Downtown Montreal | From crack to CHSLD

Residents of a CHSLD sell and consume crack in their own establishment and even in front of the entrance, denounce occupants of the Paul-Émile-Léger accommodation center, located a stone’s throw from what is nicknamed “the crack alley”, in the heart of Montreal. The center is aware of the problem and says it is collaborating with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM).

“The more time passes, the more people become addicted,” says Vincent*, who lives at the accommodation center located on René-Lévesque Boulevard, corner of Saint-Dominique. In recent months, crack has taken over the downtown Montreal establishment, he says.

“I no longer feel safe where I live. I feel stuck. I can’t do anything,” confides the quadriplegic young man we met on Tuesday in the center’s courtyard. The arrival of hard drugs in the establishment worries him and makes him fear having his room robbed by intoxicated people who are sometimes aggressive. “It’s my house and I have to worry about my personal affairs,” he laments.

The Paul-Émile-Léger accommodation center welcomes residents aged 20 to 65, experiencing loss of autonomy linked to physical deficiencies. The establishment is one street from “crack alley,” where there is a Cactus supervised injection center. It is also close to rue De La Gauchetière, where several overdoses have occurred in recent years.

Vincent regularly sees residents smoking crack in front of the entrance to the establishment or in their rooms. “It’s like a pandemic here. » He says he warned staff members and management several times. “They always say they are doing something. But I’m starting to get tired,” exclaims the man who has lived in the accommodation center for almost two years.

A resident becomes dependent

The situation has deteriorated in the last three months, confides Jean-Michel*, who has lived at the center for several years. “There are several people selling crack and speed. It’s ridiculous, they do it in front of the bench,” he said, pointing to the entrance to the establishment, rue Saint-Dominique.

The man with whom he shares his room at the shelter has become addicted to crack cocaine in recent months after being given it by one of the sellers, he says. “I told him to quit the crack and smoke some jar in place. ” Without success.

His roommate doesn’t hide when the time comes to take his dose, says Jean-Michel. “He wanted to do it in the bedroom. I saw him just in time. I told him to go outside. I was angry,” he recalls.

The appearance of a “small network”

The CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal confirms that it is aware of the situation. “We are extremely aware of this customer concern. It’s also worrying for us as managers,” says immediately the deputy director of the program to support the autonomy of the elderly (SAPA) – accommodation, Frédérick Boulé, in an interview with The Press.

He maintains that consumption is not tolerated inside establishments. If staff suspect drug sales or trafficking, the police are notified. Interventions by the SPVM have also taken place recently at the accommodation center. “We intervened on suspicious exchanges that could have occurred,” explains Mr. Boulé.

The director explains the situation in particular by the arrival, in recent months, of new residents with a “marginal profile”, that is, people who have experienced, among other things, poverty, violence or consumption.

To ensure the safety of residents, a security guard is on duty at all times and cameras have been installed. “For example, at the smoking room, sometimes these people meet, then they compromise, so we made sure that our cameras allowed us to monitor him. » If necessary, these images will be provided to the SPVM, maintains Mr. Boulé.

Avoid the situation “getting out of control”

The CIUSSS says it is focusing on awareness and education among customers, in order to prevent certain occupants from starting to consume. “We are very proactive, because it is worrying. We don’t want it to be something that gets out of hand,” says Frédérick Boulé.

He still wants to reassure customers. “It’s not because we have one, two, three residents who consume that the entire center will consume tomorrow morning. »

He also emphasizes that support is offered to residents with drug addiction problems. “We really try to help them reduce their consumption and unwanted behavior,” he says. But we cannot tie them up and restrain them so that they do not consume. »

* First names have been changed as residents fear reprisals.