Klein launches mayoral campaign with pledge to make Winnipeg safest city in Canada

Mayoral candidate Kevin Klein says he would make Winnipeg the safest city in Canada by the end of his four-year term, if elected.

“Crime is happening all over the city and we have to take steps to address it,” Klein said at his first campaign announcement Friday morning.

The candidate said crime is “getting out of control,” noting his grandchild’s car seat was recently stolen from a vehicle parked in a typically quiet neighbourhood.

He promised to hire 100 to 110 more police officers, which he believes would cost between $9 million and $11 million.

“Our (officer) numbers are way down. We need to fix that now,” he said, not offering a timeline to fulfil that goal.

He said he would also establish a public safety task force that sees police partner with community leaders, businesses and other stakeholders.

Klein said former Winnipeg Police Service Chief Devon Clunis would lead the task force.

Clunis was not present at the news conference and could not immediately be reached for comment.

In an interview with CJOB late Friday afternoon, the former police chief said he is “not endorsing anyone” in the mayoral race but may support specific ideas.

“If I see a policy that I believe makes sense for our citizens, by all means, I will step forward and support good policy,” said Clunis.

That task force would be expected to determine how to turn Winnipeg into the safest city in the country. Klein said he does not yet know how success would be measured.

He said the plan, and its benchmarks, would be transparent to the public.

“There will be no more no-go zones. There will be no more open drugs on our streets. There will be no more drug dealing on our buses, in our parks, in our neighbourhoods,” said Klein.

He said he would also install panic buttons on Winnipeg Transit buses within two years, connecting directly to police dispatch, to combat a persistently high number of assaults against drivers.

And he would ask the provincial government to increase its use of the drug treatment court, which diverts offenders from traditional correctional facilities and provides tailored treatment and intervention to people whose criminal behaviour was fuelled by substance abuse.

Scott Gillingham, who is seeking re-election as mayor, also shared a public safety proposal Friday.

He vowed to raise Winnipeg’s number of community safety officers “and related support staff” to 75.

“Our community safety officer team would be a permanent presence on and around our transit stops and on our transit buses,” said Gillingham.

There are now 33 community safety officers patrolling Winnipeg Transit buses and bus stops, which is set to grow to 39 by the end of next year.

Gillingham did not provide a timeline to reach the target of 75 but stressed the expansion would be “sustainable and affordable” for taxpayers. He said the cost of the pledge will be revealed later in the campaign.

While city council does not have the power to direct police operations, it can direct community safety officers. Their duties could expand beyond transit, which could include providing security at events that attract crowds, said Gillingham.

“There’s a flexibility and a nimbleness that the (community safety officer) program provides,” he said.

Mayoral contender Mike Vogiatzakis proposed to create a three-year “cadet-to-career” apprenticeship program for police, firefighters and paramedics.

Vogiatzakis said the extensive training program would start with 10 cadets for each of the three professions each year, helping boost emergency service staff.

“The shortage of police officers, firefighters and paramedics is evident … This will take away burnout, it will (save) what we’re paying in overtime fees, it will restructure firefighters, police and paramedics,” said Vogiatzakis.

He expects that would help boost recruitment by adding another way to enter those fields.

“You’re paying for education for these people … The financial burden is taken off their shoulders,” he said.

Vogiatzakis estimates the promise would cost $2.4 million in its first year, $4.9 million in its second and $7.6 million in its third.

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Don Woodstock shared a new promise earlier this week. He would create $50 monthly parking passes for all post-secondary students, if elected.

“It’s a huge relief for these students,” said Woodstock.

All post-secondary schools would provide that parking, alleviating issues with much higher parking costs in some areas, he said.

Woodstock said every city-owned and operated spot at a parkade, on-street meter or surface lot would be available to the students, while more spaces could be added by converting vacant properties into surface parking lots.

“We are redeveloping every single possible space downtown and that’s going to bring back vibrancy to the city,” said Woodstock.

Students would be more likely to visit small businesses near their classes if they had access to all-day parking, he suggested, rather than needing to move vehicles from time-limited spots.

Election Day is Oct. 28.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

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