Business owners want to see temporary retail theft initiative be made permanent
Small business owners want to see a temporary program that helps combat retail theft be made permanent.
The $1.9 million initiative was started by the provincial government by funding police overtime to beef up their presence in Osborne, the downtown and the West End.
Cobra Collectibles Shop on Sargent Avenue offers a wide variety of video games, toys, comics, and candy.
Along with the items for sale, they have other accessories that aren't – security cameras, monitors, and mirrors – all to help with retail theft.
"They just come in, they grab stuff, they run out. (They're) too quick for us to stop," said co-owner Kailyn Gregorash.
Gregorash said things had become so bad that they even locked up the drink fridge.
"I don't even know how many thousands (of dollars) a month it's costing."
However, she said the situation has been getting better, all because police officers are making the rounds, looking in on her store and others more frequently.
"They check in how the last couple of days have been, if we've noticed anything outside or in the store. Sometimes they'll ask us for some video feeds."
While the retail theft initiative is a temporary measure, Gregorash hopes it continues.
"It shows that they respect us and want to protect us and want to see us thrive. So yeah, we'd love to see this be a permanent fixture."
Premier Wab Kinew is leaving the door open to making it a permanent program.
"If we hear from the police service, the city, and our partners that we should keep going with this retail theft initiative, then we'll be listening to that," said Kinew during an interview with CTV News Winnipeg.
Kinew noted, however, that the government must consider concerns around burnout and morale with all the overtime hours officers are working.
Coun. Markus Chambers – who is the chair of the police board – has the same concern. He would like to see the program become permanent but feels overtime is not a sustainable way.
He believes the answer may be more officers.
"We have to look at different revenue models and what that looks like in terms of supporting more officer compliments," said Chambers.
Kinew said a new graduating class of officers is coming on board and that the new hires could help combat retail theft while the current initiative acts as a bridge until then.
Talk around retail safety comes on the eve of a summit in Winnipeg to address retail safety and security.
It is set for Friday at the RBC Convention Centre and is being hosted by the Retail Council of Canada.
There are 400 attendees registered, including police from across the province, prosecutors, small and large businesses and private security firms. Mayor Scott Gillingham and Kinew are set to speak at the event.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Biden greets Trump with handshake in Oval Office meeting
Donald Trump made a victor’s return to Washington on Wednesday, visiting the White House for an Oval Office meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden and committing to a smooth transition of power as the president-elect moves quickly to build out his new administration.
'You couldn't open the door': Concerns over awareness of and access to Tesla emergency latch after 4 killed in Toronto, 5 killed in Wisconsin
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.
Mississauga, Ont. upholds ban on street sports, including hockey and basketball
Mississauga city council has voted to keep its residential street sports ban in place, meaning hockey and basketball on the road will remain out of bounds.
Guardian quits X social media platform, citing racism and conspiracy theories
British news publisher the Guardian said on Wednesday it will no longer post to X, citing 'disturbing content' on the social media platform, including racism and conspiracy theories.
Overwhelmed families surrendering custody of their children to CAS
Overwhelmed families in Ontario are having to surrender their children to the Children's Aid Society, and according to the society, the residential crisis is part of the problem.
Trump's defence choice stuns the Pentagon and raises questions about the Fox News host's experience
President-elect Donald Trump stunned the Pentagon and the broader defence world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary, tapping someone largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world's largest and most powerful military.
From passport applications to letters to Santa: How will you deal with a possible Canada Post strike?
CTVNews.ca wants to speak to Canadians of all backgrounds, whether you're a parent, student, worker, professional or business owner, about their concerns regarding a possible Canada Post strike or lockout.
opinion King Charles and Prince William's secret millions exposed in new documentary
A new Channel 4 documentary has revealed unexpected details about the vast financial empire of King Charles III and Prince William, which has triggered public debate about royal wealth.
B.C. RCMP bust operation shipping 'large amounts' of drugs to Yukon, Manitoba
Four people have been arrested in connection with a drug trafficking operation that was allegedly shipping “large amounts” of controlled substances from B.C. to other parts of Canada, the RCMP announced Wednesday.