Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 8, 2022, Winnipeg, Manitoba C M Y K PAGE B1 CITY ● BUSINESS ASSOCIATE EDITOR NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM B1 TUESDAY MARCH 8, 2022 SECTION BCONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE▼ T HE number of fires in Winnipeg requiring first responders ac-tion has increased year-over-year since 2019 — with many residential blazes considered suspicious. From 2019 and 2021, the number of fires the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to increased by 58 per cent, according to City of Winnipeg data obtained by the Free Press. In 2019, a total of 1,804 such fires were logged; in 2021, that number had jumped to 2,857. Over the course of 2019-2021, there were a total of 2,221 structure fires, the majority of which were in one-or-two family residences. In the same period, there were 4,465 non-structure fires. (That category includes brush, garbage bins, vehicles and miscellaneous out- door property.) In 2019, there were 746 structure fires, compared to 696 in 2020, and 779 in 2021. In 2019, there were 1,058 non-struc- ture fires, compared with 1,329 in 2020, and 2,078 in 2021. May is typically the month with the most fires, the data show (although July 2021 edged it out 309-307). “It has been a busy 12 months here, in particular over last summer with the drought conditions. So in part, not too surprising to see some of these numbers, given the fact some of our front-line crews have been respond- ing to these on a daily basis,” WFPS Chief Christian Schmidt told the Free Press. High numbers of fires impacts the service’s overall ability, he said. “When vehicles are engaged in fire- fighting duties, they’re not available… for other fire calls or medical calls for that matter,” Schmidt said. “The other thing to keep in mind here, in particular over the past few weeks, we’ve seen some major fires here in Winnipeg. We’ve had to rotate through many crews — in some cases, every crew or near every crew that’s been on duty for the shift.” That’s largely due to extreme cold im- pacting firefighters; while the inverse is a concern in the summer heat. The department’s analysis notes a number of potential reasons for the in- crease in recent fires: overall popula- tion growth, old housing stock, vacant buildings being sought for shelter, and the increase in the number of vulner- able people living in encampments or outdoors. The analysis also notes socioeconom- ic factors, such as poverty and addic- tions, lead to increased fire risk. However, when isolating residential fires — including rooming houses, sin- gle-family homes and apartments — the No. 1 cause was “incendiary,” indicat- ing the fire was set intentionally or was “suspicious,” according to the depart- ment’s analysis. Those fires are first investigated by WFPS, then passed to the Winni- peg Police Service if determined to be arson. (Careless smoking and cooking, electrical failures, or appliance and me- chanical issues are among other main causes.) The data didn’t surprise longtime community activist Sel Burrows. He recently launched a local fire safety campaign, after a number of in- ner-city blazes in January. A house fire on Simcoe Street on Jan. 27 hospitalized nine people, including five children. A five-year-old boy later died in hospital. Burrows said he was moved to action for three main reasons. “No. 1: people die. Nothing’s more im- portant than people’s lives and people die in fires… No. 2: it dislocates people, a huge number of these fires are in the inner city, they’re poor people who don’t have any insurance, so they lose every- thing,” he said. The third is something he thinks is often ignored: loss of housing stock. Burrows noted there are 560 buildings officially boarded up in the city, many of which are multi-family homes. “If the city took the position that these houses, if they’re kept boarded up or vacant, that the cost to the owner was such that it would put pressure… to either bring them back into the market or sell them to someone who would, we could have 500 more low-cost housing units in Winnipeg at no cost to govern- ment,” Burrows said. Of the major causes of local fires the last three years, Burrows said: “You’ve got arson, which is crime. Then you’ve got two that are government-regulation oriented: one is house wiring and the other is… it’s really about heaters fall- ing over and stuff like that but they call it appliances. “Those three categories all need ac- tion, now that we know what they are. I’m going to be kicking butt.” Schmidt noted work with communi- ty groups is important in reducing fire risk, pointing to back lane patrols re- porting hazardous debris. “This obviously not only has an im- pact on our service, it’s got a greater impact on the community, in particular the neighbourhoods that see higher fire activity,” the WFPS chief said. The service is planning to ramp up work with community partners in the coming months to reduce fire risk, Schmidt said. Details will be announced soon, he added. erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @erik_pindera Hot topic: fires on the rise in city ERIK PINDERA Blazes jump amid drought, societal factors COUN. Brian Mayes has resigned from the Winnipeg Police Board, deeming its relationship with city council “dysfunc- tional.” In a tweet Monday morning, Mayes revealed he would no longer serve as a member of the civilian board, which oversees the Winnipeg Police Service. “Earlier today, I resigned from the Winnipeg Police Board. While I contin- ue to support the efforts of the chair, Coun. (Markus) Chambers, I believe the board’s relationship with city coun- cil has become dysfunctional, with on- going arguments over respective roles and jurisdiction,” Mayes posted on his Twitter account. In a Monday interview, the St. Vital councillor declined to elaborate on why he framed the relationship using that term. Mayes noted the police board is re- quired through provincial legislation. He urges the Manitoba government to “consider other alternatives for civilian oversight of policing.” “I do think (the province) should look at something other than what we’ve got now, that’s for sure,” he said. Heated debates over the police board have taken place during recent public meetings. In November, Coun. Sherri Rollins complained about the board answering some budget questions on behalf of the WPS, which she claimed impeded the finance committee’s ability to get de- tails directly from police. “I think this meeting will go down in history as the moment where we cease to have civilian oversight in the police,” Rollins said at the time. During the most recent Winnipeg Po- lice Board meeting, on March 4, Rollins suggested board members should either ask tough questions over the police re- sponse to a recent anti-COVID-19 man- date protest in the Manitoba capital or resign their roles. The weeks-long demonstration near the legislature triggered complaints over noise, verbal harassment and traf- fic offences. The chairman of the police board said some dysfunction has been created by the fact the city hasn’t updated its by- laws to clarify the board doesn’t, and shouldn’t, report directly to a standing policy committee at city hall. “It is dysfunctional because the by- laws have to be updated… (We need to) update those organizational bylaws to ensure that there’s no meddling from other standing policy committees, with respect to the work that’s being under- taken by the Winnipeg Police Board,” said Chambers. He noted there are two clear excep- tions to that rule: finance committee handles WPS budget overrun requests; council sets the size of the WPS budget. Chambers said the police board is an effective oversight body that should not be eliminated. “We’re nowhere near at that stage where people need to consider a mass exodus of the Winnipeg Police Board. There is room for improvement and with (those) improvements will come greater accountability,” the St. Nor- bert-Seine River councillor said. A spokesperson said WPS Chief Dan- ny Smyth met Monday with Mayes for a “private conservation” and would not comment publicly on the resignation. After the March 4 meeting, Smyth said the board does hold police account- able: “We spend a lot of time on finance. They set the strategic direction.” Council selected Mayes to join the police board in November 2020. Council can fill the board position with a coun- cil member or citizen or opt to leave it vacant, said Felicia Wiltshire, Winnipeg communications director. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga Councillor resigns from ‘dysfunctional’ police board JOYANNE PURSAGA New Police Services Act legislation on horizon MANITOBA’S justice minister — who is prepar- ing to introduce new legislation to reform the Police Services Act — says he’s looking forward to speaking with the city councillor who publicly aired his frustration while resigning from the Win- nipeg Police Board. “I don’t know the reasons why he resigned,” Tory MLA Kelvin Goertzen told reporters Monday. Coun. Brian Mayes, a lawyer, announced his move on social media, blaming dysfunction between the board and city council, and “ongoing arguments over respective roles and jurisdiction.” In a tweet Monday, Mayes said the provincial government needs to consider “other alternatives for civilian oversight of policing” in new legislation. In a scrum outside the chamber, the justice minister said he’s known Mayes a long time and respects his opinion. “I’d be curious to know some of the concerns that he has.” Goertzen said he couldn’t yet speak about im- minent changes to the Police Services Act. “It will modernize the act in many ways when it comes to policing and standards.” In terms of governance and complaints made publicly about operational issues — such as the handling of recent so-called “freedom convoy” blockades — “police used their discretion” and the events ended without arrests, said Goertzen. After being briefed Monday on the new Police Services Act, Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the changes don’t address what needs to be addressed. “We don’t have adequate civilian oversight of police in this province,” said Lamont. Political leaders and civilian overseers shouldn’t be directing enforcement, but they should have some say when it comes to setting policy, he added. “For example, right now, the City of Winnipeg can’t set a policy to require the reduced use of force… They should be able to do that.” — Carol Sanders Coun. Brian Mayes has resigned from board JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg firefighters put out a fire at an apartment block under construction on Kimberly Avenue in January. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to 2,587 fires in 2021. B_01_Mar-08-22_FP_01.indd 1 2022-03-07 10:26 PM ;