The Wrap: Retail theft, encampment cleanups, pipeline oversight, and a south Winnipeg grocery store is closing
Plus: Everything you need to know to enjoy the Winnipeg Folk Festival

A Winnipeg police campaign to curb spikes in retail and violent crime in some parts of the city will continue throughout the summer amid calls for the program to be expanded.

The Manitoba government announced Wednesday it will spend $1 million to extend the program, which focuses on three hot spots — the Exchange District, Osborne Village and the West End — throughout August.

The program uses officers who work overtime shifts, which is paid for by the province.

One month into weekly garbage pickups at three Winnipeg homeless encampments, a few thousand gallons of trash have been removed, though some neighbours aren’t sure the sites are much cleaner.

More than 14,000 litres of garbage was collected from encampments at Assiniboine Avenue, Waterfront Drive and Maple Street since the pickups began in early June.

The pilot project to clean up the areas relies on non-profit organization Main Street Project to reach out to encampment residents. Every week, the Downtown Community Safety Partnership distributes garbage bags and returns to pick up the bags the next day, after those living at the sites fill them.

Manitoba has fallen behind neighbouring provinces in taking steps to safeguard against environmental risks relating to the oil and gas industry, despite numerous calls at national and provincial levels for better oversight practices.

Both Saskatchewan and Ontario ramped up regulatory oversight and improved transparency; they previously relied heavily on the industry regulating itself, a practice still followed in Manitoba — and one that raises alarm bells among experts.

Julia-Simone Rutgers reports.

After nearly two decades in business, Dakota Family Foods is winding down operations.

Owner Scott Clement tells business reporter Gabrielle Piché the lease on his St. Mary’s Road location is up, and the decision was backed by other “small business” problems: labour and operating cost increases, construction hindering customer traffic, shoplifting.

We’re all over the Winnipeg Folk Festival, so if you’re a folkie looking for festival news, we’ve got you covered.

Earlier this week, Eva Wasney went behind the scenes to look at the work it takes to turn Birds Hill Park into a pop-up city.

Today, our arts & life reporters offered their picks for the best of the daytime workshops, and Eva provides tips for making the most of your festival weekend.  And Rob Williams profiles the Cowboy Junkies in advance of their Sunday appearance.