Crime-weary West End business owners get together to discuss costly, dangerous problem, hear about solutions
The inaugural Small Business and Retail Crime Prevention Conference drew a modest crowd to the West End Cultural Centre throughout the morning. Entrepreneurs and residents were offered a full day of networking and educational programming, including speeches from city police and political leaders.
'It's not just about people taking stuff, but smashing stuff, breaking stuff; the lack of respect,' said Michael Paille, who arranged the event in response to crime at his Sargent Avenue store, which retails comics, games and toys.
WAYNE GLOWACKI / FREE PRESS FILES
Small business owner Michael Paille organized the inaugural Small Business and Retail Crime Prevention Conference.
'We're small businesses; we should be worrying about staff, rent, utilities. We shouldn't be worrying about cameras, alarms and whether a person is stealing,' he said.
Paille, who launched the Sargent Avenue Business Community group about four years ago, estimated theft in his store has roughly doubled during that time. Product losses continue to cost him about $2,000 every month, despite numerous security upgrades, including cameras and metal window coverings.
'It starts to add up. I have to start raising up prices, but then, at the same time, people don't want to pay more,' he said.
Staff safety also remains a primary concern, he said, describing an incident last summer in which he was assaulted and suffered a concussion after confronting a suspected shoplifter.
Paille hopes the conference sends a message of solidarity to retailers, staff and shoppers. He believes they can help address the problem by bolstering communication with each other and police.
'If you see something, don't be afraid to report it. I get so many people who say, 'Oh, well, that's not my problem,' but it's all of us,' Paille said. 'Working together is the only way we are going to make a difference.'
Tyler Slobodgian, a senior policy analyst for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said crime, safety and operating costs are the primary concerns of its membership.
A recent survey of the group's roughly 4,500 members found about 51 per cent reported crime or safety issues within the past year. That's up from 42 per cent the year prior, he said.
According to federation data, it costs Manitoba small business owners an average of $2,500 per year to keep up with vandalism and theft, Slobodgian said.
'For some, we've heard of way more than that,' Slobodgian told the Free Press.
'It's increasingly more difficult for business owners and their employees to go about their day-to-day business.'
Like Paille, Slobodgian urged business owners and the public to report any crimes to police so the issue can be accurately tracked and presented to authorities.
Notre Dame MLA Malaya Marcelino spoke during Monday's conference about how the provincial government is addressing crime in her constituency.
She said area residents have 'consistently' asked for improvements to cleanliness, safety and affordable recreational programming in the neighbourhood.
The province has partnered with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership to fund an $800,000 cleanup program that employs six former offenders from the Headingley Correctional Centre, she said.
Marcelino has also set up an anonymous phone tip line for the Notre Dame area, she said. The service allows residents to utilize the Safer Neighbourhoods and Communities Act and report properties suspected of selling drugs. Those tips can later be investigated by police.
Since late 2021, community tips have resulted in the closure of about 16 properties, Marcelino said.
To boost recreational opportunities, Marcelino said her office has prepared a proposal to transform inactive rail lines into active transportation paths, calling the project the West Lands Greenway.
The proposal is currently in the hands of former federal cabinet minister Lloyd Axworthy, who was retained by the NDP government in October to complete a two-year study into the relocation of rail lines and yards that currently occupy high-value property in Winnipeg's core.
It will be subject to a public consultation on May 23, Marcelino said.
Ravi Ramberran — who owns several Winnipeg restaurants, including Four Crowns Restaurant and Hotel on McPhillips Street — said retail crimes must be taken seriously by politicians and justice officials before more people are injured or killed.
He said he has been threatened with guns and knives, and was once attacked with bear spray at work. His staff have suffered similar abuse, Ramberran said.
'For us, it's a daily occurrence and it's very frustrating,' he said. 'The people that commit these crimes… have an entitlement that they're allowed to behave the way they want to.'
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The restaurateur was among those who attended Monday's conference. He called for stricter penalties for repeat offenders.
He said there is a misconception that people committing crimes are homeless and vulnerable, arguing instead many incidents are perpetrated by organized criminals with little fear of the law.
Paille agreed.
'Yes, we have a homeless problem, but they are not the ones stealing or breaking into places. If you watch the cameras, the people doing it have cars, they have vans…. They are not doing it because they are hungry.'
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.
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