City awards sole outreach contract to Main Street Project
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.searle@freepress.mb.ca
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Opinion: Hockey Canada sexual assault trial latest story spotlighting dark side of sport
Opinion Countless times throughout the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial, the question has come up: is this a story for the sports section at the Free Press? The resounding answer is: yes. Yes, this is a sports story. I am not writing to offer my opinion on the decisions made today. I am here to remind readers that the world of sports is not always a fun, fantasy world. Sports are a fantastic way for fans, including me, to escape hard times — but a shadow hides behind the blinding, refracted light of historic goals and legendary names. This trial shone a spotlight on the ugliness of that shadow. The fact that people are high-fiving over the five men involved in this case being acquitted is absolutely disgusting. Whether or not you believe the five men are guilty, a woman was traumatized. So much so that, as the Toronto Star reported, E.M. thought she would be able to testify in person in the courtroom, but when she was taking a tour of the courthouse and sat in the witness stand, she started crying. She was so traumatized by what happened to her that night in a London, Ont., hotel room that she had to testify via video from another room in the courthouse, and the defendants were blurred on her end. What those cheering the acquittals seem to quickly forget is that trauma and abuse in sports isn't just a woman's story — it's a part of sports culture that has thrived in the shadows for far too long. This case just so happened to involve a woman. This is also a man's story. Whether Winnipeg Jets fans want to admit it or not, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff was previously involved with a franchise that saw Kyle Beach identify himself as a player at the centre of sexual abuse allegations. A second former player also sued the Chicago Blackhawks. Hometown favourite Jonathan Toews was also part of that franchise at the time these abuses took place. I am by no means saying either Cheveldayoff or Toews were involved or knew of the abuse. The point of including this is as a reminder that abuse is happening to athletes themselves in top leagues. This is not just a minor league issue. This is not just a women's issue. This is a high-profile issue that continues to get swept under the rug whenever the defendants are deemed not guilty, whether in the court of law or the court of public opinion. If one of these players is signed by an NHL team, we will have to cover them in the Free Press sports section in a way where it appears as though this story never existed. Just as we have had to cover Alex Ovechkin, regardless of his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. You can add as many disclaimers and explainers as you want; these are still stories emphasizing the 'greatness' of these athletes. Abuse is rampant in professional sports, and I'm tired of it being so often left out of the larger story of sports. We can celebrate the accomplishments of athleticism while at the same time acknowledging it's a system built on abuse that tries to shelter perpetrators instead of helping victims of abuse. The story of 'ruining his career' is so often presented in cases like the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. But what about the responsibility of the five hockey players to not ruin their respective careers by participating that night? It's just a question. Moreover, the case was so toxic to Hockey Canada before it went to court, the organization had already settled out of court, wanting the story to go away — to be swept under the rug and into the ugly shadows. If I may offer one opinion, it is that I fear these acquittals will dissuade future victims of sexual assault from reporting abuse. We're at a point in society where women have to be believed more than ever while navigating a justice system built to cast doubt on testimony. Whether you believe E.M. or not, I ask that you consider how you would feel if you weren't believed. I hope there's a day when the story of sports doesn't include abuse of any kind. Thursday, however, punctuated and perpetuated the 'boys will be boys' culture ingrained in sports at the expense of another person's trauma. Maybe this trial will help forward ongoing conversations about consent and, if anything, remind sports fans of the dark, toxic side of these stories of heroes and history books. Grace Anne Paizen is the Free Press Sports editor Grace Anne PaizenSports Editor Grace oversees the team that produces sports journalism for the Free Press. 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Nova Scotia contractor sues Manitoba government, claims breach of whistleblower legislation
A Nova Scotia man is suing the province over claims his consulting contract with the Manitoba government wasn't renewed because he filed a whistleblower complaint about its handling of a software project. In a statement of claim filed in Court of King's Bench earlier this month, David Morash claims the government breached the provincial Whistleblower Protection Act and its contract with his company. Morash was contracted in 2023 by a computing consultant, working for the province, to manage an information technology project updating and integrating data processing and software programs into a single system for the provincial government, according to Morash's lawsuit. The court papers claim the contract wasn't renewed because he disclosed information to the Manitoba ombudsman related to 'gross mismanagement of a public fund or asset.' The contract was extended in January 2024, but in August that same year, Morash provided information to the ombudsman, alleging wrongdoing in the province's consumer protection and government services department. Specifically, Morash alleged, the project was 'being grossly mismanaged by the defendant, resulting in resource and financial mismanagement.' Before he disclosed information to the ombudsman's office, he tried to raise his concerns with government representatives, but an unnamed 'executive representative,' who was a lead on the project, told him to make a formal disclosure to the ombudsman instead, the court papers claim. Morash was told in November last year that the ombudsman would look into the matter. The court papers claim the government benefited from his complaint, with personnel on the project restructured. His contract then wasn't renewed in January and a new project manager was brought on, Morash alleges, claiming the province not renewing the contract constitutes misfeasance in public office. Morash claims he also made a complaint to the ombudsman about the expired contract, but the ombudsman's office told him in March it wouldn't investigate because it does not have the authority to probe reprisal complaints from contractors, only public employees. He claims to have suffered loss of income and out-of-pocket expenses, as well as psychological and emotional harm. He's seeking unspecified monetary damages. The provincial government has yet to respond to the claim with a statement of defence and the matter hasn't been heard in court. Erik Pindera Reporter Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik. Every piece of reporting Erik 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.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
MPI sues accused killer over torched vehicle
MANITOBA Public Insurance is suing a man awaiting trial in the slayings of five people — including his three young children — accusing him of torching a vehicle on the side of the highway on the day their bodies were found. MPI is seeking $43,000 in damages for the Feb. 11, 2024 incident in which it claims Ryan Howard Manoakeesick, 31, 'purposely and intentionally' set fire to a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. 'The plaintiff states that the damages to (the) Jeep were caused solely by the fault and wilful misconduct of the defendant,' reads the lawsuit, filed July 16 in the Court of King's Bench. 'The defendant has refused or neglected to pay the amount owing to date, or any portion thereof, despite the plaintiff's demands.' Manoakeesick has remained in custody since the day of the fire on Provincial Road 248, near St. Eustache, at about 10 a.m. Police who attended the scene found Manoakeesick's three children — two-month old Isabella, four-year-old Jayven and six-year-old Bethany — dead outside the burning vehicle. Police arrested him without incident nearby. Earlier in the day, RCMP officers found Manoakeesick's common-law partner and the mother to his children, Amanda Clearwater, 30, dead in a ditch on Highway 3 near Carman. Investigators later found Clearwater's 17-year-old niece, Myah-Lee Gratton, dead inside a Carman home where all of the victims lived with Manoakeesick. He has been charged with five counts of first-degree murder, meaning the Crown believes the killings were planned and deliberate. It is one of the biggest homicide cases in Manitoba in more than a decade. Manoakeesick has a history of drug and mental-health struggles, court records show. In March 2024, a judge ruled Manoakeesick was fit to stand trial after his lawyers requested he undergo an psychiatric assessment. His next court appearances are scheduled to take place between Sept. 8 and 12 in the Court of King's Bench. Several other hearings are scheduled in February, March and April of next year, court records show. Manoakeesick has not entered a statement of defence in the MPI case. MPI estimated the cost of the Jeep at around $40,200 and the cost of fire crews to respond to the scene at around $2,000. An additional $800 was spent to cover the cost of a rental vehicle for the Jeep's registered owner, who is not named in the lawsuit. 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.
