‘Lot to do’ for safety partnership

Call volumes for the Downtown Community Safety Partnership have grown 20-fold from its first full year in operation to last year — as theft, vandalism and violence remain rampant in Winnipeg’s core.

The numbers released this week by the Downtown BIZ indicate calls to the partnership soared from 505 in 2021 to 10,441 last year.

The partnership, established in April 2020, has been funded by government and private grants. Its teams conduct outreach on the streets and do well-being checks, among other duties, in an effort to keep the area safe.

DCSP executive director Greg Burnett, a retired Winnipeg police officer, said the increase in calls indicates growing trust of the effort in the neighbourhood, while the need for help persists.

“There’s a lot of work to do,” said Burnett. “But it is an indication that people are starting to see where we fit in, when we talk about alternative service delivery models, that we can help folks in different ways — that it’s not always a call to 911.”

The team has, increasingly, helped transport people to shelters or to get medical attention — from 674 in 2021 to 5,362 in 2024.

Call volumes in 2025 are on track to exceed those in 2024.

“They’re going up, as we build and learn,” said Burnett. “We’re relatively new, still, in this field, so we’re seeing increases come … as more and more people and organizations get to know us, they’re wanting to work with us.”

He pointed to hospitals and shelters as an example of organizations the DCSP works with.

The teams have worked hard at building relationships with vulnerable people on the street, who know they can call for help without necessarily involving police or other authorities, said Burnett.

His sense is that business owners and others downtown are supportive of the DCSP — and are happy to have someone to call for help, other than emergency services, when a person with apparent mental-health or addictions issues is causing them concern.

Downtown BIZ chief executive officer Kate Fenske said the figures show the partnership model is working.

“The data shows … how they’re resolving issues right on site, without having to call emergency services, or emergency services can call DCSP if it’s not emergency in nature,” said Fenske.

She said the challenge is the growth in demand for help from the partnership around the clock.

“It’s the right solution, but there’s not enough capacity,” said Fenske. “The challenges have evolved and grown exponentially.”

Fenske pointed to mental-health concerns as a growing issue.

“Ninety per cent of the businesses in our zone that we’ve surveyed experience erratic behaviour, and that makes it really challenging to run a business … and we know that 60 per cent of businesses are locking their doors during the day,” she said.

“There is a real challenge, but I think, coming at it from a compassionate approach, that DCSP does, and being able to connect folks with resources, to understand, to build those relationships (works.)”

But there’s a gap in further, long-term supports for addictions and mental-health help and housing, said Fenske.

“If someone wants to go somewhere, there isn’t anywhere for them to go,” she said.

“DCSP is absolutely the right resource on the street… but there’s a back end of supports and services that’s required.”

She said the only options for many now are a hospital or back on the street.

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce CEO Loren Remillard said the new figures indicate mental health and addictions remain a challenge — but also that the DCSP is working.

“The numbers show it’s been successful,” said Remillard, adding he’s heard from member businesses who are happy to have the DCSP as an option.

“Not every situation requires a police response… (it) helps businesses that are facing that challenge on their doorstep connect to the appropriate resource to respond.”

Fenske said officials in other Canadian cities have called DCSP and others in Winnipeg to discuss the city’s model. Burnett said he’s been involved in some of those conversations.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca