Winnipeg

Greg MacPherson, Winnipeg’s acting manager of community development and author of the report, said the intention is not to criminalize people but to manage public spaces more consistently.

Too late, but Manitoba isn't alone. Canada's criminalizing people across the country, dumping them through the Justice System like hiding things under a neglected rug, and then running news cycles about how it's reforming the books to be "tough on crime." Oldest and most cynical sleight of hand folks.

You know what might be painful and scary, but totally a solution to the problem? We have to stop the endless urban sprawl. We don't want to because land is supposed to be so affordable, and cars are what we damn near exclusively rely on. But this isn't sustainable, and endlessly sprawling out is not logical. We're spending more money building out so far that the maintenance costs are overwhelming.

The politicians could explore some mixed-used zoning to encourage development where people don't have to walk +10 km to the grocery store and other services, and spend +2 hours doing daily commutes. Heck we might have to just declare rings around the cities as park land to just control the situation and bring sense back into development.

Look at Canada's downtowns. There's a spectrum, I'm sure. But I think they are generally devoid of any potential to raise life, and are very clearly built with the obvious intent to cheap out on people and take from communities. They're desolate commuter zones.

There's a lot of potential to start projects with real, generational impact.

No interest, and no courage to do so. You know what's easy? Walking up to homeless encampments and bothering people. They don't have walls, and they can't stop you.

Mission accomplished!

I'm oversimplifying sure. But the homeless and the vulnerable are not the friction point here. It's the corporate land owners interests, and their refusal to be dynamic and invite change. And yes, they can hide on the 12th floor behind commercial grade doors, an assistant who screens their calls, and corporate security. They don't have to be bothered by politicians because that's what their lobby is for.