Dear Downtown Winnipeg BIZ Member,

As we continue to support our members during the pandemic, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ is also making progress on other top-of-mind member issues, including downtown safety.

Earlier this summer, the Province announced an investment focused on improving health, well-being and safety throughout our downtown.

This important start-up funding will let the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ and our partners transition the Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) into an expanded, permanent, community-driven organization – fully focused on making downtown safer, more welcoming and more inclusive for all.

Things are moving along! Here’s an update on the DCSP:

• The DCSP has started scaling up to full-time operations, with a board of directors and a soon-to-be established community advisory committee who represent and are accountable to downtown stakeholders.


• Our Community Homelessness Assistance Team (CHAT) will transition to the DCSP next week. Having CHAT under the DCSP umbrella means improved coordination with other downtown outreach agencies, enhanced training to help staff better meet the needs of the downtown community and, most importantly, more outreach and coverage as the DCSP scales up.


• Our Downtown Watch Ambassador program will transition to the DCSP at the end of September. This will build on the already established program and lead to important program enhancements such as additional training, increased visible presence on the street and improved coverage for BIZ members.

Here’s what you should know. More info about the DCSP:

We’ve heard from members that more community outreach and a greater presence on the street are top priorities. With this in mind, the DCSP will include 24/7 outreach coverage from a new, mobile assistance team in key areas for the first time. We know this is a priority for our members and we look forward to having more to share about this new team later this fall.

The Downtown Community Safety Partnership is a new organization however, the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ will continue to be a key partner as it becomes operational. The DCSP will be building on everything we’ve learned about improving health, safety and a sense of community in our downtown since the Watch Ambassador program was first launched in 1995.

As the DCSP grows, it will mean a greater presence of highly trained teams who can provide the right resources and support at the right time.

We will keep you updated as the DCSP continues to move forward.

As always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions:
204-958-4640
info@downtownwinnipegbiz.com

Thank you,

Kate Fenske
Chief Executive Officer
Downtown Winnipeg BIZ