Outreach at Millennium may get provincial boost

The City of Winnipeg’s largest union says provincial staff could soon boost outreach services within the downtown Millennium Library.

Gord Delbridge, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500, said CUPE is working out a tentative agreement with the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union to clear a path for the change.

If approved, the arrangement would allow MGEU staff to work in the library’s former community connections space, with some provincial funding, said Delbridge.

“We were in discussions with the province and they were looking at providing staff services. We were in agreement because we recognize the importance of that space and we’re OK with MGEU representing the workers there (instead of CUPE),” said Delbridge. “We’re happy to see that the province is willing to step up to provide that service.”

A previous city-run “community connections” space opened in the library’s lobby in the spring of 2022, where municipal staff connected vulnerable people with social services, such as housing, food security, employment, addictions treatment and mental health supports.

A budget cut triggered the site’s closure on Dec. 31, 2024. At the time, the city estimated it would cost about $628,000 per year to keep the operation going.

While the Downtown Community Safety Partnership now offers its own outreach services at the same site, Delbridge said more assistance for vulnerable people is still needed.

“(This would provide) very important services to many folks that are currently using the library … (They could) get some addictions support or guidance on … filling out a resume or submitting a job application,” said Delbridge.

The union leader said he did not know how many hours of service or staff could be added at the site.

Under previous city operations, the outreach site’s hours fluctuated, briefly expanding to match all library hours. The site was operated by a combination of library employees and community safety hosts.

In an email, MGEU indicated discussions on the matter are ongoing.

“We think the community connections program is a worthy project, and we commend the province for wanting to move forward with it. We’re in early exploratory discussions, but there are some issues still to be addressed. We want to be part of the solution and will continue working with the different partners,” wrote Kyle Ross, president of MGEU.

A provincial spokesperson said one staff member from the department of families is already at the library site supporting upcoming changes but offered few other details.

“This work reflects our commitment to safer, more welcoming public spaces for everyone. We’re working closely with both MGEU and CUPE to ensure this initiative is successful and supports the staff and community members who rely on it. This is just the beginning as we’ll have more to share in the coming weeks as we roll this out,” the spokesperson stated in an email.

A spokesman for Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said there is no proposal being considered to bring back the original city-led community connections program, noting the space is now leased and operated by Downtown Community Safety Partnership.

“If the province would like to locate staff in the DCSP space, that would require an agreement between the province and DCSP. The mayor has previously said he is supportive of the province or organizations like DCSP providing service in that space,” spokesman Colin Fast said in a written statement.

Matt Halchakar, the Downtown Community Safety Partnership’s director of operations, declined comment on whether new provincial workers should be expected at the site soon.

However, he noted his team is open to welcoming various new partners.

“We are … excited for some possible changes in the near future and looking forward to seeing what that brings, with potential partnerships with other organizations and departments,” Halchakar said.

Presently, at least three staff from the safety partnership work at the site from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, providing many similar services previously offered by the city, he said.

While appointments are recommended, people can still find help on a drop-in basis, Halchakar said.

He noted a provincial worker attends the site three times a week to provide employment and income assistance support.

When the city stopped funding the original community connections space, advocates lobbied against the decision, arguing the site made the library safer, reduced its demands on emergency services and helped people in need.

Others questioned why the city was funding a space that provided mental health, housing and addiction supports, which fall under provincial jurisdiction.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga