Inquest into 2023 death of Nicole Lafontaine set to begin in Regina

Andrea Lafontaine (left) and her sister Nicole (right) died seven months apart. (Photo courtesy of Valerie Lafontaine)

A coroners inquest into the death of Nicole Lafontaine, who fell from a fifth storey window at the Regina YWCA, is set to begin Monday morning.

The inquest will run from August 19 to 23rd at the Royal Hotel located at 4025 Albert Street in Regina.

The inquest will investigate the circumstances of Nicole’s death. A civilian jury will be appointed to hear the evidence, question witnesses and make recommendations to prevent similar deaths in the future.

At around 2:45 a.m. on July 22, 2023, Regina police were called to the YWCA for a report of an injured person.

When they arrived, they discovered Nicole suffering from life-threatening injuries. The 31-year-old was taken to Regina General Hospital but succumbed to her injuries a short time later.

At the time, both Regina police and Saskatchewan’s coroners service deemed that Nicole’s injuries and cause of death were not criminal in nature.

Nicole’s sister Andrea, 32, died at Regina’s YWCA just seven months prior.

At 9 a.m. on Christmas Day 2022, Andrea was discovered slumped over in her bed. Her death was due to a suspected drug poisoning – a bottle of Narcan was found next to her inside her purse.

Valerie Lafontaine, Nicole and Andrea’s mother, told CTV News in September that she believes the YWCA didn’t do enough to ensure her daughters were safe.

“They were both seeking help. They both had active addictions and they should have been checked on,” she said, adding both her daughters were fleeing abusive relationships.

“As far as I’m concerned, the YWCA failed my daughters.”

Valerie believes Nicole was suffering from a drug-induced psychosis at the time of her death as a result of withdrawing from fentanyl.

The inquest’s proceedings are set to begin at 10 a.m. at the Royal Hotel. All subsequent start times will be decided by the presiding coroner, Aaron Fox.

--With files from CTV’s Allison Bamford and Rory MacLean.