Weaponizing Heritage Status: The Vocal Minority's Plan on Social Gentrification of Chinatown
Sam Boskey
Weaponizing Heritage Status: The Vocal Minority's Plan on Social Gentrification of ChinatownThe vocal minority of entitled, housed Chinatown residents fight to keep the Wings Noodles Factory from becoming a home for those in need, prioritizing their comfort over a solution to homelessness.
Désolé, cette article est en anglais. 
Wings Noodles Factory in
Montréal's Chinatown. Taken by Maka
On October 3rd, 2025 CTV ran a sensationalist news article highlighting many Chinatown organizations that are against a major social housing project that is in development. At best, these organizations, and the journalist who wrote this article, are not aware that they are attacking other well-established Chinatown non-profits that are behind the social housing project they so vehemently oppose and with community-wide consultation over the past five years. At worst, they embody the voice of a few entitled and wealthy people who reside in Chinatown that are against providing housing to people who need it. The article opens with an apparent contradiction, opposing social housing development, while also claiming these organizations in question, the Chinese Association of Montreal (CAM) and Centre on Research-Action for Race Relations (CRARR), are “not against the homeless population”, yet CRARR and company continue to demonize how this social housing project is putting unhoused people into homes. As Fo Niemi (in)eloquently said “If this project were to go ahead, people would find that on every second street in Chinatown, there will be a resource for the homeless.” Fo seems to be suggesting that if we “give an inch” they will “take a mile”. So, he is against services for the unhoused, but also against placing unhoused people in houses. So the question remains, what do these organizations really want? With unhoused people off the streets, who would then be left to scapegoat into his overarching agenda to increase police presence in Chinatown? Their demands are twofold: wanting to prevent social housing in Chinatown and to make sure that any social housing does exist is not used for the purpose of housing unhoused people. The former demand showcases their unwavering support for residents that have already secured housing; while the latter wreaks of NIMBYism rhetoric, which is not new for CRARR. CRARR has been advocating for two years to close down the homeless shelter in the Guy-Favreau building in Chinatown. A year later, residents of Chinatown claim that nothing has changed. Despite their success with closing the homeless shelter, they remain unsatisfied with the outcome—seeing more unhoused people on the streets. Instead of rationally concluding that housing unhoused people is a solution that could end homelessness, they would rather completely remove unhoused people from their peripheral vision and the streets within the Chinatown gates. Motivated by the fear that the historic Wings Noodles Factory could become a social housing project, the group has proposed several alternatives. These include converting it into a cultural museum, a “social vocation organization for residents of Chinatown,” or even, as suggested by Fo Niemi, a “social housing project for Chinatown residents or future residents.” But who are Chinatown Residents if not residents that are already housed? If Fo Niemi really has no issue with unhoused people, why is he attempting to sue the city of Montreal on behalf of housed constituents of Chinatown, including helping Milton-Parc and Devonshire’s housed residents with their lawsuit against homeless shelters and the city?
More deviously, Fo is trying to relocate the food distribution that occurs every Sunday—a service that has become critical to support the elderly and other food insecure residents of Chinatown—those very same people he claims to advocate for. The lies he spreads that this critical service is merely “throwing trash” and “human waste” around are simply untrue. If Fo was really so concerned about human waste, why was he at the forefront of preventing public toilets in Chinatown? Blaming a mutual aid group that is feeding people in need, is simply a new low. Fo Niemi’s compadre, Bill Wong, the Montreal Chinatown Development Council Director, supposedly lives in Chinatown—despite refusing publication of any annual reports from his alleged Chinatown organization—is interfering with the elections by demanding constituents vote against any councillor who supports social housing projects. What is striking about this article is that both Fo Niemi and Bill Wong describe Chinatown’s cultural heritage and how Chinatown has official heritage status, while neither of those two were present for the fight in gaining this status. The clear weaponization of cultural heritage is outrageous, as this status was granted to prevent gentrification and preserve buildings like the Wings Noodle Factory, one they’re actively trying to transform into a voyeuristic icon. What’s next on their list to add for potential building prospects? A prison?Thanks for reading! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. R.C.M.P. is free today. But if you enjoyed this post, you can tell R.C.M.P. that their writing is valuable by pledging a future subscription. You won't be charged unless they enable payments.
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