Garbage buildup at encampments create challenges for Winnipeg: report
A Winnipeg city councillor is pushing for the garbage piling up at homeless camps to be cleared, but a report notes weekly garbage pickup could cost the city $4 million a year.
The encampment on the riverbank off Assiniboine Avenue is full of debris, and there was even a fire here.
"Just visually, it's very negative,” said Paul Leonard, who walks on the river path daily.
He wishes something could be done to keep these sites free of garbage.
"For their sake, for our sake, for visitor’s sake, for law enforcement's sake."
Coun. Vivian Santos asked the city's public service to come back with a report on what it would take to do regular encampment cleanups.
She said there are times camps are abandoned but by the time the city can remove the tents, couches and garbage - others have already moved in.
“So what has happened is you're getting a cumulative of more debris and more large bulky waste,” said Santos.
That report to the mayor's Executive Policy Committee is in. It says in 2023, upon request, the city did 162 clean ups, at a cost of nearly $84,000.
But, to do biweekly garbage collection, that would cost $2 million per year. Weekly collection would be $4 million per year
Mayor Scott Gillingham said he's looking forward to the discussion and debate on the numbers.
“Encampments can be dangerous, they can frankly be unsightly, and for people that live in proximity to an encampment there are concerns,” said Gillingham.
The report also stated the Main Street Project has proposed a pilot project with Siloam Mission and the Downtown Community Safety Partnership to pick up garbage at encampments.
But everyone agrees the long-term solution is not hauling away trash - it’s helping people get a real home, not a tent on the riverbank.
“A place to go, a place to be,” said Leonard.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Not a scarient': New COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada
A new COVID-19 subvariant is dominant in Canada, representing just over 30 per cent of cases in the country, but infectious disease experts say there’s no sign it’ll evolve into a summer 'scarient.'
An imbalance of two healthy fats affects your early death risk, study finds
Eating enough healthy fats is great for brain and heart health, but new research has possibly provided even more evidence for adding them, particularly omega-3s, to your diet.
Sun shoots out biggest solar flare in almost 2 decades, but Earth should be out of the way this time
The sun produced its biggest flare in nearly two decades Tuesday, just days after severe solar storms pummelled Earth and created dazzling northern lights in unaccustomed places.
Growing wildfires across Western Canada are forcing thousands from their homes
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
Victim loses $2M in online romance scam
A Malahide Township resident is out more than $2 million following a romance scam.
'Inappropriate' behaviour shuts down Dublin to New York City portal
Less than a week after two public sculptures featuring a livestream between Dublin, Ireland, and New York City debuted, 'inappropriate behaviour' in real-time interactions between people in the two cities has prompted a temporary shutdown.
DEVELOPING Massive manhunt in France for prison-break gang that gunned down officers
A massive manhunt was underway in France on Wednesday for an armed gang that killed two prison officers and seriously injured three others to spring an inmate they were escorting.
Federal Tory Leader Poilievre targets illicit drugs in B.C. hospitals
Federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Conservatives will put forward legislation that would forbid Ottawa from "ever" granting provinces exemptions to allow illicit drug use in hospitals.
Life in limbo: Wildfire evacuees struggle through nail-biting wait
More than 2,000 people forced to pack up and leave Fort Nelson, B.C., are trying to adjust to life as evacuees, and the constant concern about what is happening back home.