Working together on downtown safety

The Downtown Community Safety Partnership says it is open to working with a newly formed coalition calling for action on downtown safety.

Executive director Greg Burnett says while the non-profit hasn’t been in touch with the coalition yet, he’s open to discussing a way to work together to advance the goal of safety in the city’s core.

“Any time attention to the downtown and safety can be brought up, all talks and communication about that is welcome, especially if it leads us all working together and collaborating,” Burnett said.

Eight unions that represent employees who work in the downtown core recently formed a coalition to demand action on safety in the area. The group represents thousands of employees from all three levels of government, firefighters and paramedics, bus drivers, retail workers and community service workers, among others.

The union formed the Workers for Downtown Public Safety following increasing assaults and incident reports in the downtown core. The downtown safety partnership’s mandate of patrolling the downtown, providing safe walks and offering supports to homeless and vulnerable people lends itself to the coalitions calls, so a partnership could provide value, Burnett said.

Burnett only heard about the coalition through media reports and has yet to speak with anyone about shared goals.

“But it’s a starting point, there’s so much positive things going on and there’s still a lot to do,” he said.

The non-profit recently upped their patrols in the city’s skywalk system following a series of random assaults. Patrols monitor the skywalks between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. during the week. Burnett has also requested to make the summer action plan, which funded more patrols and extra supports, permanent.

Discussions about getting the funding to make it a permanent program are ongoing, he said.

Gord Delbridge, a spokesperson for the union coalition, intends to reach out to the DCSP to discuss their goals to boost safety downtown.

“I would welcome sitting down with the DCSP, and we want to make sure that we share the same principles and values,” he said. “

Delbridge is hearing from workers that safety in Winnipeg’s downtown has been neglected by different levels of government and action is needed urgently.

More security roving the area isn’t necessarily the answer, but employers must do what they need to in order to keep their workers safe.

“But governments also got to do their due diligence and ensure the health and safety of business owners, of people within our community, and they need to get to the root of the problem,” he said.

Institutional safety officers recently began patrolling the Manitoba Hydro Place building at 360 Portage Ave. following an assault on an employee in the building’s foyer in January. The building was locked to the public for three weeks while Hydro reviewed its safety plan and came up with a way to better protect workers and the public who use the building.

Hydro hired seven safety officers who are working alongside contracted security guards. Spokesperson Peter Chura said there have been no reported incidents since the building reopened.

Delbridge, who is president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500, has discussed the coalition’s calls with Mayor Scott Gillingham and has a meeting planned with justice minister Matt Wiebe. He says he also wants to work with the business community. “It’s gaining momentum, but I’m not surprised considering the circumstances,” he said.

Burnett is encouraged by the desire to address safety issues in the downtown and wants to see the area thrive. He cited projects like the St. Charles hotel redevelopment and the Fairmont renovation that will help to bring people back to the area and make it an attractive place.

“There’s lots of good, positive things moving forward, so I think you really got to focus on that,” he said.

Nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca