Province Urged to Boost Support for Housing Issues

The board overseeing the housing corporation responsible for a struggling highrise in Kingston is blaming Ontario’s government for “systemic failure” that it claims has put social housing providers in a tough spot.

“Over time, the province has reduced institutional capacity and community-based support for vulnerable residents and has failed to keep pace with evident needs,” the board for the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation (KFHC) said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“Housing providers have been left to manage the consequences of those gaps on their own,” added the housing corporation.

KFHC’s message came as a response to a CBC story this week about ongoing issues at 381 Bagot Street, where police have been called over 360 times so far this year. One resident at the KFHC-run property expressed concerns for her safety, labeling the building “Trauma Tower.”

The housing corporation’s statement started by addressing challenges faced at properties like 381 Bagot, stating these issues go beyond its scope.

“Community housing providers are being asked to function as landlords, crisis responders, mental health coordinators, and de-facto emergency services-all without the tools or funding necessary to do so effectively,” according to the statement.

“The KFHC Board is calling on the province to step up. Stable housing must be paired with meaningful support if we want safer buildings, better outcomes for tenants, and fewer crises spilling into emergency services. This is not just a housing issue; it is a systemic failure that requires provincial leadership, funding and accountability.”

A spokesperson for Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack disagreed with that viewpoint.

“Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation is solely responsible for the challenges facing 381 Bagot Street,” wrote Michael Minzak in an email to CBC.

“KFHC’s sole shareholder is the Municipality of Kingston. The Government of Ontario is not involved in any operations of KFHC or its properties.”

WATCH | Tenant slept in car to avoid being in building:

‘Trauma Tower’: Hundreds of police calls made to Kingston highrise in 2025

Police have been called to a social housing building on Kingston’s Bagot Street 366 times as of November, more than any other residential address in the city.

Situation ‘unfair’ to residents and staff: board

Mary Lynn Cousins Brame, KFHC’s CEO, previously told CBC that they are working on making security improvements at the Bagot Street property, including adding an automated lock system next year.

Mary Lynn Cousins Brame is CEO of the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation. She said they know about issues at 381 Bagot Street and are trying to make changes but also emphasized that residents need to look after their own safety too by locking doors and avoiding wandering late at night in hallways.

She sent KFHC’s Wednesday statement out through local media on behalf of the board.

Front-line staff are handling “frequent crises” and emergency calls according to the statement. That’s “not because housing providers are failing” but because individuals with complex needs are placed in buildings without proper support available, it read.

“That is unfair to tenants who are struggling, their neighbors who deserve safety and peace in their homes, and staff who are tasked with managing risks beyond their capabilities.”A police cruiser sits parked out front of 381 Bagot Street in Kingston, Ont. on Dec. 4, 2025. (Dan Taekema/CBC)

Kingston City Coun. Greg Ridge agreed that problems stem from “a lack of investment from province in social housing [and] mental health and addictions resources.”

Funds currently spent by municipal taxpayers on emergency responses should instead be directed towards solving underlying issues affecting people during crises,” Ridge noted.

KFHC’s board stated that stable housing must come alongside real support; otherwise problems like those seen at 381 Bagot Street will continue expanding.

“Landlords cannot replace clinicians. Eviction isn’t treatment. Policing isn’t care,” read their statement. “Without sustained provincial investment…these situations will keep recurring across Ontario.”

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