'High rate' of missing persons reports prompts creation of special hub in Manitoba
Manitoba is planning to create an integrated missing persons response unit, sharing information between police agencies, Child and Family Services (CFS), and Indigenous advocates when someone goes missing.
There were more than 9,300 missing person reports in Winnipeg alone last year, a number that doesn't include the roughly 3,500 missing persons investigations launched by the RCMP.
"Manitoba has seen, sadly, consistently high rates of missing persons over the past number of years, especially among young girls," said Manitoba's Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen during the provincial announcement on Monday.
Goertzen said to improve responses when a person goes missing, the province is putting $2.1 million from the 2023 budget to create a Manitoba Integrated Missing Persons Response unit.
"This investment will require the coordination of police agencies, CFS, support services and community services providers to assist in identifying and managing chronic missing persons in a responsive coordinated and data-based way," he said.
The province said with this new response, the Winnipeg Police Service's specialized missing persons coordinators will be the centralized intake for the province.
Winnipeg Police Chief Danny Smyth called it a 'win-win.'
"By having that coordinated response, it allows us to do a quick risk assessment on incoming files, it allows us to share information quickly between our partners," he said.
"It allows us to quickly assess that and assign resources so that we can start timely investigations and we can also look for an opportunity to more effectively liaison with the families."
Assistant Commissioner Rob Hill, a commanding officer with the Manitoba RCMP, said on average Mounties get 10 missing person reports per day.
"Many of these reports involve youth who live in smaller cities or remote communities," he said, adding 53 per cent of all missing persons in 2022 originated in northern detachments.
"It is not uncommon for these missing youths to be drawn or lured to larger city centres like Winnipeg or Brandon. Once in these larger centres they can become vulnerable to exploitation, or victimized by people who have no care for their well-being."
He said this new response unit will allow for a better information exchange which will not just be limited to police agencies, but will include CFS and Indigenous advocacy groups.
Heidi Spence, director of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak MMIWG liaison unit, said it will have an impact on families of missing people as well.
"It's going to help with the resources and better communication to be able to give answers to the families and the loved ones of our women, girls and 2SLGBTQ people that are missing in the province," she said.
Goertzen said more consultation is required to determine the make-up of the team. The province did not say when the unit will begin running.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.