalized psychosocial support, referral and accompaniment services, as well as essential life necessities such as food, furniture, and clothing, as needed.

Why the West Island?

A variety of approaches are used to meet the challenges of homelessness and residential instability, including outreach street work, day centers, temporary emergency housing, social housing with or without community support. Whether transitional or permanent, mobile intervention services, accompaniment in residential stability, rent supplement programs, etc.

While these services are available in downtown Montreal, outlying areas such as the East, North and West suffer from a lack of resources adapted to meet the needs of local vulnerable populations. Ricochet's objective is to put in place a continuum of services to fill this gap.

Ricochet's Values

Ricochet is committed to embodying fundamental values that guide its every action.

Integrity

We act with transparency, honesty and respect, remaining true to our values and those of others.

Determination

We are committed and determined to develop solutions to improve the living conditions of vulnerable people and the community as a whole.

Solidarity

We work as a team, and with our partners on behalf of all members of our community, to achieve our vision.

Inclusion

We adapt to the diversity of the people we serve, and welcome them openly, authentically and neutrally as they are, with dignity. We are non-judgmental and respect confidentiality.

Goodwill

Our actions are always guided by kindness, tolerance and compassion.

Our Story

Ricochet was born out of an initiative by Action Jeunesse de l’Ouest-de-l’Île (AJOI) to develop a response to the growing issue of homelessness in Montreal’s West Island. Since 2007, AJOI has been providing prevention and intervention services through outreach street work with youth and vulnerable individuals across the West Island.

2010
In 2010, AJOI’s outreach street workers began documenting homelessness in the area. Their findings revealed that hundreds of individuals were living in unstable conditions each year in the West Island.

2012
By 2012, AJOI identified a persistent lack of housing resources in Montreal’s West Island, creating significant challenges for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

2013
In 2013, AJOI partnered with the City of Montreal and the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) to conduct a study on homelessness and inadequate housing in the West Island: Precarious housing among young adults in Montreal’s West Island.

The study highlighted the prevalence of hidden homelessness in the region and recommended the development of an emergency shelter.

2016
In 2016, a feasibility study was conducted with support from PME MTL West Island to evaluate the potential for a social economy project that would include a shelter in the West Island.

AJOI also developed a partnership with Résidence Bienvenue to create transitional social housing with community support through the AccèsLogis program, with support from the CIUSSS ODIM.

At the same time, AJOI launched a fundraising initiative and created a new housing division: AJOIH (“H” for housing).

2017
On August 29, 2017, AJOIH officially became Ricochet (Hébergement/Homes) and was incorporated.

2019

On May 9, 2019, Ricochet was officially recognized as a registered charity by the Canada Revenue Agency.

2020
In the fall of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ricochet was approached by the Regional Homelessness Service of the CIUSSS Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal to explore the possibility of opening a warming centre in the West Island.

This led to the creation of the first overnight emergency shelter for adults experiencing homelessness in the West Island. The West Island Warming Centre opened on December 19, 2020.

A shuttle service was also introduced to improve access.

2021
In the summer of 2021, the Warming Centre evolved into the Transition Centre.

2022
On January 26, 2022, Ricochet opened a second temporary winter service point: the Lachine Warming Centre.

Together, the two shelters (Transition Centre and Lachine Warming Centre) accommodated an average of 50 people per night, reaching up to 65 during the winter months.

The Lachine Warming Centre closed on June 30, 2022.

In addition to shelter services, Ricochet developed several new programs, including:

A residential stability program with support
A social mediation program
A substance use support initiative for beneficiaries who use substances or are at risk of overdose

On September 12, 2022, Ricochet underwent a major transformation. The Transition Centre became the Ricochet Center.

Open 24/7 and located at 5100 Château Pierrefonds Avenue, the Ricochet Center began offering emergency shelter services as well as a social reintegration program with housing, supporting approximately 50 individuals per day.

In collaboration with Dans la rue, RJSL, Foyer de Jeunes Travailleurs et Travailleuses de Montréal and AJOI, Ricochet also helped develop the Logement Jeunesse Montréal project. This initiative supports youth aged 18 to 30 experiencing or at risk of homelessness by placing them in private housing with rent supplements.

2024–2025
In spring 2024, Ricochet was forced to relocate.

On May 28, 2024, due to a lack of viable solutions, Ricochet temporarily closed its doors. Over 50 survival kits were distributed and temporary services were put in place.

On July 8, 2024, Ricochet reopened at Villa St-Martin / Maison Ogilvie. Services were redesigned to better reflect both the new space and the needs of beneficiaries. All stays are now set at a maximum of 30 days.

Capacity increased from 36 beds to 48 in October 2024, and from 48 to 70 in January 2025.

Ricochet received its first major recognition in November 2024, winning the Teresa Dellar Foundation Award for service to people experiencing homelessness and veterans. In February 2025, the organization received a second distinction: the Centraide Solidarity Award – Social Relevance.