Crack pipe found by 2 young children on school playground in Montreal, near supervised injection site

On Wednesday, two six-year-olds found a crack pipe on the playground of Victor-Rousselot Elementary, according to information obtained by CityNews. The school is located next door to the Maison Benoit Labre – a supervised injection site.

One of the parents of these children, who does not want to be identified, said that her son may have put the pipe around his mouth and has since visited the hospital to make sure there have been no impacts to his health.

“I am mad, I am mad, really mad,” she said. “I know it went around his mouth, but there’s nobody who can tell me it went inside the mouth or not.” 

“We don’t know what can happen next time. This time it was okay, we went to the hospital, everything was good, but what’s going to be the next thing?”

In a letter CityNews viewed, written to parents of the elementary, the principal confirmed that a suspicious object referred to as “inhalation paraphernalia” was found on the school’s playground.

The principal added that since this incident Maison Benoit Labre staff will now conduct a cleaning patrol before lunchtime of the playground and its surroundings in addition to the patrol already carried out before classes begin.

In response to CityNews request for comment, Andréane Désilets, General Manager of Maison Benoît Labre says that they are deeply dismayed by the incident, have taken necessary measures to address the safety of the students and want to reassure parents, staff and the school community that this remains an isolated case.

“The fact that a child could have come into contact with consumer products on school grounds is completely unacceptable. No one wants to see such situations occur, especially in an environment frequented by our young people. As soon as the situation was brought to our attention, all necessary measures were taken quickly and in collaboration with the school, the CIUSSS, and public health authorities to ensure the safety and well-being of the students. We want to reassure parents, staff, and the school community that this remains an isolated case. We remain fully mobilized to support the school and, alongside all partners, strengthen prevention and vigilance measures to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.”

“It’s not enough, and why now? It’s supposed to be before that. We are waiting too, it’s too late. They’re supposed to do that before,” explained the mother.

André Lambert lives less than 250 meters from Maison Benoît Labre. “We are doing this at the expense of public safety, which we can see by these events that have been happening. The crime rate has spiked in the area, incidents are just, every day there’s an incident and now this latest one with this little boy, it’s just heartbreaking to be honest.”    

A McGill university professor of social work, psychiatry and pediatrics who lives a block and a half from the site says that daily exposure to stressors such as the feeling of uncertainty and lack of safety can have lasting impacts on children.

“This is really serious stuff that’s happening that harms children, explicit sex acts, regular fights and assaults they’re seeing on the sidewalk. You know, kids being woken up at night or having trouble getting to sleep with yelling and screaming on the sidewalk with people in distress,” said Dr. Michael MacKenzie. “It’s been one thing after another. So my heart goes out to this mom, but she’s certainly not alone.”

Lionel Carmant, Minister Responsible for Social Services, says he was informed Thursday of the incident. “Since the fall of 2024, a brigade has been put in place to promote cohabitation in the area. A cleanliness brigade is also already in place, and I have been told that it will increase the frequency of its patrols to ensure that such situations do not recur.”

Last spring, Carmant introduced Bill 103, aimed at better regulating supervised consumption sites – with the goal of ensuring harmonious cohabitation.

“Our government recognizes the importance of supervised consumption sites, but it is essential that everything be done while ensuring the safety of children and the neighbourhood. We intend to continue studying this important bill during the fall,” he adds.

The cost of relocating the supervised injection site could cost about $6.6 million Maison Benoît Labre previously said.

“I would love that they close this site. That’s the best thing, they have to close it. It can’t stay around the kids – no,” added the mother of one of the children who found the crack pipe.