Temporary housing, police task force, open letter: mayoral roundup

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This article was published 18/10/2022 (701 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mayoral candidate Rick Shone is seeking to tackle homelessness and boost affordable housing in Winnipeg with “immediate action” on temporary homes.

On Wednesday, Shone says, if elected Oct. 26, he would work with city council to provide vacant land and secure funding for the construction of a tiny home village that includes addictions and mental health supports.

He also pledged to: fund additional 24-7 safe spaces; expedite and reduce permit costs for non-profits building affordable or transitional housing; meet with key stakeholders every two months; and advocate for more senior government funding for mental health and addiction supports to those experiencing homelessness.

“Emergency shelters are a vital, short-term necessity, though we know they are not homes. We need to simultaneously focus on opening up more second-stage housing solutions to help the under-housed transition to more independent living,” Shone said in a news release.

“This approach must be taken in concert with front-line organizations, federal and provincial partners and the city. The only way we will be able to make a change is by taking a wraparound, team approach.”

Shone expects the City of Winnipeg would need to work with other levels of government and local non-profit organizations to deliver on his promises.

These steps are the first segment of a two-part plan to tackle the issue, he added. “We need to recognize that homelessness affects us all and is the product of complex forces requiring a multi-pronged approach, but this doesn’t not relieve… us of our duty to act.”

Meanwhile, mayoral contender Scott Gillingham is promising to reinstate a joint RCMP-Winnipeg Police Service warrant task force, he says is critical to preventing crime in Winnipeg.

While releasing a crime prevention plan in July, Gillingham told media the task force was a previous proactive effort WPS chose to end. He listed its cancellation as part of a trend toward reactive policing that he would push WPS to reverse.

On Wednesday, the candidate said his plan to sit on the Winnipeg Police Board will help him ensure the warrant task force resumes.

“In Winnipeg, as in other Canadian cities, habitual criminals are driving our crime rates up and restoring the RCMP-Winnipeg joint warrant unit the Winnipeg Police Service cancelled in 2017 is critical to counter that trend… We need the warrants force back to bring fugitives like these into custody and stop them from committing more offences,” Gillingham said in a news release.

Elsewhere, Jenny Motkaluk released an open letter to those who voted for her in the 2018 election, when she finished second to Mayor Brian Bowman.

In the letter, she claims to be “the only candidate in this race willing to stand on principle,” noting her commitments “to fire our police chief who refuses to do his job, to end the photo radar cash grab, and to stand up to the woke mob who want to cancel Canada Day.”

Motkaluk received ample backlash on social media for criticizing The Forks’ decision to celebrate “New Day at The Forks” on July 1, instead of traditional Canada Day events. The Forks said it made the changes following consultations with Indigenous people, newcomers, youth and others.

Advance voting is now underway for Winnipeg’s next mayor and council. Election Day is Oct. 26.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Joyanne loves to tell the stories of this city, especially when politics is involved. Joyanne became the city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press in early 2020.

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