Security incidents down at Millennium Library — but police calls up

The number of unsafe incidents at Millennium Library fell by more than a third in early 2026, amid calls for further security measures.

There were 35 per cent fewer incidents reported at the city’s downtown flagship library between January and March of this year, when compared to the same period last year, a new city report notes.

The overall number of security incidents fell to 201 from 309, which counts a wide variety of disruptions, including substance use, assaults, harassment, theft, computer misuse, “inappropriate” behaviour, missing children, vandalism, verbal abuse, medical conditions and more.

“At Millennium Library, we know the incidents are down quite a bit. That’s great. That shows confidence in our library system, that it’s becoming a much safer space for the public,” said Coun. Vivian Santos (Point Douglas), chairwoman of the community services committee.

However, the report also notes Winnipeg police were called to the Millennium Library more often during the same period, with 35 calls during the first quarter of this year, up from 13 for the same period in 2025.

“The increase in police calls for libraries, overall, in relation to the decrease in incident reporting, may reflect an increase in the proportion of serious versus less serious incidents,” the staff report notes.

The report provides no detail of police service requests. A request to interview Karin Borland, the city’s manager of library services, was not granted Wednesday.

In an email, city spokesman Adam Campbell said officials “can’t say why there was an increase in calls to police from within library facilities.”

Campbell said the decline in Millennium Library safety incidents may be linked to a 15.6 per cent decrease in visits to the downtown branch, partly due to the removal of the Graham Avenue transit corridor in June 2025 and perceptions of downtown safety.

A policy that bans repeat offenders from entering the facility, increased staff training and “relationship building” between community safety hosts, security guards and the public may also have helped reduce the number of incidents, he wrote.

The head of the union that represents Winnipeg library workers said employees haven’t reported feeling more safe in recent months.

“They don’t feel safer. They’re just learning to accept … they’re normalizing the (issues),” said Gord Delbridge, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500.

Delbridge said past safety improvements, such as additional security staff, have helped the library but more are needed.

Open drug use and other issues have become common throughout downtown, decreasing the chance they’ll be reported anywhere in the area, he said.

“When that just becomes the normal thing in society, it doesn’t stand out,” said Delbridge.

Library safety was cast in the spotlight on Dec. 11, 2022, when 28-year-old Tyree Cayer was stabbed to death on Millennium’s main floor. The library closed following his death. It reopened on Jan. 23, 2023 with two uniformed police officers, four additional security guards and metal detectors in place.

Police officers stopped being posted at the entrance in October 2023, while the other measures remain.

Delbridge said the increase in calls to police is a concern.

He wants the city and province to add more resources and hours for the Downtown Resource Corner, a space inside Millennium where the province funds outreach services. The union leader said general library staff numbers should also increase to add “more eyes” at the facility.

Santos said attendance may also be lagging at Millennium because library hours increased at community branches in 2024, making it easier for many Winnipeggers to borrow books closer to home.

Across all city library branches, customer visits increased slightly, up 0.5 per cent, while the number of security incidents declined 16.3 per cent.

The overall reputation of downtown can be a roadblock to attracting visits to Millennium, she noted.

“People might have the perception that downtown is not safe. We are faced with a mental health and addictions crisis … (But we are) seeing a decrease in inappropriate incidents,” said Santos.

The city’s 2026 budget includes $2.5 million for safety upgrades at Millennium Library, beginning with taller tempered glass barriers to prevent people from jumping off its upper floors.

On Aug. 6, 2025, a 40-year-old man jumped over the fourth-floor railing and died. The city closed access to the top level two weeks later, after someone threatened suicide but was stopped by a security officer.

Santos said it’s still unclear if any money will be left over to fund long-awaited security upgrades at Millennium’s lobby, since glass for the barriers has yet to arrive.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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