Police are investigating teachers at a Montreal youth center after allegations of sexual misconduct

According to the regional health authority, nine teachers working at a youth rehabilitation center in Cité-des-Prairies allegedly had sexual relations with children they were observing, many of whom were minors at the time.

Findings a CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal the internal investigation was first reported in Le Devoir and La Presse.

The center, located in Montreal’s eastern Rivière-des-Prairies district, deals with serious youth protective services cases, such as young people who have committed murder, drug trafficking, pimping or used a firearm.

At least nine teachers and two managers have been suspended or fired following an investigation into allegations of sexual activity and drug dealing involving youth at the facility.

Montreal police have launched an investigation into the allegations, which could result in criminal charges. The CIUSSS also commissioned an external investigation.

The reported incidents allegedly occurred over a period of at least a year.

Pregnant employees

According to Assunta Gallo, director of youth protection at the center, at least five minors were involved in sexual harassment. CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

One of the center’s employees allegedly became pregnant with one of the minors and gave birth to a child. According to “La Presse”, the 15-year-old could also have impregnated another teacher.

An intervention officer was also fired for allegedly bringing cell phones, e-cigarettes and drugs into the center.

Gallo said management became aware of the situation in mid-August after the report was filed regarding sexual harassment involving a teacher.

“We realized that there were likely other victims and other educators who may have been involved in different situations, so we decided internally to launch an investigation and hire people from outside the facility,” she said.

When asked about the devastating content of the investigation, Alliance du staff professionnel et technology de la santé et des Services Sociaux (APTS) said in a statement that the union “does not support any behavior deemed inappropriate” towards young people.

“The mission of our members is to help young people, not harm them,” said Caroline Letarte-Simoneau, APTS representative at CIUSSS.

She said she could not comment on the Cité-des-Prairies case because the investigation is ongoing and the privacy rights of minors must be protected.

Investigation in youth centers

Brigitte Garceau, the opposition’s official youth protection critic, said in a statement Friday that she was “disgusted” by the incident and called for an investigation into all youth and rehabilitation centers in the province, as well as for the resignation of Quebec’s youth protection services director Katarzyna Lemay

“This story chills my blood. If we no longer feel our young people are safe in rehabilitation facilities, where do we send them?” she said.

On Thursday evening, Social Affairs Minister Lionel Carmant wrote in a post on X that “everything will be done to guarantee the protection and safety of young people” under the state’s responsibility.

“We will never tolerate such situations,” he wrote. “The exploitation of vulnerable young people is a criminal act and is subject to prosecution and conviction.”

Continuous training, necessary supervision: psychiatrist

Dr. Cécile Rousseau, Canadian research director and clinical psychiatrist at Montreal Children’s Hospital, said the reported incidents suggested educators were not prepared to recognize problems and behaviors related to complex trauma, indicating failures in the training process.

For example, she said, “it’s normal for a therapist to be sexually attracted to their clients,” but thorough clinical supervision and ongoing training are needed – beyond saying “no means no” – so those in positions of power know how to respond.

Rousseau noted that minors in rehabilitation centers are often victims of violence or are used to not being protected by their guardians, so these attention-seeking youths may repeat aggressive behavior as teenagers.

“It’s very serious for (young people) because it means that the people who look after them in youth centers have betrayed them,” she said. “Just like their parents and educators in their lives, we, as a society, have betrayed them.”

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With reporting by Radio Canada’s Stéphane Bordeleau and files from CBC’s Paula Dayan-Perez, prepared by Holly Cabrera