In the last 3 years as meth addiction ramped up, the peaceful quiet of St. Boniface became noticeably disrupted.
The Norwood Grove Biz warned City Hall “As the downtown core took steps, we saw an influx of bridge community. Business owners didn’t know what to do and hadn’t seen it before.” Issues surrounding homelessness, panhandling and street-involvement become a growing concern to the community “which saw endless customer harassment, vehicle break-ins, vandalism and more.”
The wake-up call was when the washroom at Tim Hortons was set ablaze and shortly after, the staff walked out due to threats. This past winter, the ScotiaBank had to lock its ATM Lobby overnight due to incidents.https://www.manitobapost.com/winnipeg-news/safety-keeps-slippin-away-on-wrong-side-of-st-boniface-117020
This summer, the area is noticeably – visibly- calmer.
Marion Willis of Morberg House confirmed that’s the case.
A StreetLinks bike patrol and a robust outreach program are helping guide addicts and the homeless towards support and recovery services and out of trouble. With a reduced homeless population she identifies panhandling and meth camps as the current challenges.
In this bonus video segment she describes the work they are doing to make Winnipeg safer and lauds the Winnipeg Police and Mayor Brian Bowman for supporting their role in crime prevention through social development.
Click HERE to see our interview with Marion Willis:
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