Winnipeg residents beg for safety, but the City ignores them

Winnipeggers are not asking for the impossible. They are asking for law, order, and fairness. What they are getting is silence, excuses, and a government that seems more interested in deflecting blame than in addressing the problems destroying neighbourhoods.

In recent weeks, letters from Point Douglas residents have exposed what life in their community has become. Their words are not abstract. They are the raw accounts of people who no longer feel safe in their homes, who have lost faith that their city will enforce its own rules, and who are left wondering who, if anyone, is actually governing Winnipeg.

One resident, Amy Robinson, wrote directly to Mayor Scott Gillingham. She began by reminding him of the widely circulated email titled “A Plea,” which described the daily reality of assaults, theft, and intimidation in Point Douglas. As she told the Mayor, “That gut-wrenching account of assaults, break-ins, thefts, and intimidation is far from unique. It reflects the daily reality for countless Point Douglas residents. Many in our community have endured home invasions, assaults, and repeated thefts. Some hesitate to call 911 for fear of being subpoenaed and facing retaliation. Silence has become survival, and that is not how residents of Winnipeg should be forced to live.”

She then described what has been allowed to happen on the riverbank in her neighbourhood. “Three permanent structures already stand, and a fourth is under construction. Over the past several weeks, I have raised repeated concerns via email to city offices. I reported excessive construction noise at all hours to 311 no acknowledgement. I contacted Property, Planning & Development (PP&D) regarding trees being cut down in violation of the Waterways By-law — no response. I emailed PP&D again to ask whether permits are required for dwellings on the riverbank — still no reply. I have also checked the occupancy permit portal, and no surprise, there is clearly no permit for this location.”

She asked the questions that every taxpayer has the right to ask: “If bylaws and acts meant to protect residents and our environment are not enforced, then what is their purpose? What has happened to the rule of law when one group of citizens is expected to follow regulations while another can openly ignore them?” She did not stop there. She noted that materials for encampment structures “do not simply appear, they are taken. Residents already struggling with break-ins and stolen property now face the added reality that encampments require a constant supply of lumber, tools, and other items to keep building. The result is uncontrolled theft that directly harms law-abiding citizens.”

And she pressed the point further: “We are not asking for homes, we are asking for the number of beds. Despite meetings, letters, and inquiries, the public still does not have this most basic answer. We know roughly how many unhoused individuals are in Winnipeg. Why can we not be told the number of beds? Someone in city leadership must have this figure.”

Another Point Douglas resident, in a separate letter sent to city officials and shared with the Winnipeg Sun, echoed those frustrations. “The taxpayers and business owners of Point Douglas, the Exchange District, and Downtown neighbourhoods along Assiniboine Avenue are demanding answers. The City’s administration has a legal duty under municipal and provincial regulations to maintain safe public spaces and prevent illegal occupation of public property. Continued inaction raises serious liability and public safety concerns. Residents are closely monitoring this issue, and the City’s responsiveness will directly influence public trust and future voting behaviour.”

That letter pointed to the ongoing re-establishment of encampments. “Encampments continue to re-establish, often involving structures built with stolen materials and the accumulation of stolen bicycles. The current approach is harming residents and businesses through reduced safety and security, declining property values, increased graffiti, theft, and arson, antisocial behaviour tied to substance abuse, and displacement of long-term residents and local businesses.” It also raised a fair question that city leadership has not answered: “If the city continues to delay enforcement of Winnipeg laws, how will the City’s administration and its nonprofit partners compensate business and property owners for the documented losses — ranging from theft and arson to declining property values — that result from these policies and lack of enforcement?”

These are not unreasonable demands. They are the basic expectations of any resident who pays taxes, follows the law, and asks for the same in return from their government. But instead of action, residents are told to wait for more reports, more consultations, and more shifting of responsibility between City Hall and the Province.

Premier Wab Kinew promised Manitobans that encampments would be cleared and housing provided. That promise has not been kept. Instead, social media is filled with videos about how his government is making Manitoba better, with no mention of the tents that remain, the fires that continue, and the needles that litter playgrounds. If millions are being spent on programs that cannot deliver the results promised, taxpayers have a right to know how much more money will be wasted before anyone in authority admits failure.

And yet the problem is not only at the provincial level. City leadership is equally guilty of choosing inaction. When residents report violations of noise bylaws, when trees are cut down illegally, or when structures are built without permits, the City of Winnipeg does not respond. When asked for clear information about shelter beds, the City refuses. Instead, it relies on a UN Special Rapporteur’s opinion, which is not law, as a shield for inaction. And even that opinion makes clear that the “right” to remain encamped only applies if no shelter beds are available. The refusal to publish those numbers is not a coincidence. It is a political calculation.

Residents beg for safety, City ignores them.

Meanwhile, the City hands out sole-source contracts to agencies like Main Street Project, whose leadership openly argues that theft is a “survival crime” and that individuals have the right to remain where they are. This is not impartial governance. It is ideological policymaking carried out with taxpayer money, directly at odds with the City’s obligation to enforce its laws.

Other cities facing similar challenges have not allowed paralysis to become policy. San Diego enacted restrictions on camping near schools and parks and paired them with new shelters.

New York City tracks every encampment removal and every shelter placement on a public dashboard so residents can see results and hold leaders accountable. Houston reduced its unsheltered population by more than half over a decade by combining enforcement with housing placement and insisting that service providers meet measurable performance standards. Winnipeg could adopt any of these strategies. Instead, its leaders choose to point fingers at one another and delay.

Residents have already done their part. They have documented the violations. They have sent letters. They have spoken at meetings. They have asked for nothing more than their government to do its job. What they have received is silence and excuses.

It is time for the Mayor of Winnipeg to decide what kind of leader he is going to be. Either he governs with clarity and action, or he admits he is unable to meet the responsibilities of the office and makes way for someone who can. Winnipeg does not need more reports, consultations, or press releases. It needs a Mayor who will enforce the laws already on the books, insist on accountability from service providers, and demand that the province live up to its promises. Anything less is not leadership. It is surrender.