Aug 11 2023 – From McPhillips to South Osborne, Winnipeg’s Turning Into Gotham City

Startling reports of crime, violence and public disorder continue in Episode 45 – recounted in 2 parts from north end to south. 

Part One focuses on a hard-working businessman who endured a series of break-ins that caused him to rack up $85,000 in security costs for his restaurants – and that was before this week’s bizarre encounter with an aggrieved cabbie. 

Marty Gold explains this incident apparently started with the driver being accused of having an open beer in his cab by a security guard at the Four Crowns on McPhillips St. A few hours later the hack returned with some friends and busted up the beer vendor. 

Hear why the cab company might have to pony up so the restauranteur doesn’t file yet another insurance claim. “It’s costing my employees their safety,” said Ravi Ramberran. “We’re having to protect ourselves in every area of the city, and that’s just extremely sad.”

“The security costs of doing business here are insane.” 

He said River City is turning into Gotham City because of the rot of a growing criminal underclass spreading across Winnipeg that has no fear of consequences. He’s not alone:“Our government’s solutions are all mid- to long-term solutions for a short-term problem,” said Shaun Jeffrey, CEO of the Manitoba Restaurant and Foodservices Association “We need short-term solutions.”A point that Ramberran made applies to all victims of crime across Winnipeg: “I’m getting really tired of politicians just talking about it. We need some action… If you hurt someone, take their stuff or damage their property, you need to go down extremely hard so you don’t do it again.”

18:16 – Part 2 – Marty explains that the lesson of what happens when there is no enforcement or deterrance is being felt in Point Douglas and St. Boniface, and is now a central concern in South Osborne.

– In PD, councilor Vivian Santos told the Free Press the criminal activity springing from homeless encampments is ‘assumed’. Hear her idea of a solution- and what an affected resident thought of her grasp on the serious safety issues facing home and business owners.- In St. Boniface, the stolen bike spree and other theft continues while area councilor Matt Allard hasn’t offered a single word to comfort crime victims.

– Now we can add South Osborne to the list of areas under siege. Constant road construction is testing the patienceand economic health of the Riverview neighborhood on the east and Lord Roberts on the west. But listeners told Marty that’s compounded by an unbelievable surge of organized criminal theft that is home-grown and which, despite evidence of the activity, is not being proactively dismantled by the cops under police Chief Danny Smyth.

And as we predicted years ago, the rapid transit line plays into the rise in crime there. Listen to how far thieves- some obviously addicts but others obviously not – will go to violate the safety of residents who are desperate for relief. Their city councilor Sherri Rollins seems oblivious to the fact people are moving AWAY as a result. There’s no organized effort to stem the tide- yet loud voices claim legalized shooting galleries would make things better? 

TGCTS will continue to speak out for the victims across our city.


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