Aggressive panhandling is something many people associate with downtown Winnipeg and Lorries Steeves said it was what motivated the controversial Facebook post that now dominates the headlines surrounding her husband Gord Steeves' bid to be the next mayor of Winnipeg.

But University of Winnipeg senior scholar Tom Carter’s research shows the problem of aggressive panhandling is on the decline.

He’s been studying the issue for 15 years and said he has seen aggressive behaviour but it is the exception and not the norm.

Carter said most panhandlers have serious underlying issues such as mental health problems, addictions and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He estimates about 60 per cent of the panhandlers in downtown Winnipeg are aboriginal and thinks that is because aboriginals are marginalized in Canadian society so as a group deal with more of the social issues that lie at the root cause of homelessness and poverty.

But he stresses that aggressive behaviour is not exclusive any one group of people.

"I have spoken to panhandlers who are not aboriginal who can be very abusive and very aggressive,” said Carter. “But, having said that aggressive and abusive panhandling is declining."

Carter partly credits the decline with programming run by the Downtown Biz that attempts to connect people living on the street with social agencies that can help with their specific needs.

Rick Joyal, the Downtown Biz’s manager of safety and development, said the organization employs three outreach workers who deal specifically with that issue.

"Those are people that are trying to get to more of the root causes of how we can help people and connecting them to the agencies, trying to find housing,” said Joyal.

Best friends Joseph and Andy rely on each other as they navigate life on the streets of Winnipeg’s downtown.

“He sleeps behind a truck. Last night, I slept in that park over there,” said Joseph as he pointed to a concrete square with benches on Portage Avenue.

The pair told CTV News they spend their days panhandling and often spend the money on alcohol.

But they said it doesn’t pay to be aggressive.

"If you're aggressive than they won't give you nothing so that's the way we are,” said Joseph.

Instead, the two try to entice donations with courteousness and kind smiles.