Downtown Winnipeg outreach organizations are working with the Winnipeg Police Service on a report to create safer streets that will be released this December.

The Main Street Project and End Homelessness Winnipeg co-chair the Unsafe Panhandling committee. Betty Edel, the co-chair representing End Homelessness Winnipeg says the group collectively broke into committees and did research on what other cities in Canada are doing to see what is working and what isn’t, including speaking to those who panhandle.

The group aims to include all voices impacted by panhandling and appropriate authorities. The committee is made up of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Downtown Biz, Exchange Biz, United Way, the accounting firm MNP, and the Winnipeg Police Service. 

The Manitoba Justice Minister, Manitoba Police Commission, the Downtown Safety Partnership, and True North Sports and Entertainment Another released their own report early this week on the issue. However, the Winnipeg Police Service and city officials were not included in the report or the press conference. 

Their report suggests a list of actions mainly removed from the police. Their recommendations aim to improve downtown safety, with increased enforcement of panhandling laws, more outdoor lighting, and improved co-ordination of Downtown Business Improvement Zone foot patrols. It received a mixed response with criticism that it does not take into account social issues fueling unsafe conditions in the city. 

"I think we need to disconnect panhandling from homelessness and scary people."

Edel says there is a lack of understanding between the City and those who panhandle. She says that panhandlers are scared and feel unsafe because "people throw stuff at them and call them names. The message we get from people who are panhandling is 'can you let people know that we are human beings too?'

"If we are going to educate people about panhandling, I think we need to talk about the limited financial resources people have. It’s based on poverty, it's people doing it to meet their financial needs," Edel says.

Edel believes there are some myths that must be dispelled to get to the root of the problem. "I think we need to disconnect panhandling from homelessness and scary people. We need to stop connecting panhandling with cities being unsafe. 

"MPI has no record of any safety issues due to panhandling."

"Not everyone who panhandles is experiencing homelessness. People say, 'yeah I have a home, but I don’t have enough money for food.' 'Yeah, I have a home, but I got prescribed this medication and it isn’t covered so I need to panhandle.'

"Panhandling is not just in the inner city, it’s citywide. If we focus on just the inner city, it will just move," Edel says.

In response to the report from the Justice Minister stating that the roads are unsafe due to panhandlers, Edel says those fears are misplaced.

"We talked to MPI because we wanted to see if there was any record of injuries from panhandling. MPI has no record of any safety issues due to panhandling," Edel says. 

The committee report hopes to provide insight and recommendations into addressing the true social issues behind unsafe panhandling. Edel believes that with the collaboration of many sectors it will be well-rounded. She says they have researched processes all across North America and are now in conversations with the Mayor to ensure this report will result in tangible change.