By the time the Resilience Montreal homeless shelter opened its doors early Tuesday morning, a long line of shivering clients had already formed outside in the snow.

A steady stream of people then shuffled in throughout the morning, seeking warmth and requesting winter jackets, boots, and anything else to help shield them from the harsh conditions outside.

For executive director David Chapman, the influx of clients is the latest example of the city being caught off guard by winter’s arrival and the pressure it places on homeless resources.

“(The city) is still in the mindset of opening warming stations at the last minute every year,” Chapman said amid the busy morning. “There’s a hesitancy to invest in warm places for the unhoused that exist year round.”

As the first heavy snowstorm of

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