This action was submitted through the GFMD Mayors Mechanism Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees.
On 20 February 2017, Montreal affirmed its commitment to ensure the protection and accessibility of its services to any migrant in an irregular situation or without immigration status who lives on its territory. There are an estimated 50,000 "undocumented" people in Montreal. In June 2019, the City adopted the "Policy for access to municipal services without fear", based on a concrete tool: the creation of an identification and residence card for access to municipal services without fear. During the pandemic, and despite the shutdown of municipal services, more than 500 cards were issued in 2020-2021. The card enabled migrants to access, among other things, vaccination against covid-19, food banks and banking services. In addition, to respond to protection and security issues, the city has deployed the "Cellule d'intervention et de protection des migrants" (intervention and protection unit for migrants) who are victims or witnesses of abuse or criminal acts. Today, the City of Montreal is once again intensifying its efforts around 4 objectives: 1) Train Montreal Police Service officers to reduce the risk of denouncing non-status people to the Canada Border Services Agency; 2) Promote fearless access as a collective social project; 3) Continue its advocacy with governments in favour of regularising immigration status; 4) Structure funding for migrants with precarious immigration status.