Manitoba commits half a million to make downtown Winnipeg safer
Posted June 13, 2025 3:16 pm.
Last Updated June 14, 2025 11:25 am.
On Friday, the province unveiled its summer safety action plan for Winnipeg’s downtown, in the form of a $500,000 commitment towards a 16-week project that will prioritize crime prevention, community safety, and mental health and addiction supports.
“We want everyone that comes to downtown Winnipeg to feel safe, to feel happy, and to enjoy a Manitoba summer,” said Premier Wab Kinew.
“Our government is committed to ensuring downtown Winnipeg is safe and a welcoming place for all.”
This summer’s initiative comes just over a month after Winnipeg Police released their annual report, which saw violent crime drop by 1.4 per cent, the first meaningful decline in several years.
A theme the province and the city hope to see continue with this initiative, alongside the addition of 12 police officers who began patrolling the downtown this week.
“The last two years, crime in the downtown has decreased by almost 10 per cent. Now, none of us are taking a victory lap cause two years is not a long-term trend, but it’s moving in the right direction,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham.
Kinew adding, “This is about making sure somebody who is going through a cry for help can get the help they need when they need it, and about making sure somebody who needs to be held accountable because they are doing something bad in the community is going to be held accountable.”
In addition to the funding from the province, the Mayor’s office is contributing $50,000 to the plan, while Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is chipping in with $25,000.
