Latest news with #MainStreetProject
CBC
2 days ago
- CBC
Sister of Winnipeg man who died in detox wants to know why he wasn't hospitalized
Social Sharing The sister of a man who died after being placed in a Winnipeg detoxification centre wants to know why her brother was not hospitalized instead. Alishia Brass said her brother Aiden Genaille, 24, died at the Main Street Project on June 27 after he was detained by the Winnipeg Police Service. She fears her brother was not provided with sufficient care because he was intoxicated. "I feel like they just treated him with no respect and just didn't care," she said. "I just wanted him to be treated fairly." Earlier this week, Winnipeg police said officers responded to a report of a man being assaulted by a group of people on Mayfair Avenue in Winnipeg's River-Osborne neighbourhood shortly after 5 a.m. on June 27. The attackers had left by the time officers arrived, police said in a Monday news release. The man was medically cleared by paramedics and declined police involvement in the investigation of his assault, according to police. The assault victim was detained under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act — which allows officers to detain someone if they are intoxicated and police fear they are a danger to themselves or others — because he was intoxicated and for his own safety, police said. He was taken to downtown's Main Street Project, where he was medically cleared a second time and placed in the detoxification facility's care, according to police. Shortly before 11 a.m. that day, the man experienced a medical emergency and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the police news release said. Police did not identify the man, but Brass confirmed it was her brother. She said she wants to know why police did not take him to hospital instead of to the Main Street Project. She also wants to know why no one "[made] sure he was OK before they threw him into his cell, or at least check on him or give him some decency, a chance to live, even," she said in an interview on Wednesday. She also said no member of her family was allowed to see Genaille's body or identify him at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre. The Main Street Project said it can't comment on the man's death because it is under investigation, spokesperson Cindy Titus said in a statement. But Jamil Mahmood, the Main Street Project's executive director, said paramedics assess every person who is brought into the facility. People in the Main Street Project's care are also checked on every 15 minutes and woken up every hour, Mahmood said. Police said the Independent Investigation Unit, Manitoba's police watchdog agency, has been notified of the death and has assumed responsibility for the investigation. That investigation prevents the Winnipeg Police Service from commenting, spokesperson Const. Dani McKinnon said in a statement. Brass said she does not know why anyone would assault her brother.
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Main Street Project gets exclusive contract for Winnipeg homelessness outreach
Social Sharing The Main Street Project has been awarded an exclusive contract from the City of Winnipeg to do outreach work with people living in encampments. The city previously funded three organizations — Main Street Project, St. Boniface Street Links and Resource Assistance for Youth — for the work. Now, all calls about encampments will be forwarded to Main Street Project. The non-profit will take the lead on helping to implement the provincial homelessness strategy, which focuses on moving people out of camps and into housing. The contract provides $275,000 for July 1 to Dec. 31, with the possibility of extensions for two years, with $550,000 available in each year. In an interview Thursday, Main Street Project executive director Jamil Mahmood said the organization is one of the few with the capacity to do 24/7 citywide homelessness outreach. "The amount of money in the award isn't enough to do that, and so we're fortunate we have partnership funding from End Homelessness Winnipeg … that allows us to leverage other money to put a full outreach team on the road," Mahmood said. The new contract comes six weeks after people in Point Douglas raised concerns after a team of Main Street Project outreach workers was seen helping set up an encampment in the area. On May 20, a Selkirk Avenue resident recorded a video of workers carrying supplies down to the riverbank. Several Point Douglas residents who spoke to CBC News said they're not happy that Main Street Project was awarded the new contract. Province, city clarified 'other options': MSP Speaking to CBC News about the incident for the first time, Mahmood said police officers asked their outreach workers to help move the people in the camp over fears about riverbank flooding, but no housing options were immediately available. "[Firefighters] may deem that because of life safety issues, [a] camp needs to be moved or dismantled," he said. "Ideally, we have places to house people from those places, but that's not always the case." Mahmood said Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham and Manitoba Housing Minister Bernadette Smith spoke to him about the May incident, and explained there are other options when safety concerns force camps to move. "I think what's different now, and what was clarified in the [provincial] Your Way Home strategy — and thanks to the mayor and the minister for clarifying that — is that now they're going to provide more resources," Mahmood said. The provincial homelessness strategy allows for "flex funding" for temporary accommodations in emergencies. "So we have other options, versus just moving encampments from one location to another." Gillingham has previously said anyone doing outreach work for the city must be "fully committed" to the province's strategy — a point he says he made in meetings with Main Street Project. "And they're committed to the Your Way Home strategy," Gillingham said in an interview Thursday. "Nothing's moving fast enough for anybody, I don't think. We need to see more progress faster, but everybody's working toward that end." 'Short-sighted' decision: Street Links As part of its application for the contract, Main Street Project committed to partnering with Resource Assistance for Youth, or RAY, as a subcontractor, handling calls regarding homeless youth. As for St. Boniface Street Links, Mahmood says he hopes there will be opportunities to partner with the other organization, which responds to calls about encampments on the east side of the Red River. Street Links executive director Marion Willis, however, isn't sure the two groups can work together. "We have a different philosophy than Main Street Project," Willis said. Her organization emphasizes moving people into housing first, she said, whereas Main Street Project prefers a "rights-based approach" that works with people "where they're at." She called the city's decision "short-sighted," and said officials didn't consult with people in the area about the impact the loss of funding to Street Links would have. Mahmood disputes the idea the two groups have different philosophies. "Housing first is meeting people where they're at, right?" he said. "I think there's maybe a slight difference in approach. There's a difference obviously in how each organization functions, but we've always been there to support folks, and our goal has always been to house folks." In an emailed statement, Housing Minister Smith said Main Street Project is "working in alignment" with the province's strategy.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Main Street Project awarded exclusive city homeless outreach contract
The City of Winnipeg awarded Main Street Project a contract to do outreach to homeless encampments, despite concerns from some residents that a team helped set up a camp in Point Douglas.
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
City awards sole outreach contract to Main Street Project
Main Street Project is set to become the only city-funded provider of 24-hour mobile outreach services in Winnipeg, marking a departure from the previous funding model in which money was dispersed to a trio of agencies. The City of Winnipeg awarded Main Street Project a $275,000 contract on June 30, under the requirement it focus on moving people from encampments and into housing, in compliance with the provincial homelessness strategy. The contract comes six weeks after the agency was accused of reestablishing a homeless encampment near a Point Douglas riverbank, raising condemnation from community members and government officials. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS An homeless encampment on the banks of the Red River along the North Winnipeg Parkway near Waterfront Drive in Winnipeg. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS An homeless encampment on the banks of the Red River along the North Winnipeg Parkway near Waterfront Drive in Winnipeg. Speaking to the Free Press for the first time since the May 20 incident, executive director Jamil Mahood defended the move, saying it was necessary. 'There is not enough housing for people, so we still need to find a way to buy time, for lack of a better word,' Mahood said by phone. 'In those cases, we will provide supports to people where they are at.' Controversy was sparked after a Point Douglas bystander captured video of Main Street Project staff dropping off two people near a riverbank and helping them set up a campsite. The Point Douglas Residents Committee condemned the actions in a letter to government. A spokesperson for the committee declined to comment on the new outreach contract Wednesday. Mahood said he has since met with Mayor Scott Gillingham and Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith to discuss the incident. It was made clear during those meetings that — under the new provincial homelessness strategy — outreach workers should no longer move people between encampments, Mahood said. 'We recognize now that under the Your Way Home strategy, the province is offering some new alternative solutions that we didn't have before,' he said. 'It's very clear there is no encampment-to-encampment moving… We have that message now.' Smith and Gillingham each provided statements to the Free Press Wednesday saying Main Street Project is expected to act in alignment with the strategy. 'It's very clear there is no encampment-to-encampment moving… We have that message now.'–Jamil Mahood The agency won the contract through a request for proposal tender, which launched May 22 and closed June 12. Applicants were reviewed and scored in a competitive process, based on specific criteria, city spokesperson Adam Campbell said in an email. The contract covers outreach efforts until Dec. 31, with the option of two one-year extensions, it said. The request for proposal sought applicants able to 'rapidly transition' people out of encampments and into better accommodations. When housing is unavailable, outreach teams should provide well-being checks, transportation, transfer to emergency shelters and referrals to other service providers, the request for proposal said. Mahood said his agency has always prioritized housing, but the lack of available units is challenging. He warned the current supply could dry up within the next month. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences. Before introducing the tender process, the city provided annual funding to mobile outreach services, spending $550,000 between 2022 and 2024. Of those funds, $356,250 went to Main Street Project, $118,750 went to St. Boniface Street Links and $75,000 went to Resource Assistance for Youth, Campbell said. The move to instead seek contracts for the city's outreach services accompanied an update to the city's 2025 budget and was supported by a city council motion, Campbell said. The city would not confirm how many agencies submitted proposals, nor outline the amounts offered in other bids. Part of Main Street Project's proposal included an agreement to maintain the $75,000 in support to Resource Assistance for Youth via subcontracts, Mahood said. That agency will continue to respond to outreach calls involving youth, with Main Street Project picking up such calls after hours. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Marion Willis, the founder of St. Boniface Street Links, says her agency has been 'frozen out.' MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES Marion Willis, the founder of St. Boniface Street Links, says her agency has been 'frozen out.' Meanwhile, the executive director of Street Links said her agency has been 'frozen out' without explanation. Marion Willis said her organization submitted a 32-page proposal for the contract. She expects all outreach calls reported through Winnipeg's 311 service will be rerouted to Main Street Project. Previously, calls for service in areas east of the Red River were referred to Street Links, as per a 2021 city council resolution. Mahood said he believes that is likely as well, although he has not had a formal discussion with the city. 'I'm furious, quite frankly, I can't believe just how wrong-headed this is,' Willis said. 'At the end of the day, what's happening here is what's been happening all along. This has all become so highly politicized.' 'We deliver outreach services to half the city of Winnipeg… Are we expected to do it for free now?' 'I'm furious, quite frankly, I can't believe just how wrong-headed this is.'–Marion Willis Mahood said Main Street Project will 'strive to work in partnership with St. Boniface Street Links as much as possible, so hopefully there is still a way we can continue.' The contract would have represented the only government funding Street Links receives, Willis said. She believes her agency was better suited to fulfill the vision of the province's housing strategy. Street Links and Main Street Project have previously feuded over their encampment philosophies: the former has stated it prioritizes housing first, while the latter has historically focused on meeting people where they are at. Tyler SearleReporter Tyler Searle is a multimedia producer who writes for the Free Press's city desk. A graduate of Red River College Polytechnic's creative communications program, he wrote for the Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Selkirk Record and Express Weekly News before joining the paper in 2022. Read more about Tyler. Every piece of reporting Tyler produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CBC
5 days ago
- CBC
Man held at Winnipeg detox centre died after medical emergency, police say
A man died following a medical emergency at a Winnipeg detoxification centre shortly after he was detained by police for his own safety on Friday, police say. Officers responded to a report of a man being assaulted by a group of people on Mayfair Avenue shortly after 5 a.m. Friday, police said in a news release on Monday. The attackers had left when officers arrived. The man, in his 20s, was medically cleared by paramedics and declined further police involvement in the assault investigation. The man was detained by officers under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act, due to his level of intoxication and for his own safety, police said. He was taken to the detoxification centre at the Main Street Project, where he was medically cleared a second time and placed in lodging. The man experienced a medical emergency about five hours later, shortly before 11 a.m., and was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Winnipeg police did not name the man who died. Manitoba's police watchdog has been notified of the man's death and has assumed responsibility for the investigation, police said.
