Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - September 10, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba MAYOR Scott Gillingham says a review will determine whether new safety measures are need- ed after a security guard was attacked with bear spray in front of city hall on Monday. Gillingham said he spoke to Wade Carriere, the city’s corporate security manager, about the incident. “I know that (Carriere), certainly, will do a thorough review of this incident to see if there’s any changes that need to be made. I’ve told him to let me know what he would need and that (city) coun- cil and I will look at it. We want to make sure that our campus is a safe place for all people,” the mayor said Tuesday. The guard was assaulted in the courtyard outside city hall shortly be- fore 3 p.m. on Monday. Winnipeg Police Service confirmed the victim, a man in his 30s, was treated at the scene and did not require further medical assist- ance. “No arrests have been made and the investigation is continuing,” wrote WPS Const. Claude Chancy in an email. During the incident, swearing could be heard as a strong smell filled the air. Police arrived shortly after. Gillingham said he reached out to the security guard Monday night, who re- turned to work Tuesday. “In my time in city hall, I haven’t seen an assault like this on our security staff or on anyone at city hall. So this is very concerning,” the mayor said. He said the suspect is accused of making “racial comments against” security staff. “We can’t tolerate that. I’m hoping the police find the individual, make a full arrest, and I’m hoping the charges are pressed against them… We should never take for granted the people who provide security all across the city,” said Gillingham. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2025 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM SECTION B CONNECT WITH WINNIPEG’S NO. 1 NEWS SOURCE ▼ CITY ● BUSINESS C ITY hall’s latest motion to regu- late homeless encampments is bound to spark controversy. But on this one, Winnipeg city councillors probably struck the right balance between compassion for the homeless and public safety. The motion, originally introduced by Daniel McIntyre Coun. Cindy Gilroy in July and amended Monday by the city’s community services committee, would prohibit homeless encampments near playgrounds, wading pools, splash pads and other spaces where children gather. The recent amendments include a ban on encampments near rail lines, bus shelters or where “a hazard or obstruction to vehicular or pedestrian traffic exists.” At the same time, they allow en- campments in other public spaces, provided people aren’t trespassing or breaking other laws. The proposed changes still have to go to council for approval. In a city that has struggled for years with rising homelessness and increas- ingly visible tent cities, this is not a perfect solution — because there is no perfect solution. But it’s a reasonable step forward. Encampments are no longer con- fined to isolated riverbanks or tucked away fields. Anyone who spends time downtown or in certain neighbour- hoods knows they are now part of Winnipeg’s urban landscape. Blue and green tarps, makeshift shelters and open fires have become more common. Along with them so, too, have reports of discarded needles, human waste and the kinds of safety risks that worry parents and nearby residents. For many homeless people, these en- campments are not a lifestyle choice. They are a desperate last resort when shelter beds are full, unsafe or simply not an option. Some people can’t stay in shelters because of substance use, mental-health issues or strict curfews. Others simply feel safer outdoors. That’s the tension councillors are grappling with. A blanket ban on en- campments in all public spaces would be heavy-handed and almost certainly unenforceable. But doing nothing isn’t an option either, especially when chil- dren are at risk of coming into contact with hazards in the places meant for play. Keeping encampments away from playgrounds, pools and spray pads is hardly unreasonable. These are areas designed specifically for children. Par- ents should not have to weigh the risk of their kids stumbling across a needle or witnessing disturbing behaviour while spending time at the park. The policy doesn’t criminalize homelessness. It doesn’t push people out of sight and out of mind entirely. It simply draws a line around places where society has a heightened duty to protect children. Public policy is often about com- promise. In this case, compromise means preserving safe play spaces for kids while still leaving flexibility for homeless people to set up camp in other areas. This won’t solve homelessness — it’s not meant to. At best, this policy manages where encampments can and cannot appear. It doesn’t address the root causes — addiction, poverty, untreated mental illness and the lack of affordable housing. Winnipeg’s growing encampments are just one symptom of a much larger social crisis: overdose deaths are climbing, rents are rising faster than incomes, shelter systems are stretched to the limit and governments at every level are struggling to keep up. That’s why some advocates bristle at any restrictions on encampments. They see them as a distraction from the urgent need for real housing solu- tions. They’re not wrong, but the city can’t simply ignore immediate safety concerns while it waits for systemic reforms. It’s worth remembering that city hall doesn’t control most of the levers that could solve or reduce homeless- ness. Housing policy, health care, in- come supports — those are primarily provincial and federal responsibilities. City hall is left to deal with the visible fallout, often with limited tools. That doesn’t absolve the city of responsibility, but it does explain why councillors are left debating measures such as this one — imperfect stopgaps designed to protect public spaces in the here and now. Good public policy often leaves everyone a little unhappy. Homeless advocates worry the new rules could stigmatize people. Parents and resi- dents may feel the city isn’t going far enough. In the messy world of urban governance, a policy that splits the difference can sometimes be the most realistic path forward. Nobody should pretend this motion is more than what it is: a narrow rule to shield kids from the risks that some- times come with encampments. It’s not a solution to homelessness, and it won’t stop tents from appearing in other parts of the city. When the options are limited and the problem is complex, sometimes incre- mental steps are the best governments can do. There will be no quick fixes and no policies that please everyone here, but shielding kids from encampments while leaving space for the homeless elsewhere feels like a fair middle ground — a small but meaningful step in a much bigger, ongoing struggle. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca TOM BRODBECK OPINION Encampment restriction strikes balance ● TREES, CONTINUED ON B2 RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS WHAT A LUCKY DUCK! Sapphire Novak, 3, checks out the ducks swimming in the pond at Kildonan Park while hanging out in the warm weather with her family Tuesday. Nice weather is expected today with sun and a high of 26 C. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS A security guard dabs at his eyes outside city hall on Monday after a bear-spray incident. Safety review underway after bear-spray attack at city hall JOYANNE PURSAGA ‘Racial comments against’ security guard during attack City hall considers public safety, compassion with new motion KEVIN ROLLASON WINNIPEG developers could face fi- nancial penalties if they fail to replant or make space for trees when con- structing infill housing. A report set to be presented at Fri- day’s civic property and development committee recommends any builders who don’t replant trees they cut down or leave enough space to satisfy plant- ing requirements in the city’s bylaw be fined $1,000 per tree. The money raised would be put into a fund that would be used to support planting trees on private properties in high-poverty neighbourhoods and help the city buy land to expand natural stands of trees. The report also recommends the committee send the issue to the city’s bylaw review process. The move comes months after city councillors gave the green light to al- low developers to build up to four hous- ing units on a single lot in most residen- tial areas without a public hearing. Lanny McInness, president and chief executive officer of the Mani- toba Home Builders’ Association, said his organization didn’t know about the proposal and he is reaching out to get feedback about it from home builders. “It seems to be a bit in conflict with the city’s stated housing goals to build more density in mature communities,” McInness said Tuesday. “We have not had any discussions with the city ad- ministration yet. “This hasn’t been on our radar. Our expectation and hope is, if they want this as part of the zoning bylaw, that we would be heavily involved and working with the city.” McInness said builders always want the structures they put up to be as ap- pealing as possible and the association is hoping to learn if the purpose of the proposed bylaw is to encourage the planting of trees or a way to earn more revenue. The executive director of Trees Win- nipeg said the $1,000 charge when a tree can’t be planted is not enough. “If you are taking down six mature 70- or 80-year-old trees, it is a pretty valuable resource you are losing for shade, environmental, groundwater being soaked up. You’re tearing down a great resource for a pittance,” said Christian Cassidy. He said it costs the city $1,000 to re- place a boulevard tree and noted other cities across the country require de- velopers to plant trees or pay a fee if they don’t. The civic report said the City of Victoria (B.C.) requires developers to plant 50 trees per hectare and, if they can’t, pay $2,000 per tree into a tree reserve fund. Toronto and Burlington, Ont., have similar programs. Currently, Winnipeg’s zoning bylaws require one tree for every 30 feet of residential frontage. City could fine builders whose projects branch out without trees ;