End Homelessness Winnipeg Responds to Concerns Raised Over Outreach Activity in Point Douglas

May 23, 2025

Winnipeg, MB - End Homelessness Winnipeg (EHW) acknowledges the concerns raised by the Point Douglas Residents Committee in their letter dated May 21, 2025, regarding an outreach activity by Main Street Project (MSP) that was perceived as supporting the setup of a new encampment along the Red River.

We recognize the frustration and confusion expressed by community members, particularly in light of their recent volunteer-led cleanup of the same area. We affirm the community's right to expect accountability and transparency in all homelessness responses, especially where taxpayer-funded services are involved and where public safety and environmental stewardship intersect. We also acknowledge that the Point Douglas Residents Committee is not opposed to meaningful solutions to the ravaging crisis of homelessness in Winnipeg. Their advocacy reflects a deep concern for both their neighbourhood and the wellbeing of those experiencing homelessness, and we share in their desire to see effective, coordinated, and dignified responses.

"We hear the Point Douglas residents clearly," said Jason Whitford, CEO of End Homelessness Winnipeg. "No one wants encampments. But we must admit that when a person in distress has no safe shelter option immediately available, the choices left to outreach workers become limited and ethically complex. What we are seeing is not a failure of compassion, but a failure of systems and a housing crisis. These are what must urgently change."

EHW does not directly operate outreach services or encampments, including the Van Patrol service named in the incident. Our role is to coordinate the broader system of homelessness response and ensure that partner agencies are aligned with principles of dignity, safety, and transparency.

We have reviewed the response issued by Main Street Project and acknowledge their reaffirmation that:

• They do not support the establishment of encampments.
• Their outreach services are governed by a human rights-based framework, including guidance from The Federal Housing Advocate's Review of Homeless Encampments, Kíkinanaw Óma, and A National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in Canada.
• They are actively working with government and community partners to move individuals from encampments into permanent housing, including through a new 41-unit tenancy initiative under Manitoba's Your Way Home strategy.

Nevertheless, the incident in question raises legitimate questions of optics, practice, and public trust. Communities must not feel abandoned or bypassed in these responses. At the same time, people experiencing homelessness must not be reduced to environmental liabilities or mere statistics.
To address these concerns, End Homelessness Winnipeg is taking the following steps:

1. Convene a sector meeting involving Main Street Project, the Province of Manitoba, Indigenous housing partners, and representatives from the Point Douglas community to review the incident, share protocols, and strengthen alignment on encampment response practices.
2. Support improved communication protocols, so that residents are informed and engaged early when encampment risks are identified or when outreach activity may affect their neighbourhood.

"It is unacceptable that in a city as resourceful as Winnipeg, the only option some people have is a tent by the river," added Whitford. "Let this moment serve as a call to action for more supportive housing, for clearer protocols, and for a shared commitment that protects both people and places."

End Homelessness Winnipeg supports a coordinated, compassionate, and evidence-informed response to homelessness that respects both the rights of unhoused individuals and the concerns of residents. This means facing hard truths, being transparent, and working together for better outcomes.

 

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