Human toll of drug crisis hurts everyday citizens, too: biz leader

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has given a thumbs-up to the recent 10-day police crackdown on open drug use and trafficking downtown, and says governments should follow up the effort with a public safety strategy.

The chamber released a statement Friday that says the enforcement initiative, which began June 24, was required owing to the city’s growing safety concerns.

“Businesses, employees are scared to come to work. Businesses are talking to me about closing their doors,” said president and CEO Loren Remillard in an interview. “There’s a human toll being exacted through this crisis, and it’s not just on the homeless community.”

Remillard said the news release was issued weeks after the crackdown to allow for the dust to settle.

“We didn’t want to react, because when you react to something that’s happening, it tends to be more and more emotion,” he said.

“What we wanted to do was take time to give it a thoughtful response that allows time to reflect on what transpired, assess it against our existing policies, and ultimately conclude that our response is that we support the effort and continuing efforts to enhance safety and security in our downtown.”

Remillard said the anti-drug blitz can’t be a “momentary respite,” but rather the start of something “visible, sustained and strategic” in which tangible differences are noticeable throughout the city.

He said social determinants and public safety can be balanced, but he feels public safety has taken a back seat.

“Businesses, employees are scared to come to work. Businesses are talking to me about closing their doors.”

“So, I hear it when people say, ‘We have to make sure we’re tending to the real human underlying issues.’ Absolutely. But that cannot come at the expense of your right, and others’ rights in our city to be able to walk and and interact in their community safely.”

Remillard expressed his support for the police service and said the chamber will continue advocating for a safer and more vibrant downtown.

More than 100 people were estimated to have been detained during the sweep of Main Street, between Logan and Higgins avenues, an area where open drug use is rampant, during the first two days of the blitz. The crackdown was extended to other areas downtown, West Broadway and the West End.

Police have yet to release data about the full campaign because they said it’s still being analyzed.

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Mayor Scott Gillingham, who spoke at the June 26 announcement about the crackdown, has said he would like to view the data, but hasn’t said whether a thorough breakdown should be released to the public.

“We’re looking forward to the police releasing some information,” Gillingham said at an unrelated event on Friday.

“I’d like to see the police release the data on the impact of the 10-day crackdown on open illegal drug use. I would support that being extended as well. We’ll see what the police release and hopefully, that they release in the coming days.”

Gillingham said the police service hasn’t informed the mayor’s office about whether the data will be released.

The outreach community condemned the actions by police, and criticized the service for not giving it a heads-up.

Police Chief Gene Bowers and other police brass met with members of the organizations a week later. He said police should have worked together with outreach organizations.

Advocates said the meeting exposed the lack of understanding about community services and the life-saving role of harm-reduction supplies.

Police didn’t demonstrate a “clear understanding of the work of a number of groups in the room,” said Kate Sjoberg, executive director of Resource Assistance for Youth, who was at the meeting.

The campaign was triggered by months of complaints from residents, business owners and others downtown, in Point Douglas and on Maryland and Sherbrook streets.

Last week, several groups in the Maryland-Sherbrook community said they support the police service’s blitz because of the escalating threat of violence to residents as they shop, go to school and pick up food.

An open letter pleading for better safety measures was signed by the West End BIZ, Lions Manor, Winnipeg School Division, West Broadway Youth Outreach and the Just Like New To You Thrift Shop.

In its statement Friday, the chamber acknowledged the complexity of Winnipeg’s mental health and addictions crisis and said all levels of government have a role to play. It said the provincial and federal governments should continue to address underlying social issues, while the city remains responsible for public safety and enforcement.

— with files from Malak Abas

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca

Scott Billeck
Reporter

Scott Billeck is a general assignment reporter for the Free Press. A Creative Communications graduate from Red River College, Scott has more than a decade’s worth of experience covering hockey, football and global pandemics. He joined the Free Press in 2024.  Read more about Scott.

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