Union calls for increased safety at Sudbury's subsidized housing

Citing an increase in violence and harassment of its maintenance workers in Sudbury's subsidized housing complexes, CUPE Local 4705 is calling on City Hall to take extra measures to protect its staff.

The union, which represents 20 full-time employees, says workers are routinely seeing domestic violence and open drug use, and are being harassed on the job.

Bryan Keith, CUPE Local 4705 president, told CBC News that unless conditions change in some housing complexes, he's concerned of "escalating issues."

"Workers are dealing with weapons, all kinds of weapons that we've never really seen before," Keith said. "And vast amounts of drugs. Unfortunately, in some cases, I know some of our members have come across people who have OD'd in stairwells who may not have survived that overdose.

"I would never want to be putting on those shoes, just to make a living," Keith said.

According to Keith, groundskeepers have come across discarded firearms in the grass outside some complexes, and have had to seek shelter after objects were thrown from balconies. 

"We're finally getting to the point where we're getting enough health and safety complaints coming in from members saying 'look, we can't continue to work like this,'" he said. 

"We started to put in the complaints with the city saying 'you need to provide a safer workplace for these workers.'

"A safer workplace for the workers also means a safer workplace for the tenants, right?"

City working with union, tenants on safer subsidized housing

In an email to CBC News, a spokesperson with the city said they continue to implement actions to address health and safety concerns brought forward by tenants, visitors and employees.

They have also implemented several enhancements to security measures, including assigning Municipal Law Enforcement Officers (MLEO) dedicated to specific housing locations.

"Where there is reason to believe that criminal activity is occurring, our MLEO team acts as a liaison with Greater Sudbury Police Service and will support police investigations where possible," the email reads.

"We continue to collaborate to implement initiatives regarding health and safety of tenants and employees, including training, updated risk and Standard Operating Procedures and building security improvements. We look forward to continued work with our union partners to ensure a safe and healthy workplace."

But the city's assurance does not come as any comfort to Colin McKerral, a resident and community leader at the Louis Street complex.

For several years, McKerral has raised concerns to the city about the increase in drug use on Louis Street, visible drug dealing and now, the frequency of weapons being carried by both tenants and visitors.

"There's a big safety issue for any of the maintenance staff, the grounds guys," McKerral said. "Just last summer, from what I know, the guys cutting the grass, they got attacked twice and once with a knife.

 "Some of the staff, maintenance staff have to do their walk throughs through the building, through these townhouses and there's junkies, there's guys with knives, golf clubs, Tasers, you name it, any weapon and they walk freely.

"This is supposed to be family-oriented housing, not for sick people with drug addiction."

The maintenance workers' concerns have also led to a slowdown in work orders, and McKerral said he's seeing first hand what can happen if repairs are left to fester.

"January 17th a hole appeared in my ceiling, and the last repair before that was two months for the same hole, and I'm still waiting," he said. "Water drains into my living room, all over my belongings so I can't do nothing in my living room, can't watch TV, can't have company over."

This is supposed to be family-oriented housing.- Colin McKerral, community leader

The city said in an email to CBC News that they haven't received any formal health and safety concerns from the union regarding employees working alone at Louis Street.  

That statement didn't phase McKerral, who said he has qualms about visiting city hall and its housing department to advocate for others in the Louis Street neighbourhood.

"It's in one ear and out the other," he said.

Police take new approaches to city's housing complexes

But changes may be coming.

Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) has adopted an approach called problem-oriented policing, a research driven and data-proven strategy to the reduction of crime and social disorder.

They've applied the strategy to one of Sudbury's subsidized housing complexes — 720 Bruce — which has seen some high-profile incidents involving police recently, including an arson that killed three people, and two homicides. 

In a statement to CBC News, the GSPS says the method relies heavily on community collaboration with social services agencies, as well as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) and Crime Prevention Through Social Design (CPTSD), two ways that police services can change the perception of public safety and the visibility of crime.

"In 2022, Central Community Response Unit (CRU) officers conducted 81 focused patrols at 720 Bruce Ave.," the statement reads. "These proactive initiatives are conducted to increase visibility, instill a sense of security and to conduct community engagement. CRU Officers also host community forums where residents can attend to discuss issues/concerns and learn more about CPTED.

"From 2021 to 2022, there were notable decrease in violent crime calls for service including decreases in the number of Robberies (–83%) and Intimate Partner Violence Disputes (–67%), as well as, a notable decrease in property crime, Thefts (–50%)."