'I am afraid for my life': safety concerns around Carepoint supervised consumption site

A first-year Western University student has some major concerns regarding security around the entrance to his apartment building on Dundas Street.

A first-year Western University student has some major concerns regarding security around the entrance to his apartment building on Dundas Street. 

Nic Nemisz says the only way to access his unit is through an alley way that is also shared by people using Carepoint — a safe consumption and treatment service to help the city’s most vulnerable population.

Since its inception, the supervised drug consumption site has faced a number of battles, including zoning of a permanent location and ethical fatigue, having to advocate for what is ethically right.

Despite the ongoing safety concerns in and around Carepoint, there is a need to keep it running, as the opioid crisis continues to grow in the City of London.

Nemisz is one of five people living inside this building. Originally from Calgary, he moved here to study at Western last fall. He says he did a virtual tour with the property manager from JDN.

“What kind of drew me in was the size of the room obviously, it overlooks the front of Dundas which is beautiful, but obviously there is some concern here in terms of security and safety,” said Nemisz.

Those concerns include a number of break-ins and the constant crowd outside his front door.