Tracey Nicholson cried tears of pleasure when her 11-year watch for social housing in Kington, Ont., lastly ended with an condo at 381 Bagot St. However the 57-year-old stated situations contained in the constructing finally shattered her psychological well being and made her so scared she was pushed to sleep in a Walmart car parking zone in the course of winter. She spent three freezing nights in her automotive earlier than forcing herself to return to her condo. Nicholson nonetheless refuses to sleep in her bed room as a result of it’s the smallest house in her unit, opting as a substitute for the sofa as a result of there’s extra room to flee ought to somebody break in. “When it will get darkish, my worry degree goes as much as like an eight or a 9,” she stated. “I’m terrified.” Tracey Nicholson carries a can of coyote spray clipped to her home keys, holding it tightly till she’s out of the constructing. (Dan Taekema/CBC) Nicholson describes being woken by the sound of somebody screaming threats within the hallway as an everyday incidence, and stated carrying naloxone to reverse overdoses has turn out to be a part of her on a regular basis life. A can of spray meant to scare off attacking coyotes is clipped to her keys. Nicholson stated each time she goes out the door, her finger is on the set off. Three and a half years after shifting in, these tears of aid have turned to frustration and worry. “I name it Trauma Tower, and my tongue is nowhere close to my cheek after I say that,” Nicholson stated. WATCH | Tenant slept in automotive to keep away from being in constructing:
‘Trauma Tower’: A whole lot of police calls made to Kingston highrise in 2025
Police have been known as to a social housing constructing on Kingston’s Bagot Avenue 366 instances as of November, greater than every other residential tackle within the metropolis.
Do not go ‘wandering’ hallways at night time: CEO
With 104 items, the orange brick highrise is the biggest residence run by the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Company (KFHC). It’s additionally a hotbed for emergency companies, racking up extra calls to police this yr than every other tackle within the metropolis, by a large margin. CEO Mary Lynn Cousins Brame acknowledged “a number of points” on the constructing, and stated KFHC is working to enhance safety there. The company plans to put in an automatic locking system just like lodge keycards at its properties in January, beginning with 381 Bagot St..
CEO Mary Lynn Cousins Brame stated the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Company is conscious of the issues at 381 Bagot St. and is working to make adjustments there, however added that residents should take care of their very own security, too. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
“We hear you,” she stated, addressing tenants. “We all know what you are going by way of. We’re going by way of it every day with you.”
Nevertheless, Cousins Brame stated residents have a duty to take care of their very own security, too.
“Once they’re of their unit, they want to make sure that their door is locked and so they’re not out wandering late at night time within the hallways,” she suggested.
Information articles present an extended historical past of complaints and police exercise on the constructing, together with studies of drug use, prostitution and a deceased fetus present in a stairwell.
Kingston Police stated three individuals have been arrested on drug trafficking charges after officers raided a unit at 381 Bagot St. in August and seized fentanyl, crystal meth and a loaded handgun. (Submitted by Kingston Police)
This previous August, officers raided a unit and seized fentanyl and crystal meth, together with a loaded .40-calibre handgun and a stack of money.
Three individuals, a 45-year-old from Kingston and two youths from the GTA, face trafficking charges.
A whole lot of calls to police
Police statistics present that as of the top of November, 381 Bagot St. was the tackle listed on 366 requires service, essentially the most of any residence within the metropolis this yr and over two and a half instances greater than the second highest-ranking tackle.
Law enforcement officials go away 381 Bagot St. in Kingston, Ont., on Dec. 4. The constructing logged extra requires service from police than every other residential tackle within the metropolis this yr. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
In the case of “normal occurrences” — a time period police use for incidents that lead to a proper report — there have been 118 up to now in 2025.
That’s practically double the second-place tackle, Princess Towers, regardless of it having twice as many flats.
There’s additionally been a spike in emergency responses by Kingston Hearth and Rescue on the Bagot Avenue constructing, with 68 up to now this yr, in comparison with 39 and 37 in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Employees not allowed to go to constructing alone
Cousins Brame stated the previous 5 years have seen a “drastic change” in KFHC’s clientele and the kind of guests they carry. “It’s not solely the drug trafficking, human trafficking, psychological well being challenges,” she stated. “It is individuals coming into the constructing and the homeless … the legal exercise that isn’t brought on by our tenants.”
Images taken by tenants present used needles scattered across the property and piles of rubbish on within the stairwells. (Submitted by Tracey Nicholson)
Violent incidents, notably at 381 Bagot St., have led to a protocol barring workers from coming into the constructing alone.
KFHC has evicted a number of individuals who have been inflicting injury and security considerations, in accordance with Cousins Brame, and the company can also be within the midst of a pilot undertaking to pick new tenants who will create a “sense of neighborhood.”
She stated there’s an assumption that the time period social housing means the company offers dependancy and psychological well being helps, however as a landlord its goal is to supply inexpensive lease and to concentrate on “bricks and mortar” points.
“A sense of security can come from inside,” she stated, once more stressing the significance of tenants discovering their very own instruments to take care of the issues at 381 Bagot St.
Feces and blood stains
King’s City Coun. Greg Ridge stated he respects that KFHC’s position as a landlord might be limiting, however bristled on the recommendation that residents ought to keep away from the hallways at night time to make sure their security. Whereas canvassing the condo constructing over the last municipal election marketing campaign, he was instructed to remain out of the stairwells. That solely made him extra curious to see what was occurring. The councillor stated he opened the door to the steps and located a girl injecting medicine into her arm. “I’ve seen blood stains. I’ve seen … presumably human feces within the hallways,” he stated of follow-up visits after complaints from residents. “It is tragic.”
Kingston Metropolis Coun. Greg Ridge grew up visiting his grandmother at 381 Bagot St. He says residents ought to really feel secure of their properties. (Dan Taekema/CBC)
Life at 381 Bagot St. wasn’t all the time this fashion.
Ridge’s grandmother lived there within the Eighties and he remembers a quieter, cleaner constructing that was residence to tenants who weren’t afraid of their neighbours.
He stated safety enhancements will assist, however what’s actually wanted is extra psychological well being and addictions assist from the province, together with funding to deal with the extreme scarcity of housing for these with psychological or bodily disabilities in Kingston.
“Lots of the those who stay in these items are trapped as a result of they are not capable of switch out of the constructing,” Ridge stated. “That’s heartbreaking.”
Coun. Greg Ridge shared these images of graffiti and suspected blood splatter at 381 Bagot St. with the board of the Kingston & Frontenac Housing Company. (Submitted by Greg Ridge)
Nicholson counts herself amongst that group. She now not sees her condo as a house, however moderately a “storage unit the place I sleep.” She recollects flicking on the sunshine within the laundry room to seek out individuals mendacity on the ground and never realizing in the event that they’re sleeping, overdosing or dead.
She stated when she has raised considerations with KFHC, workers have been defensive moderately than targeted on a decision.
Nicholson doesn’t imagine the company’s plan to replace the locking system will change something. She stated the hazard is already inside.
“This complete constructing is unsafe as a result of there are individuals within the constructing which are unsafe,” she stated.
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