The Rail Bypass Around Winnipeg Project

Lloyd Axworthy knows something about rail re-location. He was there back in the 1980s when CN Rail was convinced to give up their downtown rivers location in favour of Symington Yards. It is still going on now four decades later. It is one of Canada's prime examples of rail land being re-located to create one of Canada's top tourist attractions. The waterfront in Toronto is another example although that includes port as well as rail. There are examples of military based in cities also being repurposed. In Winnipeg, that would apply to the Kapyong Barracks. In Calgary, it would be the Garrison base.

Safe to say that the land recovery and end of displacement from city rail crossings is of greater value and cost than a port or military base redevelopment. The movement of rail within a city can be dangerous and serves less purpose now since the cargo is being loaded and unloaded much of the time outside the confines of the city. People have died as a result of hazardous materials being transported within cities.

It is also true that rail has brought great wealth to Canada. While it isn't the sole reason for Winnipeg's success, it is a leading reason why. Had the rail crossed at Selkirk instead, it would be Selkirk that was the biggest city. Boosterism and corruption ensured Winnipeg got the first rail across Canada. The railways got the lands closest to the areas they wished and prospered. It was mutually beneficial and Winnipeg and Manitoba did well by it.

A by-pass could open up lands and create an internal active transportation system, bus and light rail routes, parks and new housing and commercial developments. There would be no need to build a new Arlington Bridge if a surface road could just head straight through. The Great Divide between the North End and the rest of Winnipeg would be eliminated if the Weston Yards moved to the new logistics area of CentrePort or somewhere else in the the greater area. This will not be instantaneous not without many lobbying for favourite projects. It is worth noting that some advocated The Forks be made into an urban forest. While compelling. it is hard to imagine it being as being such a place as it is now.

Lloyd Axworthy should present a route plan and the debate should be in earnest. In the fall of 2026, there could be billion in investment money from the meetings taking place in Toronto with the federal government. Manitoba should be at the table with shovel ready projects. We shouldn't be building anymore multimillion overpasses for rail crossings in the city when other solutions present themselves.

St. Vital Centre Purchased for $160 Million

St. Vital Centre was built in 1979 for about $40 million just when a flurry of other malls were going up in including Kildonan Place, Winnipeg Square, Eaton Centre and Unicity. That was a lot of malls all at once and some of them did not survive or have been drastically changed over the years. Most of the malls were owned by real estate companies in the beginning but many including Primaris and Cadillac Fairview are now owned all or in part by the Maple 8, Canadians top government pension funds. For the last numbers of years St. Vital Centre has been owned by the Ontario Pension Board.

In recent years some private players have been making inroads as owners. It is unclear who their shareholders might be. In many cases their financing still comes from pension funds as in the case of Brookfield Asset Management. The fact that a pension fund sells a property doesn't mean they are not part of shareholding or or financing the deal to enhance their balance sheets. 

In the case of the sale of St. Vital Centre to Leyad, a Quebec-based real estate company, it appears the sale was financed by six credit unions in a syndicate. Since Leyad is a private company, it doesn't have to disclose its financial structure except to the banks and paying taxes. 

This is not the first foray into real estate in Winnipeg by Leyad. They have purchased Garden City Square, Johnston Terminal, CDI College and the Canada Goose Distribution Centre over the years for a pretty significant footprint in the city. Next to Montreal, it might be the biggest holdings right in the company. 

For many years St. Vital Centre has been firmly entrenched as the second largest mall in the city. Due to the location, it is hard for it to expand much beyond what it is now unless they build up. However, they still have to fill the empty Bay store location. This is an issue for Polo Park as well. Since the other large story closures led to knew tenants, it is expect that by year end announcements will be made on new uses for the space. And Leyad seems well suited to investing in their properties but that remains to be seen. The Johnston Terminal took a while to get going again after Covid but seems better now.

There is no record of what the purchase price of the mall when it was taken over by the Ontario Pension Board. However, with the original price being $40 million and the sale price being $160.5 million that is a very healthy price for a mall still producing income. The powerful Canadian pensions probably can't quit malls completely. They are too big and growing to not buy real estate. The U.S. could be less attractive if their economy tanks but who knows? That could be the perfect time to invest. Just ask the people who bought dirt cheap after the last crash in Florida and Arizona.

As mentioned, there have been some malls across Canada that have closed. In Winnipeg, that would be Portage Place, Unicity and a few strip malls. However, Canada never really overbuilt the way the U.S. has and done. In Grand Forks, North Dakota, you could call Columbia Mall a failed mall. It is embarrassing to see.

The purchase by Leyad is probably an attempt by St. Vital Centre to remain the second largest mall in the province ahead of Outlet Collection Mall and the rest of the Seasons development. This may be a losing battle because the Seasons development had been going strong for 13 years. There has never been a stop in building on the site although it is possible this year might see the last few spots filled up in the surrounding mall spaces.

St. Vital's hosting of the Children's Hospital Book Sale at least two to three time a year also fills the place with people from all over the city and beyond. For those who don't remember, it used to be Polo Park that hosted this. The destination malls usually have things over seasonal times to attract shoppers. The more unique, the better. For many decades it was mini-concerts and fashion shows.

It seems Leyad's purchase of St. Vital Centre will be followed up with a multimillion investment in the former Bay location soonest. There are few if any big retailers out there that could take the full space over. Some are still hankering for a Simons department store but it might be wishful thinking as the company takes a long time to expand their private company. Others believe there might be a new grocery coming courtesy of rule changes that block competitor from opening in the same mall. Many places have agreements that are paid for to keep other grocery and pharmacy out. This has been ruled as anti-competitive. Those that continue to practice may face penalties and fines.

It used to be that malls had long lists of retailers wanting to move in but the need to expand the hours and reasons to go to the mall have had to increase. It can't be all fashion stores that don't last a season. Expect to see more moved development in the near future.

 

What Makes Winnipeg Great?

A lot of focus has been on the negative aspects of Winnipeg both in mainstream media and social media. Sometimes that results in very public announcements of people leaving or commenting about how happy they are since they left. Every now and again, there is someone who says just how much they love about this city or how glad they moved here.

Geographically, Winnipeg at the center of the country has been an important aspect of its attractiveness for business, cultural gatherings and shelter. The rivers were the key aspect of that growth but it was when the railways came that the city's development took off. It sometimes comes as a shock when people learn that Winnipeg was once the third largest city in Canada until the Panama Canal was built in 1913.

Ports by the sea or with access to the sea have always been attractive places for commerce as well as places to live. Steamboats travelled all the way from Winnipeg to St. Paul Minnesota and back again. However, the rivers were shallow, winding and frozen part of the year. After 50 years, railways changed all that. And all rails led to and ran from Winnipeg.

The dynamic of trade changed as well from north to south. The Canadian Pacific meant east to west travel exploded and those railways lines continued to help the city prosper although cargo, rather than passengers were the big economic driver. Air and road service became the other important developments. The first international flight in North America was from Minneapolis to Winnipeg.

Early boosterism in Winnipeg and Manitoba in general was about land. The flat plains of the Red River Valley and the rivers that met at The Forks were ideal for commerce and travel. It is what made the city great. The trails that grew from settlements that expanded from the forts became the next great thing for the city's growth. While the first fort was built near the Red and Assiniboine, the first business independent of the Hudson Bay Company decided to open at the corner of the Portage and Main oxcart paths in 1862. The province had not even been formed yet.

Nothing really except for the land and the resources gave indication of how great Winnipeg would be. It was a harsh climate at any time of the year. Literally everything had to be brought in by boat or trail because the land was was not providing in abundance for a rapidly increasing population. And even the indigenous population was one that followed game north to sound across the seasons.

The permanent settlements were one of hardship due to extreme temperatures, flooding, insects and disease. The fifty years of transport by water or trail was slow going in terms of development. Funnily enough, the first locomotive arrived in Winnipeg via steamboat. It began the longest era of greatness with explosive growth from 1879 through to 1913. Thereafter, growth was still propelled by railway but not as the boom levels once seen. The building of the Panama Canal meant that traffic could bypass the railway and arrive by ship in Vancouver. Everything didn't have to pass through Winnipeg anymore.

Given the traffic back and forth to Pembina, North Dakota and beyond via steamboat and then rail, it is only the the coming of the Canadian Pacific Rail that re-arranged the dynamic of east to west than south to north. This took place in 1881 when the railway and bridge over the Red River brought huge amounts of people to the city. At least Winnipeg was incorporated by 1874 and had street planning and a nascent business community ready to go. Still, the growth was beyond crazy. Literally thousands of people poured into the city and then out to the country and to the new territories to the west.

All this made Winnipeg great because the economy and fortunes were on an upward trajectory. Still, the Panama Canal in 1913 and World War I a year later in 1914 cut Winnipeg off from capital and immigration as the war ground on year after year. Add to this the Spanish Influenza and the Great Depression and you had a few generations dead to disease and war. And to cap it off World War II took another generation of young people in terms of death and injury.

One effect of the war was a level of industrialization and new population growth that lasted from 1945 to 1970. Many of the largest present-day companies like Manitoba Hydro, Canada Life (Great-West Life) and New Flyer and others grew out of this post-war industrialization. Many family run businesses grew and prospered. Even through the 1970s, Winnipeg was larger than Calgary and Edmonton but oil would soon change that.

Oil crashes in 1973 and 1979 along with inflation and a stagnant economy slowed growth, By 1980, Winnipeg was going through massive layoffs.  Even during this painful time economically, Winnipeg benefitted from a diverse workforce, tree-lined streets, good schools and a cultural vitality. Even during tough times new festivals were created, new school programs were introduced, new professional leagues of sports started and so on. This is an important thing to point out to those who might think that nothing was going on in the city. 

The diversity of the Winnipeg economy and stability of  it made it a fairly good place to raise a family. It was too easy to take for granted our universities and colleges that churned out graduates that became leading Canadian citizens in a multitude of fields. And many of the family businesses grew each decade to become national and international players. 

Winnipeg is still a leading destination for immigration. The province with its provincial nominee program has gone out and found people to come here and has jobs for them. Each decade has added to the depth of the population as well as the rich tapestry of shops, restaurants and businesses.

Winnipeg has had a long time reputation has been a tough city. Crime has long been listed as a problem. Still, anyone who knows the city is aware it isn't the entire city rife with violence. Crime has been coming down the last two years according to reports but it probably doesn't feel like it for those watching crimes take place in stores, buses and the like.

What makes the city great has been the citizen driven initiatives to help on addictions, housing and poverty. There have been shelters built, rehab centres, lower income housing and foundational support for programming and education. It has pushed governments to act as well. United Way Winnipeg punches above its weight in fundraising. The Winnipeg Foundation and other endowments donate as much as the United Way. But it has been a hard year for many charities that still have not recovered from the pandemic just as demand as increased so much.

Still, the thing that makes Winnipeg great is that the city continues to adapt and grow. It has had good times and bad times but not end times. There communities all over Canada with declining populations as people move elsewhere. Winnipeg is not one of them although the fastest growing areas in the suburbs and metropolitan area. This spreading of population is not sustainable economically. It is why attempts to do infill such as Seasons of Tuxedo are transforming former industrial land.

It is great to see parts of Winnipeg have a second coming. The East Yards, Fort Rouge Yards and Tuxedo Yards have all been converted to commercial and residential uses. The density in the city as well as most of the country has dropped as suburban and exurban residential growth has exploded. The fact industrial and parking space is being repurposed is very good. True North Square was built atop a parking lot. Portage Place is being converted to Pan Am Clinic and residential units.

The year 2026 is to be determined but a lot of projects started earlier will be completed or near completion in the new year. A lot of initiatives on addiction, housing and poverty will also be well underway. The trick this time is not to take breaks as we have in the past because things like homelessness and rising rent is in part a capacity and programming failure. Winnipeg went years without adding any rental units or put roadblocks so long that it took years to get anything built. 

Winnipeg in a fit of urban pride once had a campaign called One Great City which its own citizens mocked in song and commentary. However, on a all too frequent basis we do things that are great and make the city great. We can't rest on our laurels though but it is important to see the greatness from time to time. 

Trees in Winnipeg

Along any of the three rivers through Winnipeg, the trees are thick and the temperature cooler than the open areas beyond. It is probably no wonder why the city grew up around the rivers. It was sanctuary. However, in the founding of the city. it seemed like every tree was felled to build the one or, at most, two floor structures that stood across massively wide unpaved streets. It looked muddy and hot or snowy and hot. Even at the The Forks, is became an industrial section of railway station and yard.

Portage and Main was devoid of trees. It was just mud and unpaved roads. Even for the commenters who see old pictures of Winnipeg, few say how nice it was back then. It isn't an image that inspires nostalgia. It looked like hard living times and it was. 

It should come as no surprise that the inhabitants of the city didn't want to be mud covered and devoid of any shade or wind cover. Streets were paved, sidewalks put in and trees planted. The trees were not an option. Every residential street in the city had trees planted and cared for. This may have been the influence of the Arbour Day movement that originated in North America in Nebraska in 1872. The timing is important because so much commerce was people going back and forth along the rivers and trails north and south. By 1883, Canadian politicians led the charge in Canada to ensure children were given seedlings to plant and beautify school grounds.

If there was once flaw in the planting, it was the lack of diversity in the trees. Many elm, green ash and maple were planted. And while they turned into one of the best canopy forests on the continent, they were vulnerable to diseases such as Dutch elm disease and ash borer beetles. Even chokecherry trees have been blighted in Linden Woods. Toronto planted far more diversity over the decades and it has helped them avoid what Winnipeg has gone through. Still, even in Toronto, it is a battle to keep the large trees going even as age, disease or terrible weather takes their toll. Experts in Toronto are harvesting seeds from the large trees to re-fill the canopy in the city.

Winnipeg now has a non-profit dedicated to trees and schools and communities have embraced the program of planting trees. Our family has donated 150 trees to the Winnipeg School Division. It is good to see schools each plant trees. Many schools have lost trees to disease and some really have never had that much in the way of greenery to begin with.

It might be of interest that the city keeps a record of every tree in Winnipeg on property they maintain. Each tree is identified by location and type. This type of record keeping helps keep a number of trees removed with trees added and the city in the last year has fared much better on replacing trees. There are still years to catch up.

A federal program is being utilized to plant around 600 trees in Assiniboine Park. Some died there from disease, others from building infrastructure. Regardless, the park needs to replace trees. This isn't the only city park that needs love. All the parks have had tree loss with no replacement in most years.

The loss of trees extends to private property as well. Disease, storm damage and age have killed off a lot of trees. Some people have been encouraged by the trees programming that they have bought trees for their yards. However, there are just as many who have cleared their entire yards in favour of vast lawns. Some of the new neighbourhoods can be absolutely oppressive for heat. Trees along city sections of the land, parks and schools are often the few areas where shade can be found.

It has to be mentioned that Manitoba Hydro lines, salt from road, collisions with the vehicles, beavers and vandalism also contribute to tree loss. Hydro lines down Portage Avenue West means it is devoid of trees. The rest of Portage produces so much salt that it kills trees. It is a long depressing tree-free ride along Portage Avenue. The only saving grace is the beautiful flower boxes along the street.

In the past, cities and provinces found that in budgetary cuts it was easiest to cut the forestry budget. Diseased trees overtook that complacent attitude. As for forests, the multiple years of fires shows forest management, fire prevention and fire suppression can't be kicked down the road. The results can be far more costly. Manitoba right now is purchasing water bombers. However, they are now far back on the list of when new planes will be ready. Many countries are now buying them and Canadian provinces like Manitoba have to wait till fill their order.

The one piece of good news is that there seem to be a significant movement to plant trees to replace what has been lost and to actually plant in new areas such as private land, schools and parks. The beauty, shade and carbon storage of today's urban trees started because people with far less than what we have made it a priority to plant trees and plan parks. It is comforting to know that more effort has been made to create a new healthy greenery in the city of Winnipeg.

Quiet January 1st in Winnipeg

The First of January is generally one of the quietest days of the year. It isn't a religious holiday per se. It isn't one where a family dinner or gifts are required. Over the decades in Winnipeg it has entailed going out for dinner and dancing but this has greatly been reduced by the falling amount of bars, cabarets and lounges. This is a change long is coming with young people's relationship with alcohol. It also has to do with tobacco.

The late night opening of some stores and restaurants is a story about liquor and cigarettes. No need for a 24 hour Shopper's if people are not coming in at all hours to buy tobacco. Likewise, no need for a 4 AM closing at a restaurant if booze is not sold in sufficient quantities. The aging population means that people don't roll into a restaurant at midnight and spend a few hours there.

And so it goes for a day like January 1st. The evening event on the Eve in places like The Forks and Assiniboine Park end early. There are no fireworks. Skating and restaurants are still open although close before midnight in the parks. City parks are largely empty after 10 pm. There really has been a turn against fireworks in the city of Winnipeg.

Fireworks have largely been left to the community clubs and few of them do it on Canada Day or January 1st. I suspect a bylaw at some point to ban them in Winnipeg including sports events. The opposition to them has grown so determined that it will probably be something that could preclude fireworks for Grey Cup. Much of the resistance to fireworks has centered on the noise that affects animals. However, we have come to see public parks largely abandon evening events on New Year's Eve entirely.

The night lights program over winter at the zoo and Assiniboia Downs are good but the days of a New Year's celebration in the evening are largely gone. If New Year's Day is not that important or overrated as a holiday in Manitoba, it strikes me that more stores and services should be open. If city, provincial and federal governments think the day should be devoid of real celebration, open it up and remove it as a statutory day. Have people return to work that day if it is a normal day of the week. Or at the very least, let's grocery stores and malls open.

Federal holidays should be re-evaluated after consultations with the public. It is likely July 1st Canada Day and Christmas remain statutory days. However, does Victoria Day mean anything? Truth and Reconciliation is new and likely to stay but I expect it evolves over the years. Thanksgiving is unlikely to change as is Remembrance Day (although I can see it becoming a Monday at some point). However, Good Friday and Easter Monday are probably not needed. 

It is clear that many public places would rather not do much on New Year's Eve so what is really special about it? Perhaps it should be just like any other holiday like Halloween or Valentine's Day: Just a regular work day.

 

Relocating the CPKC Railways...Discussed Again

Picture from 1942 of the CP yards. Gives an idea of the barrier between the North End and the rest of Winnipeg. 

Railyards have been moved a number of times in Winnipeg over the last decades. The East Yards is now The Forks. The Fort Rouge Yards are now part of the Southwest Transportation Corridor and a series of apartments. The Tuxedo Yards are now Seasons of Tuxedo. 

The operations for those rail yards were moved to Symington Yards by CN. Rail has changed quite a bit with connection to road, port and airport. The work has evolved from labour intensive loading and unloading to intermodal where the boxes are loaded and unloaded offsite while the railway concentrates more on the delivery. 

The Forks development owes a lot to Lloyd Axworthy and has mostly been one of the most successful rejuvenation projects Winnipeg has ever seen. A close second place would be Seasons Tuxedo. Between the two areas, they have been huge economic drivers for the city's economy and overall successful. The Forks has taken longer to reach economic sustainability. It has heavily relied on Portage Place's parking money of $3 million or so a year to get it through the tough years. Things are much better now but the infusion of the final payment of money from the sale of Portage Place should keep it going for years to come.

The North End has the fewest green spaces of anywhere in the city. The CP yards are massive so that would address some of the issue. However, most would likely agree that something transformative for the neighbourhood would be appropriate. A mall is just not in the cards for an over-retailed city. However, a mixed development where a grocery, pharmacy and banking and other services are available. 

The most important thing initially might be that rail overpasses would not have to go through. Arlington and Salter bridges could could be north and south roads. This would apply to a few more roads as well which could save hundreds of millions in infrastructure costs. Mayor Gillingham has suggested that some of the spur rail lands including ones owned by city may be good for active transportation. He isn't wrong. Rail lines along the east side of the city have been successfully transformed although Councillor Browaty will confirm that like any other area of the city security can be an issue with homeless encampments sprouting up. This doesn't mean they shouldn't be done. Anyone will tell you how great the walking and bike path along that rail spur has been.

They key for any rail development is not speed but thoughtfulness. It has taken more than 10 years for Seasons Tuxedo to reach where it is now and building continues to happen. The Forks has been going on since the 1980s and more left to do. The main point is that even when the railyard moves, it takes some time to come up with a plan. 

The Kapyong Barracks developments is now decades in the making and only now getting started. While new housing and development is critical, it is important to think of the sustainability of what is being built. Does it have good traffic flow, enough green space, public space, housing, retail, restaurants and offices? Build a single focus development of housing and it may be a food desert. Put just a park in and it might be dangerous with no people in it at various times a day.

The CPKC yard should not be moved unless it is make economic sense for the company and the city. If they are moving to the CentrePort then it by all means is sensible. If the rail company is moving then the area will be clear and it totally make sense to extend the roads where tracks once stood. And thereafter create a development plan to service the area lest the empty areas see people build with no permission.

There have been some times lately when open spaces have led to people building their own places. The area behind Grant Park was built up by the Metis only to have it taken away. This raises the question of whether CPKC land might be purchased by indigenous groups. It is entirely possible. Still, the issue is what sort of plan will be followed and how the costs will be covered. 

It is possible that Axworthy will present a very ambitious plan only for the next federal government to torpedo it. The Martin government had an agreement for indigenous supports that the Harper government cancelled. It is possible this could happen as well. Still, it is better to have a plan even though this has been discussed for over 60 years. At some point, the railyard might move and they may seek partners in doing so. It would be better to have thought deeply on this and maybe incentivize it. 

Until then, the question of rebuilding overpasses will remain. Hold off because you won't need or let two areas of the city be cut off from one another?

The Future of Canada Day Events

Canada is 156 years old as of this July 1st. 

Canada Day has been an evolving thing. Formerly, Dominion Day, it didn't even have federal supports for any celebrating until 1958 and only in Ottawa with a paltry amount of money. Canada had a coming out party in 1967 when it hosted Expo in Montreal but the name Canada Day didn't even become official until 1982 and with a great deal of controversy. Even the national anthem did not become official until 1980 and subsequently, has had word changes as part of its evolution. Canadians were calling it Canada Day unofficially since the 1970s.

The traditionalists in support of Dominion Day in name didn't really conceive of what a celebration it would become in practice. Parliament was usually in session July 1 and the first funded event had to require the prime minister to ensure his cabinet were ordered to attend rather than work. Less than ten years later, you couldn't hold Canadians back, they wanted a day to celebrate.

For the 150th birthday there was a reflection about colonialism and its affect on indigenous people in Canada. While celebrations continued, there were criticisms that there wasn't anything to celebrate at all. And in some cases, protests resulted in the toppling of royal symbols on the Manitoba Legislature grounds and renewed vandalism this year.

This year's celebration at The Forks featured a drone show with an indigenous theme. Most of the day was dedicated to indigenous music and stories. Assiniboine Park has activities and food but it winds down before dinner time. The days of tens of thousands at both sites for fireworks is over. It is possible we'll never see a fireworks again downtown unless it is at a baseball game. As for Assiniboine Park, the place where they used to launch fireworks was where The Leaf is now. The Conservancy has said that this, and proximity to the zoo and complaints about fireworks, means they will never have them again.

Assiniboia Downs had fireworks for $10 a head with other activities present. There were only two fireworks publicly free at either end of the city. This has been a change from the past for sure. Another change is that many stores were open as well as malls. Not all have opened but quite a few. 

The pandemic and consideration for unmarked graves was cause for many celebrations across the country being cancelled in the last years. Only now are they beginning again. However, there are abundant changes. Debate over whether a celebration or a somber event or if anything at all should be happening continues. Tentative steps but far more indigenous involvement for the major events. The Forks was very heavily indigenous in all its programming.

The aftermath of colonialism continues. Action on things like boil water advisories and damage from residential schools are a few of the numerous areas that indigenous people look to Canada for real reconciliation. How this changes what happens on Canada Day is evolving.

As Canada takes in 500,000 people a year and 20,000 in Manitoba alone, many will look to Canada Day to reflect their experiences as well. And for the 40 million who call Canada home now. One of the most Canadian things that happens is the swearing in ceremony of new citizens. It is a joyous occasion for so many and in Winnipeg, it was held at Assiniboine Park.

It will be for the coming generation to decide what Canada Day will be. It would be terrible if there is not an attempt to be as expansive as possible. If people retreat to their own silos and say: This event is not for me because...I can't afford to pay, it doesn't have a location near or central to me, it doesn't reach me or conversely, is too focused on me to the exclusion of others, doesn't include citizenship ceremonies for newcomers, doesn't have any indigenous content, is too somber, too celebratory, doesn't have food, music and dancing, ends too early, too traditional, too modern and so on and so on.

There are only so many central gathering spaces. Assiniboine Park has opted to close at night and The Forks doesn't have citizenship ceremonies. None have fireworks. We'll see if this matters. There were a lot of community gatherings this year and that might spread. If you ever see Los Angeles on the 4th of July, every street is setting of fireworks it seems. The days of 30,000 plus people going to a central place might happen less if community centres and streets take over the party.

It is probably in the next year or three that we see how the day is commemorated going forward. They day always seems to adapt but I fear there will be a push to end activities by dinner time in some of the large public spaces as Assiniboine Park has done. It raises the question of just how public our public spaces are when they cease activities by 5.

Hope everyone had a good Canada Day. Ultimately, it should be about your own personal experience with where we live.

The Forks Comeback 2023

Early in the new year, The Forks turned around their numbers for people coming the site to pre-pandemic levels. Measured by trackers at entrances and seen in actual numbers at events, January 2023 looked more like January 2019. Space to gather has been a hallmark of The Forks and key events, unique merchants, special food experiences and tourist attractions makes it different from other areas. Crime scares and protests groups have had an impact but renewed security may be helping. Random attacks cannot be dismissed as overreacting. If people are afraid they will stop going to a place. In fact, they will flee. And the recent occurrence of protest groups using The Forks for gatherings can and has resulted in problems. One of the reasons in the past we have not seen this is that the park area has been that it is intensely busy with festivals, concerts and recreation. Hard to have a protest when so many people are there already for other reasons. Usually celebrating.

The Forks has to walk a fine balance. Their next stage of development announced some time this year will probably be some sort of apartments across from the Human Rights Museum. The risk is that new residents take a dislike to some of the long term activities that have existed for decades such as concerts and festivals. Or perhaps new residents ask that the more than the century railway line be moved once apartments are up. It is not beyond the pale. It may be that new residents ask that the skate board park be removed. Certain we know that fireworks will no longer be part of Forks celebrations. Perhaps they will get an order for them to be stopped at Goldeyes Park as well.

Things evolve to be sure. Assiniboine Park no longer has fireworks and the same applies to The Forks. Tens of thousands used to go to both and stay for the fireworks. Arguments can be made about how it scares animals and annoys a great number of people but, in the case of Assiniboine Park, it means they shut down for the night quite early for activities. In recent years there have been calls to end concerts outdoors as well even if they earlier in the day. If The Forks goes down the same route, it is likely most outdoor activities might be limited due to residential complaints, especially at night.

The parkade at Portage Place continues to be cash injection every year at The Forks, They have at least moved to charge for parking that they do have including their own parkade which for the longest time was free. They have also started renewing leases at more market set rates. Local innovation in food, retail and recreation has differentiated it from a regular mall. Returning revenue into improving the area marks it differently as well since the money isn't sent to investors in Toronto.

The recent offer from True North to buy the land lease and parkade along with the mall at Portage Place looks to net The Forks $34.5 million. They have publicly stated that they would put it in savings and use the interest to fund things. Do the government parties have a say on this windfall? That is a lot of unassigned money.

Sustainability is important because after the last sections are developed, it is unrealistic to think that cash injections from three levels of government will come. There are indications that revenue to support the site and the programming therein is a priority.  That comes from charging for parking they have on site, lease money as landlord of the area and site rentals for festivals. Mandate creep could see The Forks tasked to develop other land but we have see what happen from the North Portage experience. The Forks diverts the money to themselves. In a lot of ways, North Portage would have better staying as a separate entity as revenue would have stayed in the area. The Forks, on the other hand, would have gone bankrupt in 1994.

Winnipeg downtown is not the only place trying to pivot during the pandemic for downtown areas. Toronto has found it very painful and the closure of Nordstrom's in Eaton Centre and many other retailer has hit hard. And like a lot of North America, people are slow to return to the office. Nevertheless it is growing and plans are for 100 new condo towers a year for the next ten years. But will people be working in offices or from home? And what will become of downtown office towers and attractions? Or old neighbourhoods? Below is Toronto in 1989.

In the 1980s through 1990s Toronto was like Winnipeg in that it had football fields of parking space and industrial land/rail yards open. Above from Toronto Archives in 1989 is what Toronto looked like. The area in red was the railyards. In 2023, the entire area is filled with offices, condos/apartments and the like. However, the 1990s were marked by a real estate collapse was pretty widespread across Canada including Toronto and Winnipeg. It really is the last years that Toronto residential towers have exploded so that they literally dwarf the five big banks downtown.

Both Toronto and Winnipeg developed their rail yards and in the case of Toronto, their port. It can be argued which did better. I think Winnipeg did better at creating public space and a sense of centrality to the city that Portage and Main lost or never had, Toronto certainly created big sport and convention centre facilities but in all that rail land, where is the great public space? It is all condos now.

Sometimes being about 20 years behind has helped Winnipeg avoid mistakes other urban areas have committed before us. For example, Calgary demolished its warehouse district. Toronto in a rush to fill waterfront area with condos had insiders grab units and the buildings created a wall of glass and concrete from the shore. At The Forks, development has been slow and thoughtful and each piece has been well considered. Once again, it was money from Portage Place that made it possible not too just fill it with condos.

Developers would love to build in The Forks. There are really only two spaces left but is unlikely a large tower or two that will be built because of the scale. Public and political pressures will limit the height and frown on restricted public access. It will more clear what comes soon enough. Presently, the parking lots are revenue generators so The Forks are not in a rush to see them closed for development that could take two to three years. The question of having public parkades below the new development and/or public transit/active transportation is still being discussed. 

The above picture sourced from The Forks. The Human Rights Museum is a national museum next to a national park. The expectation is that the area will always have school buses, public transit and active transportation to it. Accessible parking, loading zones, tourist parking need to be accounted for. When Railside and Parcel 4 are removed, will they have a public component for a tourist/visitor to park, walk through, get a meal and access The Forks attractions be part of the equation?

Picture from Forks documents. The rail line makes for a walled area for the The Forks and Goldeyes Park. The shaded red area is where announcements will be made in due course of what will go up on the surface parking lots. There is certainly enough parking just outside the rail wall. However, it is beyond the mandate of The Forks so matters of security, accessibility and availability end at Main Street. Why this matters is that should be of high concern to The Forks of how people come to The Forks. Do they avoid it because it is too far away, too unsafe, hard for for those with mobility issues? Is it too expensive? No place to bring a tour bus in? A school bus. No place to have buses waiting? The very long term success of The Forks turns on these questions.

Ironically, the other charge in the North Portage Forks mandate, Portage Place might have a more solid future once it is sold and have more opportunities for future public and private investment. The above picture from Forks documents shows the huge area it covers. And yet other parts of downtown are in need of some sort of planning to help with sustainability.  It is a little bit like whack-a-mole. One area of downtown gets attention only for another are to collapse. Recent example, the closure of the The Bay.

The 2023 comeback for The Forks will have to focus on safety with the large numbers of people that come through. This is not just limited to crime but in terms of crowd control, traffic control, water safety and events that are celebrations of community. It would be a shame if the Forks has to shut out mid-evening for events because of noise concerns. As mentioned, fireworks will just continue somewhere else...like Assiniboia Downs. They just won't be accessible to those without a car.

Sometimes your success causes you to cancel things because of neighbourhood rejection. Things like Days of Wine on Roses were cancelled on Corydon and New Year's celebrations in Osborne Village because business and residents reject them. And so the concern at The Forks is that someone says: no more parades. And maybe that happens as people push to make the area less friendly to those outside their region.

There seems some certainty that in 2023/2024/2025, The Forks will have tens of millions from Portage Place sale. And even without much of a coordinated development plan for downtown, there are a number of projects that will all likely be coming on stream at the same time. Expanded hotels, apartment buildings and office towers are going up within blocks of The Forks. This contributes to more people living and working close to the largest green space by the Red River. Moreover, more traffic on riverwalks/sidewalks, skating paths and biking lanes are a reflection of how close some people are to the area. It doesn't make sense if you live in an apartment in St. Boniface a baseball throw away from a festival in The Forks to drive your car less than several minutes away.

If safety and public access to The Forks remain a priority, it can succeed in attracting people and unique stores, restaurants and festivals. The success of the area going forward should trigger further exciting development in nearby opening spaces. Surface parking lots are a poor use of downtown space. This is why True North chose to develop the former Eaton's parking lot into buildings and a square to enhance the value of their entertainment district. There are 200 parking spaces underground which is about the amount that the same amount occupied by the surface lot.

Winnipeg remains a car city but certain neighbourhoods like Osborne, St. Boniface, parts of Henderson and others make it possible to actually walk to a grocer, bank or pharmacy. That is to say, they are closer and easier to step out of your door and walk to than to get in your car and drive. Even in Brightwater, there are plenty of people who are in walking distance of the grocery store and other amenities.

The Forks is many things but it isn't that neighbourhood described above. If people live across from the Human Rights Museum, The Forks Market nearby is not a full grocery, nor pharmacy or local bank. More of the empty spaces near The Forks will have to be filled with such things or residents will have to head out of the area to patronize them. It isn't likely that a large national grocer will be built on the site but numbers of residents spreading out along Waterfront and two apartments built on Main in the last year means means a place like Winnipeg Square might service nearby residents longer hours and offer more grocery items at their Shoppers Drug Mart.

The real test this year for The Forks will be how they handle summer starting in June. There will be many assessing the safety of large festivals, how Canada Day will be celebrated and if protests and rallies become increasingly part of the public space as a substitute for the Legislature. And most importantly, will attractions becomes less public or require a charge, Will their hours be reduced? Will attractions be pushed out? All eyes will be watching on this. The comeback will only become permanent if the vast majority of people believe we all have ownership in the area.

Crime and Safety in Winnipeg in 2022 Part 7

Let's be clear from the start: Assaulting the police chief is unacceptable. If this was a protest, it was poorly thought out. Regardless, it was an attack and it seems inevitable that charges will go to court unless a mental health assessment determines otherwise. No matter what your thoughts on the police are, physically assaulting an officer is a crime. Danny Smyth should have been able to attend Folklorama as part of outreach. For many new people to Canada, the one consistent time to meet local, provincial and national officials is at cultural festivals. Is the goal to make sure that elected officials and public officials are only reached once they have been strip searched outside the fortress walls?

A civil discussion of police policy, labour issues, oversight, budgets, use of force and core services does not include a water fight or worse. Neither the police or citizens of the city should be forget this and resort to violence against each other.

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On another matter, the province took it on the chin in a legal decision of money from federal transfers to kids in foster care being redirected to the provincial treasury. Both the NDP and Tories did this and $334 million for kids was stolen from them. Pallister tried to create protection from courts for what his government did. It didn't work. The Stefanson government won't appeal but they don't seem to be in a rush to refund the money either. Thieves. And a good example of what happens sometimes when the Feds transfer money to the province for something. Pallister used it for a tax and service cut. Kids' money. Shame.

An example of how kids who need safety and security were robbed of it is foster care by NDP and Tories.

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The removal of Arlen Dumas from the leadership of Assembly of Manitoba Chief is quite a change from past times. The previous brush with this should have been a warning to do better. In the case of the executive, it was. For the leader, not so much. A third party investigation gave a clear assessment and the executive made a clear decision. AMC is not the only indigenous group that will need to do better. And they did a sight better than political parties who have also clammed up about harassment, violence and bullying. Historic wrongs should be confronted and reconciled. In a lot of cases, past behaviours do not reflect the person as they are today. However, some past offences are so egregious that they can't be ignored and legal and other recourse are needed. The thing that can and should be learned from AMC is the expectation that an organization can ignore continued bad behaviour is not happening. It will explode in their faces. Ask Hockey Canada what they have learned paying millions to protect rapists.

 As a general rule of thumb, try to be respectful. Everyone makes mistakes but if you think no one will make you own up to them, those days are over. Insincere efforts do better will earn you loss of job and maybe jail time.

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Lastly, the child on child crime this week with 13 years robbing and assaulting another 13 year old makes the heart sag. 

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So far in previous parts I have listed things the city and the province can do to help reduce crime and increase safety. That still leaves the federal government. Their contribution of Statistics Canada numbers on crime are a valuable tool that puts pressures on nearly everyone to focus on what is going wrong but also on what is going right. For example the latest numbers for Winnipeg indicate violent crime is up which comes as no surprise and property crime, traffic crime and other crimes are down. We'll look at those numbers a bit later.

Unlike the United States, homicide is solely in the domain of the federal government government. It isn't a state by state thing in Canada. The justice and punishment for this crime rests with the federal government. If the crime rises to a degree where the punishment is two years and over, most end up in Manitoba's Stony Mountain Institution. The inmates call it Murder Mountain. It is one of the oldest prisons in Canada. In 2014, an expansion of 96 cells for a maximum security wing made it a minimum/medium/maximum security prison. Statistics reveal that around 70% of inmates at Stony Mountain are indigenous. Gang warfare is rife and deaths there make the prison series Oz look like a resort. 

In terms of what the federal government does to help with crime and safety issues, here are some areas to look at.

- Reform the RCMP. Constables are being killed for lack of training, poor equipment and failed  management. While the present Commissioner is a woman, it has not been a good place for women for far too long. Harassment and assault can't be every day part of the job. We can no longer have 60 open RCMP jobs in Manitoba. While this hurts the north and rural municipalities a lot, never forget that RCMP Divisional HQ is in Winnipeg. It also took Winnipeg Police and RCMP working together to make arrests in the catalytic converter thefts. It was a city and country crime. It is up to federal government to deliver the best RCMP we can get for policing in Canada.

- Winnipeg and many other areas of North America are experiencing theft of catalytic converters for their valuable metals. The federal government should mandate all new car parts, especially the converters come with a VIN number. It is more effective for the Feds to work with car ad parts manufacturers to do this. Given how many cars in other parts of the country are stolen and shipped overseas, it would be helpful to be able to track them and immobilize them before they get aboard a ship. Confiscate a few ships as proceeds of crime and they will do a lot more to end this organized crime. Federal legislation could end the trade in stolen parts along with provincial regulations and good policing. When cars were being stolen all over North America, it took many approaches to deal with that. It is no different now.

- Housing. The government of Canada has a lot to say about housing through CMHC but their focus has been often on suburban housing that has been increasingly getting higher in price. The older population and housing stock requires new thinking. More affordable options, amenities and density with a focus on security is something the Feds can help with. Homelessness has been in entrenched because governments makes no allowance for single room occupancy or ultra low income residents. Think how many World War II vets, newcomers to the country, single or separated people have used small apartments as a lifesaver. We need Single Room Occupancy (SRO) and tiny houses and places with services to see people move off the streets.

- Safe to say that the past government of Stephen Harper would have never changed cannabis rules in Canada. Never. Conservatives might decry Trudeau then and now but a change in government will not reverse that change the Liberal government made. And why? The reason is legalizing cannabis and allowing provinces to regulate and tax it was safer than prohibition. Today's stores, warehouses, banking, distribution and growing of cannabis have been removed from the control of organized crime. Just like alcohol. While liquor stores were being ravaged by organized shoplifting swarms, cannabis stores operated with ID at door and product behind further locked doors with government oversight everywhere. In other words, well equipped for today's crime reduction world. Further movement on other drugs should be looked at. If not legalization, then decriminalization of small amounts and move things to a healthcare focus and let police concentrate on trafficking of large amounts across territorial borders. Prisons do not stop addiction or reduce criminal behaviour on drugs. Regulation and taxation do.

- Parole. There will always be controversy on this but a parole board, parole officers and supports as well as transparency will continue to be required to ensure low risk to offend are released with monitoring and high risk offenders remain in place. Prisons are expensive places to keep people who society might have better options for.

- Hate laws and freedom of speech. This is primarily a federal area and within our Constitution. The rise in Jewish, Asian and Muslim hate crime has to be taken seriously. Attacking historic and cared for Jewish cemeteries and a beloved Asian store in Winnipeg is heartbreaking. The Jewish population of the city are our friends and neighbours. The Asian community has deep and caring roots and the Muslim community are a growing and diverse people living in peace. Whatever the world conflict, Winnipeg is where many people live together under pluralism. Feel free to express your opinion but if it comes with incitement to hatred, violence and terror know that order will be restored.

- Indigenous People. The Treaties are federal, the responsibility is federal but as provinces have learned, it is also their responsibility for all citizens in their jurisdiction to be cared for. The courts keep ruling in that area as we have seen with the foster care money decision. If you steal money from meant for children, it hurts the children. Stop using for tax cuts that a child doesn't need. There have been a few deals and settlements made which should see new business for First Nations and Metis. Here in Winnipeg, it will probably mean development begins in places like Kapyong and money paid to the city for same rate they world earn as taxes. From the public's perspective, it will probably look very much the same as any commercial/residential development. To make real world change, it is going to require more partnerships, higher education and economic growth to break the grinding poverty and true reconciliation can begin.

- Rural and northern crime. How to stop urban crime is to remember criminals commute. Drugs go back and forth, stolen parts and violent  offenders. The RCMP have said they will taskforce up and go after repeat offenders on an ad hoc basis. This means executing warrants, doing compliance checks and not putting up with individuals who will break the law till someone dies. Better to catch them violating the law than giving free passes. The police often know who the bad actors are. This ain't the good ol' boys. Safety will go up and crime will go down if the Feds give the RCMP and Band Constables the ability to act and deescalate offenders before they harm others.

- Cybercrime. Often now we are harmed by criminals outside our own areas. The federal government is best equipped for this as the crime can and has been about national security attacks by rogue nations that not only involves police but national defence.

- Canada is consistently rated in the top ten for safety among 163 countries according to the Global Peace Index. Other factors figure in the global rating but they point out that Canada has one third the crime rate of the U.S. which shows different government structure have significant differences even with similar cultural backgrounds. There may be a decline this year with the presence of the trucker convoy because that comes under political stability. Even now the convoy continues along Trans-Canada this week and at the Legislative grounds which seems to have a permanent presence on it of protest. Freedom of speech is our right. Overthrowing government is not by force. Use you word and your vote.

- Income supports. Make no mistake: Things like CPP, OAS, baby bonus checks and other supports can contribute to not losing your house, or child, or heath and keeps people safer and more secure. Prison is not the answer for poverty. Homelessness won't go away if homes are unaffordable. Crime won't go down if there is a permanent supply of dispossessed. 

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I have outlined a number of different ways the three levels of government can help with safety and bring crime down. Not all of them cost money. Many cost nothing except change of zoning, scheduling and reassigning staff. For councillors it might be answering your phones to be alerted to a back alley deteriorating in every way.

I'm not a politician, police officer, lawyer, healthcare provider or social worker. Those and others are tough jobs. They all have likely insight on what it is like out there. If anyone is listening. Journalists as well and the various media have an important role too but I'm no closer to knowing who to vote for in the city election. Candidates provide few details and media has not quite given me the profiles and policies to base a decision on. I have begun listening to podcasts but crave a website to compare and contrast.

I don't use any real social media except for business accounts. The pandemic, my parents suffering and passing away, a car collision where my car was written off and I was hurt, my own battle with being sick...twice in 2020 and having to go to hospital started off with a punch in the face leaving work. To add insult to injury, had to make a police reports of theft and fraud, bullet holes in the entrance to my place, break ins and so forth. I tried to stay in good spirits but I was scared to go out. 

In 2019, I was pretty fearless. Cautious but not worried. I was working very late nights at Jazz Fest, Country Fest, movie sets, galas all over downtown, through the city for one of businesses. All the while working my other business and assisting my parents in fixing and emptying their old home while helping them adjust to assisted living.

With all my businesses shut down, I got over my fear by walking the streets of the city. I love this town and posted pictures of my travels good and bad. I walked entire length of Portage Avenue. Both ways. All of Pembina. All of Main, every street of downtown. I needed it because my parents were in ICU with Covid 100 days with no visits. And I couldn't be scared.

Social media among friends is fine but has grown to be a fight in the larger world. It is a mistake to believe the majority of people on say, Twitter, represent the world view on any issue. Those on it can push a trend and can enjoy the engagement but I learned more walking in every part of Winnipeg to be fair. And as restrictions have lifted (I still wear my mask a lot and four times vaxxed), I am doing my part to get out there, stay positive, run a new business and serves thousands doing it. 

Ultimately, to make this city become safer and reduce crime we all defiantly have to inform people, create a community that looks out for each so we call live, work, get educated and seek recreation and not be scared.

In next and last part, I will describe what ordinary people can do to help make their community safer and reduce crime.

Crime and Safety in Winnipeg in 2022 Part 6

From the provincial ledger, much can be done that is beyond the city to do. The levers of courts, social work, healthcare and oversight of policing is all at a provincial level. Housing and health are two main provincial responsibilities. The province has full authority here and both areas are important to a place like Winnipeg in crime and safety. The premier of Manitoba Heather Stefanson has recently weighed in on the side of the police union.

A provincial election is coming soon. Here is what might be needed for crime and safety moves, especially in Winnipeg:

- There is a strong chance that the present government will run a law and order campaign. Some of what they want to do also lies in federal jurisdiction but support for hiring more cops might be an election policy. At the moment, with 4% of RCMP jobs left unfilled in Manitoba, it should be a priority to fill them. And questions asked why those positions are unfilled.

- If additional police are hired for Winnipeg with support from province, the real question is where? Patrol cars, beat cops, major crimes, CCTV? Not even sure the police administration or the union have made a case for where they need more boots on the ground. And to be sure there will be resistance from parts of the public not happy with today's policing.

- The present government seems not to know what to do with the drug and alcohol problem. They are unsuccessfully trying to use law and order measures without doing enough on the health and addictions part of the equation. There was an attempt during the pandemic to do more on mental health and that is progress. But everyone seems to push addiction on the streets which contributes to a growing number of people without housing. Safety and crime follow. More resources from the province on addictions and treatments along with support housing are needed. Restoration of single resident occupancy is only way to end homelessness.

- It is hard to know what the policy on provincial jails is in Manitoba. By all accounts some of the youth detention centres are closing as they are underutilized. At least in southwest Manitoba, specifically the Agassiz Youth Centre in Portage la Prairie. The RCMP reported 24% decrease in overall crime. We'll see how this looks in the next year but on the face of it, the stats were in line with what was happening even before the pandemic. In the north, there was an increase across the board for crime and the province is redirecting resources there. Bad as I feel for Portage, the province is right to do so. The north is under policed and needs more court and detention attention from the province. The overall provincial jail system is a tough place overall but it is probably no where near what is happening at Murder Mountain (Stony Mountain). That federal prison might be the worst in Canada. More on that in federal section of this post. However, back to provincial side of the jail system, there is capacity to hold youth offenders in remand detention and adults in both remand and jails if they pose a threat to society. There is no excuse for some people to be released on an undertaking when they are likely to repeat offences without an intervention.

- Parole and probation services can do better. We need a provincial parole board here in Manitoba. The province leaves it to the Feds but not every inmate is in federal custody. We need better assessment and tracking. We need parole officers and probation. We need halfway houses. We need social workers, training, job placement, heath supports, addiction supports. If this sounds expensive you know what is even more expensive? Prison time.

- Provincial housing is the worst housing in Manitoba and the province is the poorest landlord. This has been true under multiple government of both the major parties of NDP and PCs. Ending homelessness and making a dent in addictions means more focus in this area. Income supports, rules on major housing complexes having a variety of house sizes, ending renovictions and renovating older housing stock are all needed. Safety comes from people having a place of their own and crime reduction comes from support in jobs, training and basic needs.

- The perception of safety comes in part from action of the Crown Prosecutor. In Manitoba, the Crown provide no feedback about why they don't pursue charges. No comment. And in recent years have dropped cases and even seemed to undermine their cases. Other provinces do things differently and are more forthcoming and transparent about briefing the public. Transparency about the justice system is essential in terms of crime and safety. It is hard not to think we have not been let down by this office far too many times.

-In terms of crime and safety, mental health and addiction services or that lack of can beget both safety and crime issues. If someone asks for help and can't get it in a timely way or not at all, it is not surprising to see poor outcomes. Much more is needed in the area of health. The provinces have asked for more federal financing in health but they have cut service and taxes when given more funding. A lack of trust prevents serious work being done. The provinces want no strings money. It is pretty brazen especially since they will still blame federal government for failure even as they re-allocate the money elsewhere including checks to citizens. This needs to stop and measurable improvements health recorded or funding should be clawed back.

- Reconciliation. The province under Pallister had a combative relationship with indigenous people and went to court in various fights and lost on several fronts. There has been an improvement in tone from Stefanson but still a long way to go on substance. Manitoba has the worst record on apprehending children and First Nations and Metis have paid the steepest price. The broken families continues a cycle of safety and crime as kids age of out of care and have no supports as they are jettisoned onto the streets. This has to stop or the suffering continues. Putting kids in hotels as past governments have done or in poorly funded, culturally removed and improperly vetted foster care all contribute to a lack of safety for kids and families. Does the government truly want children to bounce around foster care till they end up homeless, mentally defeated, addicted and victims of or perpetrators of crime? Do better.

- The Forks is not just a city park or a national park. It is even fully a park. It is a multi-purpose space for the entire community. The province is one of three partners there. Yet another attack has taken place there. And no, it isn't because media is focused on it. It is because it is happening with such regularity that it is impossible to ignore.  What is the province to do? The latest firearm charges were released on an undertaking of a promise to appear. The province needs to clamp down on failure to appear and the various writs, warrants and subpoenas need enforcement to stop the revolving door. Want to prevent some murders? Stop letting people out and then letting the crime spree continue. And for those who get out, monitor and provide support. As for The Forks, the duty of the province to take care of it can't be brushed off. They own it and should act like it.

Crime and Safety in Winnipeg in 2022 Part 1

Crime in Winnipeg in the post pandemic period has been raising concern for many people. It would be a mistake to say it is solely media driven. Despite a news conference from Chief Danny Smyth from the Winnipeg Police Service set to reassure people, many in the city are anything but. Being randomly attacked or being a victim of crime are probably first and foremost of concern for citizens. Simply telling people they are statistically unlikely to be a victim of crime does not change the perception of safety.

One of the reasons why The Forks has generally defied perceptions that downtown is dangerous in the past is because the area is clean, looks cared for and has activities associated with tourism and recreation. The presence of a lot of people and that the area is secure has served The Forks well. The pandemic emptying out nearly all downtown and protests originating or ending up at The Forks has changed the dynamic. Instead of being an area of gathering for trade and celebration, it has become a seat of power to express dissatisfaction. 

Freedom of speech is the hallmark of our society. However, the polarized nature and confrontational style of protest has turned The Forks into a sometime hot spot. It is a kind of messy situation because unauthorized political gatherings are probably not exactly what The Forks had in mind when hosting cultural and musical events.

Why is this important? It is important because while it may not be a crime to gather to protest the government, it may make people wonder about their security. If your intent is to go for dinner at The Forks, go for a walk and browse the stores, a large and vocal government protest might seem something to avoid. The peaceful gathering of many people is what the strength of The Forks is. If people think their safety is at issue, they make different choices. It is why crime and safety blur. Perception that The Forks is safe and that crime is rare cannot only be about words but deeds. More on that later.

As for violent crime, it might be rare but it can't be ignored. The Forks is not the only place in the city experiencing it. Polo Park has had a number of incidents too. It is something that the largest shopping mall in the province has to deal with or risk looking more business to Seasons of Tuxedo. For the first time, it appears that there are no vacancies in the Tuxedo mall. Can Polo Park say the same? With one of the largest property managers in the land as owner of the mall, those that run afoul and cause a disturbance can be banned from the premises. 

Still, multiple bans still can't protect people when they are outside. Grant Park Mall is not a place one would associate with violent crime and yet a carjacking took place there in broad daylight. And then a few days later three people stabbed near the mall in a reported attempted break in. None of the victims knew their attacker. There have been a few of those lately. A stabbing took place at a Charleswood bush party same weekend as the carjacking. Those have been going on for decades and suddenly one turns into a near homicide. And the police shot someone in Osborne Village. It really does seem the summer of discontent. The randomness makes anyone say: Are we safe anywhere?