Joint downtown safety plan announced for Winnipeg
The city and province rolled out a new downtown safety plan on Tuesday that the mayor and premier say will balance the need for compassion for those who are struggling, with the need for enforcement and growing calls for improved safety in Winnipeg’s downtown core.
“The city of Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba are listening to you, and we’ve heard loud and clear the concerns from people about what we see downtown on any given day,” Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said at a media event held at True North Square in downtown Winnipeg Tuesday morning.
“If someone is dealing with addictions we have to respond with compassion, and with an approach that is grounded in health care, however, and we’ve all seen this, if you see someone on the street under the influence of drugs having a fist fight with an imaginary person, we need to take them off of the street in the name of public safety before they cause more problems to themselves and to others.
“The desire to respond with compassion cannot be an excuse for inaction.”
Kinew joined Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham, and officials from the Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP), Downtown Winnipeg Biz, and N’Dinawemak on Tuesday, where he announced the provincial government is investing $1.5 million in 2024-25 to support initiatives the province said will form a “comprehensive” downtown safety action plan.
New investments include $435,672 for expanded support for DCSP this summer to increase the organization’s visibility downtown, and $100,000 in increased support for mental health training for downtown partners who provide mental health and well-being services.
The province is also earmarking up to $1,060,000 to establish a sobering centre at N’Dinawemak – Our Relatives’ Place, at the organization’s headquarters on Disraeli Freeway.
Funding for N’Dinawemak, according to the province, will support new health and mental health positions at the sobering centre, as well as support capital improvements to the organization.
Gillingham announced Tuesday the new plan will also receive a total of $100,000 in funding directly from the Mayor of Winnipeg’s office that he said will go towards enhanced patrolling downtown and he echoed Kinew’s calls to balance care and compassion with the need for improved public safety.
“Our collective effort is rooted in compassion and we want to ensure that individuals who are struggling with addictions, with mental health issues, and with housing issues have access to the necessary support that they need,” Gillingham said. “At the same time we cannot let unwell people determine the state of our downtown. We can’t be continually threatened by safety issues downtown.
“Ensuring downtown safety is critical for the vitality of our city.”
The plan also introduces a pioneering new partnership between DCSP and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service enabling coordinated responses through shared communication systems.
Gillingham said that collaboration is expected to improve response times and effectiveness in addressing community needs and emergency situations.
“This partnership allows for coordinated calls through a shared radio system, and community dispatch to ensure the right reponse at the right time,” Gillingham said.
The new downtown safety plan will also receive funding of $50,000 from Downtown Winnipeg BIZ.
“We appreciate the important dialogue and collaborative efforts to create a safer and more welcoming downtown,” BIZ CEO Kate Fenske said.
“We know the results of long-term efforts will take time, and we are grateful for the immediate action taken to address the concerns of our downtown business community this summer.”
— Dave Baxter is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
Dave Baxter, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Winnipeg Sun
