Montreal housing activists FRAPRU protest Denis Lebel event

After trying unsuccessfully to set up a tent city for the past two days, social-housing activists are holding another day of protests to raise awareness about cuts to subsidized housing.

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About 30 demonstrators gathered Saturday in front of Palais des congrès to loudly welcome federal Infrastructure Minister Denis Lebel, the Conservatives' Quebec lieutenant.

Lebel was making a speech to the Union of Quebec Municipalities.

Federal and provincial cuts

The Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU) is upset about federal and provincial government cuts to social housing in recent years. 

François Saillant, spokesman and coordinator for FRAPRU, said Quebec will build only half as many units as originally planned for 2015.

More than 53,000 people are currently on a list for social housing with an average waiting period of four years, Saillant said.

Many protesters say the lack of housing makes getting out of poverty next to impossible.

Lebel said the federal government will still support low-income housing — just in a different way.

"This is not the end of a program," he told reporters. 

"It's the end of loans that had been contracted to pay in partnership buildings where there is public housing."

Workshops held

The protesters also held a series of workshops and protests at Laurier Park in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood.

Yesterday, they tried to pitch tents on Quebec government land near the corner of Pine Avenue and St-Denis Street.

At least five protesters were arrested and then released with tickets after police followed through on the eviction order.

On Thursday, three protesters were arrested after they tried to set up a ten city near Montreal police headquarters on St-Urbain Street.