As we celebrate our 105^th year of working to make Winnipeg and Manitoba better for everyone, we dusted off and added to this document created for our 95^th anniversary.  We call it a brief history but… with a 105 years and quite a bit of growth over the last 10, it is rather on the long side! 

We hope you will join us at our AGM on September 19^th, 2024. 
The Ukrainian Labour Temple at Pritchard and McGregor.
Refreshments available at 5pm
AGM Starts at 6PM

To register: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/spcw-annual-general-meeting-24-tickets-1008683378137

If you would like to become a member, please join here: https://spcw.mb.ca/get-involved/membership/

If you would like to donate, please do!: https://spcw.mb.ca/get-involved/donate/

A Brief History: Social Planning Council of Winnipeg 1919-2024

The origin of the Social Planning Council (SPCW) reflects the diverse and dynamic nature of Winnipeg itself during the last 105 years.  The city’s transformation from a sleepy frontier town to a bustling commercial, industrial and transportation centre created an explosive population growth, that has led to the unique character of Winnipeg today. 

In the early 1900s, Manitoba’s culture and economy was in rapid transition. British colonial commerce had taken over, further displacing Indigenous culture, largely focused on agricultural production. Winnipeg’s importance to Canada at that time drew thousands of immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds as industry and transportation became important economic features. However, with the diversity and innovation of European cultures also came the loss of traditional social structures and new demands of urbanization. 

While there were some efforts at social welfare and recognizing labour rights, the city itself was controlled by a corporate elite, particularly those involved in real estate speculation, largely insensitive to the plight of the people.  Prospects of developing a well-planned city were continually confounded by the demands placed on the city by the railways, whose economic and political muscle was unparalleled during the period.  The combination of rapid population expansion, a wealthy elite (largely British backed), a politically conscious working class (largely European) and a rigid inexperienced civic government left the city with a veneer of prosperity covering a society precariously divided. 

The churches and charities were prominent actors providing for the social needs of the working population. However, provincial policies and programs started in this era aimed at improving social conditions for the province’s citizens.  Acts to establish a juvenile court, a dower act to protect widows and deserted women, a mother’s allowance act, and finally an act enfranchising women, were pioneering advancements due these years. 

For example, a spirit of cooperation among labour, the provincial government, and the churches would lead to the founding of the Bureau of Social Research, with J.S. Woodsworth as its director in early 1916.  But it was a short-lived experiment that would last less than a year and the bureau was closed.  Its closure would presage a growing divide over the next few years between social activists and the city’s financial elite. 

The diversity of groups were represented at a meeting on April 14, 1919, and duly noted in the Manitoba Tribune newspaper the next day, reflected the remarkable cohesion and foresight of seemingly disparate organizations and concerns.  The Community Workers Club, Anti-Tuberculosis Society, Social Hygiene Association, Social Service Council, Women’s Civic League, Children’s Aid, Day Nursery, Mothers’ Association, Jewish Orphanage, Home for the Friendless, St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Home of Welcome, YWCA, and the Department of Neglected and Dependent Children were just a few of the social and benevolent agencies who agreed at that meeting to form the Central Council of Social Agencies, which became the SPCW of today. 

A month later, intransigent city officials and industry owners blocked wage negotiations with the nascent labour organizations and the foundation was laid for the 1919 General Strike. 30,000 workers stopped work in a demand for union recognition and decent wages. However, it was the class divisions, social inequality and discrimination that fed the strike and made it a landmark in Canadian social history. While the strikers were violently suppressed and no immediate gains were recognized from the strike, it set in motion political and social change that has made Manitoba a leader in social programming and progressive social policy. 

During the years since then, the Council has undergone significant organizational and mandate changes, as well as several name changes.  Through it all the SPCW worked to be a lead organization in the field of social policy investigation, urban planning and social justice advocacy. 

The people who volunteer or work for the organization have had a tremendous impact on issues as diverse as unemployment, affordable housing, fair taxation, homelessness, poverty, urban planning and racism.

The story of the Social Planning Council is primarily a story of the coordination and rationalization of civic resources in an effective manner to meet the needs of the community. Through volunteerism, legislation and governmental support, as well as the representations of numerous professional and independent organizations, the Social Planning Council serves as a vital and independent bridge between the various and often competing interests.

The organization has incubated numerous other organizations and agencies for example. While all are not still in operation, some are and these include:

• Community Chest (now the United Way)
• Indian and Métis Friendship Centre
• School of Social Work (University of Manitoba)
• The Volunteer Bureau (now Volunteer Manitoba)
• John Howard and Elizabeth Fry Societies
• Meals-on-Wheels
• Klinic Community Health Centre
• Home Help Program /Victorian Order of Nurses
• Logan Neighbourhood House Main Street Project Mount Carmel Clinic
• Age and Opportunity Centre
• North Pointe Douglas Women’s Centre

The organization has implemented numerous campaigns to focus public attention on poverty and poor housing and particularly the effects of poverty on children. Other advocacy includes a living wage, welfare reform, the elimination of racial discrimination and the rights of people with a disability.

The Council continues to be instrumental in examining and raising the fundamental questions on issues and trends that impact on the social condition of the community. It continues to monitor and report on social and economic dynamics that impact the lives of ordinary men, women and children, while looking for innovative solutions to keep pace with the demands on social policy and services. Part of the process includes compiling relevant and effective research and data to maintain the Council’s effective advocacy for social services. 

The SPCW recognizes and acknowledges its limitations in instituting change to public social policy and conditions, but continues its responsibility in attempting to reflect the widest range of interests for the common good and to encourage public participation in the overall dynamics of change. 

Over the years the Council has researched, prepared and released numerous reports, analysis and position papers that have contributed to increased public awareness, and knowledge while providing essential information that continues to serve the community in a broad and effective manner. In the 1970’s SPCW was a leading research organization, publishing major studies of local social conditions. 

Around the turn of the 21st  century, the organization took on assisting Indigenous leaders to address the over-representation of Indigenous Peoples in persistent poverty. Today there are well established organizations providing supports that are sensitive to the cultural and economic needs of Indigenous people. More recently the organization has played a community development role in supporting organic activism in Winnipeg’s neighbourhoods. 

Throughout these efforts, SPCW’s approach to social planning assumes that coalescing and collaborating around common needs or concerns is the most effective way of representing and meeting the interests of the community. Collaboration is both the purpose and the means of social planning for SPCW, with a firm commitment to improving the quality of life for all in Winnipeg. 

The Social Planning Council of Winnipeg has a history of which to be proud. It has been instrumental in the formation of many organizations that are part of the spine of the City’s social service agencies. It has been significant in creating and fostering collaborations that have led to many of the social benefits people now take for granted. It continues to define social awareness of many community issues. 

In so many ways, SPCW has been central to the relationships that continue to work to make Winnipeg a sustainable community that is caring, just and equitable. 

A Chronology of Significant SPCW Events and Achievements 

1919     Central Council of Social Agencies formed, Community Chest created. 

1930     Council operates Manitoba’s first School of Social Work.

1938     Central Council of Social Agencies changes name to Council of Social Agencies in Greater Winnipeg, 

1943     Council helps establish Department of Social Work at the University of Manitoba, 

1947     Central Volunteer Bureau established. Indian and Métis conferences become an annual event. Central Council of Social Agencies in Greater Winnipeg changes name to Welfare Council and helps create the John Howard and Elizabeth Fry Societies, Meals-On-Wheels, the Family Planning Association, and the Home Help Program of the Victorian Order of Nurses. 

1950     77 member groups decide to change name from Council of Social Agencies in Greater Winnipeg to Welfare Council of Greater Winnipeg.  Central Volunteer Bureau comes to prominence during 1950 Winnipeg flood crisis. 

1952     Welfare Councils’ Health Division, Recreation Division and Child Welfare Division carry on general interpretation and coordinating role of the Council. 

1955     Age and Opportunity report released (the first of its kind in Canada, and a pioneer research product in the field of geriatrics) which leads to the Age Centre being accepted into Community Chest and its later development as the Age and Opportunity Centre. 

1958     Indian and Métis Friendship Centre organization created. 

1959     Welfare Council’s “Letter” launched, designed to stimulate thinking and dialogue on social problems and issues facing the community. 

1961     Council completes the first study conducted in North America on day care services. 

1965     The Welfare Council is incorporated and becomes known as the Community Welfare Planning Council. 

1969     Social Services Audit (started in 1969) Report released. 

1970     Manitoba government creates an office of research and planning within the Department of Health and Social Development. 

1971     The Council participates in redevelopment of Mount Carmel Clinic as a community health and social development centre. 

1972     Main Street Project created. First comprehensive manual of Social Services of Manitoba released. 

1973     Welfare Council’s name changed to Social Planning Council of Winnipeg, 

1976     Children’s Rights Within the Child Welfare-Juvenile Corrections System Report released (this report developed background for Council programs aimed at improving services for children and families). 

1977     Discussion starts at SPCW that leads to the first major ‘lunch and after school’ program for children in Winnipeg schools. 

1978     Task Force on Maternal and Child Health created. 

1979     Review of Winnipeg Housing Conditions completed and released to the public. 

1980     Analysis of Social Problems, Needs and Trends for Winnipeg Report completed. 

1983     Comprehensive study of living conditions of Manitoba’s “Registered Indian” population released. 

1984     SPCW completes Child Care study for Manitoba Child Care Association. SPCW Executive Director is implementation manager for re-organization of Children’s Aid Society to community-based Child and Family Service. 

1988     Census Data Consortium established to buy Statistics Canada data. Child Abuse Project, Children in Care Project, Homeless Children and Youth Project, Welcome Home Project, Manual of Social Services in Manitoba released, Winnipeg Census Data Insights and Trends: The Elderly and Aboriginal People, published. 

1990     ‘Plan Winnipeg’ articles published. Tax assessment study completed, Heritage at the Crossroads Report. 

1991     Community information kit; Hunger in Winnipeg released. Literacy An Overview report completed in conjunction with the 1990 United Nations International Year of Literacy. Invisible Changes: Winnipeg’s Next Decade report released, Needs Assessment on Homeless Children and Youth report released. 

1992     A new SPCW publication launched: Child Poverty in Manitoba: An approach toward its elimination. A Safer Winnipeg for Women and Children, Winnipeg’s Next Decade: The Challenge of Social Equity, Issues of the Hour continues response to City’s Plan Winnipeg, 

1994     Healthy Communities and SPCW sponsor a conference on Asset Based Planning with John McKnight, respected American academic and community development activist.  Winnipeg Media Watch Initiated. 

1995     Education in Multicultural Society report released, Multiculturalism/Anti-racism education study in Winnipeg School Division completed. The Rights Path booklet produced as a joint project between SPCW, Manitoba Association of Friendship Centres and Canadian Human Rights Commission . 

1996     Aboriginal Persons With a Disability: Training and Employment Challenges report released. SPCW partners with Campaign 2000 and its release of the 1996 Child Poverty Report Card. Integrated Community Action to Health Action project commences. SPCW Public Awareness Committee develops comprehensive communications strategy. 

1997     SPCW hosted a community forum on Rebuilding Communities, and the Acceptable Living Level Report is released. SPCW provides research support to Social Development Sub-Committee of North Main Street Task Force, participates in Center Plan Housing Forum, and is a lead organization in the community workshop Responding to the New Economy: Investing in Solutions that Work for Everyone along with Manitoba Federation of Labour, Winnipeg Labour Council, Volunteer Centre of Winnipeg, Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Winnipeg 200 (now Destination Winnipeg). SPCW presents submission on Employment Equity to City Council on behalf of 59 community groups. 

1998     SPCW accepts the responsibility for the Inter-Agency Group. At City Council’s request, SPCW establishes the Task Force on Squeegee Issues. In the same year, conducted a report and, 

• helped establish Powerhouse, Internship Program 
• Child Poverty in Manitoba 1998 Report Card 
• Barriers to A.L.L. (Acceptable Living Level) 
• Achieving Employment Equity for Aboriginal People and Visible Minorities 
• Aboriginal Business Incubator Research Project 
• West-Elmwood  Project started 
• Presentation to the Minimum Wage Review Board 
• Research Forum: Investing in the Well-being of Winnipeg Children. 

1999     Acceptable Living Level (A.L.L.) Report Part II. Empowerment Project for Women starts. 

2000     SPCW receives the University of Manitoba Social Justice Research Award. The Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth program coordinated.  Aboriginal Business Incubator feasibility study conducted. Acceptable Living Level Report released.  Building Sustainable Neighbourhoods: Conference Report, Child Poverty-Manitoba’s Problem Not a Special Interest Issue. The Campaign 2000 Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Card, addresses The Impact of the Corbiere Decision. 

2001     Youth Engagement Study released. Well-Being in the Workplace Committee established, Youth Summit, Aboriginal Reference Group on Homelessness, and Poverty Barometers introduced, A Community Plan on Homelessness & Housing in Winnipeg,  Findings of the Youth Encouragement Project: Youth Views on Community Partnerships published.  Pamphlet: Child Poverty, Volunteer Committee for the Monitoring, Supervision and Regulation of the Sex Trade/Prostitution in Winnipeg: Final Report . 

2002     Voluntary Sector Initiative – The Accord, Summer Institute on Population Health, North Point Douglas Women’s Centre established, responded to the Manitoba Premier’s first State of the Province Address and the State of the City Address by Mayor Glen Murray. Published  Exploitation in the Sex Trade: What Can Communities and Agencies do Together? , and Strengthening the Social Union: The Social Framework Agreement Third Year Review. 

2003     Winter Institute on Inclusion organized. Summer lobby campaign on Homelessness started. Community Plan Assessment, Environment Committee established. Assessment of the Community Plan on Homelessness and Housing in Winnipeg conducted.  Youth Engagement: Empowering Youth to Identify and Address Youth Issues published.  Connecting the New Deal to Social Development: Position Paper produced. 

2004     Child Poverty Vigil organized. Proposal Fund Allocation Committee established. Environmental Exposed for Life Conference held. West Central Women’s Project completed. Just Income Coalition established. Governance Youth Secretariat, Manitoba Voluntary Sector Initiative with the Volunteer Centre, Food Security Project initiated. Symposium Group established. Poverty Barometer on summer learning loss released. Urban Reserves: Exploring Reality Discussion Paper published. Exposed for Life: Conference Report released.  Public Opinion Poll on minimum wage conducted. Toward Food Security in Winnipeg, Think Tank: On the Impact of Poverty on Education,  Modernizing Treaty Annuities: Implication and Consequences. 

2005     Community Schools Investigators Summer Learning Enrichment Program established (CSI). Reports conducted ;  Co-operative Opportunities in the Food Sector, Consideration on Food Security in Winnipeg: What the Numbers Show, Healthy Living for Manitoba’s Children and Youth: The Role of Food Security.  Just Income Coalition: Low Wage Community Inquiry.  Letter written to the Provincial and Territorial Premiers on the Meeting of the Council of the Federation on Improving the Life Chances for Children and Families. Living Wage Campaign starts.  Creating a Manitoba Food Charter: A Province-wide Conversation on Food held. Provided Paid to be Poor: Low Wage Community Inquiry, Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance: Pre-Budget Consultation.  Roundtable on Healthcare and the Environment: Summary Report published.  Made a submission to Winnipeg City Council on the Proposed Amendments to the Obstruction Solicitation By-Law.  Thought About Food? A Series of Occasional Papers published. 

2006     SPC pens its Anti-Discrimination Policy. Researched and released Building Healthy Organizations: A Practical Approach for Manager and Workers released.  Growing Opportunities, Shrinking Options: Implications in the Growth, Retention and Integration of Immigrants Locating in Winnipeg published. 

2007     Release of the Poverty Barometer on Youth Aging Out of the Child Welfare System, and release of Is Work Working? Work Laws that do a Better Job: Discussion paper.  Launch of the Raise the Rates campaign, with a petition, rally, and community representatives meet with political leaders. 

2008     The Symposium Group evolves into the Make Poverty History Manitoba coalition, release of the Toward a Poverty Reduction Plan for Manitoba Discussion Document. Federal Election Forum on Urban Aboriginal Issues, Housing and Homelessness, and Youth Engagement Issues held. 

2009     SPC collaborates with other organizations and the CCPA in a release of a View from Here: Manitobans Call for a Poverty Reduction Plan, re-release of the Poverty Barometer on immigration issues. Release of the Embracing the Complexities of Women’s Lives. 

2011     Published ‘Social services and a vital Economy’ that showed how government spending on public services was not only good for the public, but contributed to the country’s economic productivity. Started to track the Provincial governments AllAboard Poverty Reduction Strategy. Conducted consultations and studies challenging the government to invest more in poverty reduction and to build on the capacity of community based agencies and efforts. Organized a public forum on poverty with candidates in the Provincial election. Partnered with Make Poverty History Manitoba, Janet Stewart of CBC was the moderator. Launched City Watch, a monthly collaboration of varied community organizations interested in working with City government. 

2012     Published A Place to Call Home: Homelessness in Winnipeg in 2011, that quantified the number of people in shelters and experiencing other forms of homelessness. Restarted the Children Environmental Health Partnership, a project to educate the public and promote safer products that affect children. Partnered with a number of environmental and health oriented organizations. Funding from SPCW, Winnipeg Foundation and Thomas Sill Foundation. Launched a Human Rights Code training project, with Healthy Hive Consultants,  to help community based organizations understand the code and to know how to use it to defend people’s rights. Collaborated with the Employment and Income Assistance Advocates Network to promote EIA reform with the provincial government. Published a report showing options for reform. 

2013     Published a report on the moving of the Canadian Pacific Railway yards from the centre of the city and creating a major social and economic development for the city. Held public meetings and stimulated public discussion. 

2014     In partnership with immigrant settlement agencies and other rights and stakeholders such as the Aboriginal Council of Winnipeg, hosted the pilot project that led to creation of Immigration Partnership Winnipeg, a federally funded program to promote and support the settlement of newcomers to Canada in Winnipeg.  Published yet another MB Campaign 2000 Child and Family Poverty Report Card, 25 Years and Children Are No Better Off.  Began to work with emergency shelters to develop a central data bank system to help people living without a permanent address. System Pathways into Youth Homelessness launched. 

2015-2016 

In partnership with almost 30 community and government partners, developed and then led the coordination of Winnipeg’s first street census We Matter, We Count which was designed to be more than just an estimate of how many Winnipeggers were completely or precariously housed but provide essential demographic information as well as on the causes and pathways into becoming unsheltered.  Immigration Partnership Winnipeg’s (IPW) completed a strategic planning process, received a three-year funding agreement and began to expand staffing. Ran a Get the Vote Out campaign that we hope contributed to the increased voter turnout of up to 20% in lower-income areas.  Helped develop and supported the KNOW Poverty campaign with Make Poverty History Manitoba (MPHM).  IPW ‘hit the ground running’ by helping to coordinate planning to address the needs of large contingent of Syrian refugees expect later in the year.  A youth strategy was developed in partnership with settlement, ethno-cultural and faith organizations. Towards Equity in Education report was launched.  We also found and moved to our present location! 

2016-2017 

Health in Common conducted a strategic planning process with broad stakeholder consultations that led to the development of immediate and long-term goals while establishing a set of Guiding Principles for SPCW.  The community of practice led work on developing a shared data system with the three main emergency shelters led to the creation of the Homeless Information Partnership Winnipeg.  This included a structure to allow all interested homelessness serving agencies to join at the level of involvement that suited their needs.  Assisted in the development and then launch of the Gang Action Interaction Network’s (GAIN) Bridging the Gaps: Solutions to Winnipeg Gangs. Partnership established with Southern Chiefs Organization to determine a safer and more accountable reporting/complaint process for the taxi industry.  After two years of community consultations, the Restorative Justice Association of Manitoba was founded in partnership with restorative justice practicing organizations and the broader community.  Here and Now: Winnipeg Plan to End Youth Homelessness was launched with SPCW asked to play on-going coordinating role of the coalition of plan stakeholders to activate its recommendations. Make Poverty History Manitoba released “12 Basic Needs of Christmas” video series and raised more than $7000 at an awareness and fundraising concert.  Other SPCW publications were: The Measures We Use: Indicators of Poverty in Manitoba Review of All Aboard 2015-2016 Annual Report, Building a Community Asset: The Ongoing Need for Social Housing in Manitoba, Basic Income and EIA: Sidestepping the “Welfare Wall”, Social Housing: Beyond Bricks and Mortar – Lord Selkirk Park and West End Commons.  IPW and its Immigrant Advisory Council released the final version of a 3-year action plan to improve inclusivity in Winnipeg. IPW’s Indigenous Newcomer and Engagement Sector Table developed the outline and draft for what has become the Indigenous Orientation Toolkit.  IPW also coordinated the first and now annual Newcomer and Welcome Fair in partnership with newcomer serving organizations and the City of Winnipeg.  This is both a resource fair but also a fun, family day that is not just for newcomers to Canada but the surrounding neighbours.  It is also an important opportunity to share cultures and especially for newcomers to learn about Indigenous Peoples. Working alongside faith-based and ethnocultural groups, IPW and SPCW established summer programs for newcomer youth. IPW worked to bring training to the Winnipeg Police Service on how to respectfully engage with newcomer populations. 

2017-2018 

In partnership with Southern Chiefs Organization, SPCW ran the From Mom with Love campaign to provide gifts to 150 children whose mothers were incarcerated. We continued to support the 100 Basket Balls event that also expanded to 100 Soccer Balls.  These were fun ‘tournaments’ that brought newcomer and Indigenous youth together with each child leaving with a soccer ball or basketball.  Work began on the second Winnipeg Street Census with that report released on 2018’s World Homelessness Day.  2nd  Annual Welcome Fair was held.  IPW continued to develop and work through its advisory tables while becoming very involved and helped lead a community response to concerns of irregular border crossings at Emerson in the wake of the Trump presidency in the United States.  A network was established as well as the development of the report Bread and Borders. IPW worked with Ethnocultural Community Groups and faith groups to develop an orientation to settlement program to improve integration process for newcomers.  SPCW worked through Make Poverty History Manitoba to develop and launch Winnipeg Without Poverty and campaign just prior to the 2018 municipal election. This led to the City finally agreeing to develop its first poverty reduction strategy in 2019.  SPCW was part of the movement that successfully lobbied to limit the hydro price increase to 3.6% instead of the proposed 7.9%. 

2018-2019 

IPW helped found the Ethno Cultural Council of Manitoba (ECCM) and launch a Newcomer Hub to help newcomer serving agencies deliver more services in South Winnipeg.  The Homeless Information Partnership Winnipeg transferred to End Homelessness Winnipeg.  IPW helped coordinate and launch the “Got Citizenship, Go Vote” campaign.  3rd  annual Welcome Fair was held. Through partnership with City of Winnipeg’s Community services department, newcomer programs to improve integration and quality of life were successfully launched.  Through the Newcomer Education Coalition, IPW continued to research and focus on the need for equity in education and call for much needed change in the K to 12 education system and curriculum.  In collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives Manitoba (CCPAMB), and through MPHM, SPCW released: Making Space for Change: The Story of Manitoba’s Rent Assist Benefit.  SPCW continued to support a variety of coalitions and helped found the Manitoba Health Coalition. 

2019-2020 

SPCW held Sorry Not Sorry, Unapologetically Working for Social Justice panel in April, 2019, developed a short video/documentary on the organization’s history and held a special annual general meeting to celebrate its 100th  anniversary in September. SPCW worked with the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) in the successful Stadler Court of Appeals challenge.  SPCW also coordinated a coalition and campaign to keep the PILC publicly funded.  Alongside 100 community organizations, SPCW helped develop a brief with 23 recommendations to improve accountability for the Winnipeg Police Service as well as the larger Justice systems. SPCW was approached and agreed to be a fiscal ‘host’ for the Modernized Annuity Working Group (MAWG).  The goal was to raise awareness about and push the federal government to honour their treaty promise around the annuity Indigenous People receive.  It has remained at either $4 or $5 dollars instead of increasing as it was meant to.  Through IPW and the Newcomer Education Coalition work, Winnipeg School Division One promised to establish an equity office.  Again, IPW’s coalition work led to the City of Winnipeg adopting a Newcomer Welcome and Inclusion policy.  Development of educational support for newcomer students K-12 in collaboration with multiple community organizations was successfully deployed during the pandemic, including providing donated computers to newcomer families to help address the technical divide.  IPW coordinated the development and release of short videos of various community leaders in multiple languages explaining essential Covid 19 updates. The Manitoba: COVID-19 Doesn’t Discriminate, Nor Should You and Don’t Discriminate MB campaigns released on social media. The Manitoba Collaborative Data Portal was publicly launched, including a food insecurity dashboard.  The Indigenous Orientation Tool Kit saw its first release as a workshop. The report Fostering Safe Spaces for Dialogue and Relationship Building Between Newcomers and Indigenous Peoples was launched. In collaboration with the Newcomer Education Coalition and University of Winnipeg, the report Supported Transitions: Effective Educational Approaches for Older Refugee Youth with Interrupted Schooling was released. 

2020-2021 

Coordinated the creation of Solutions Lab on Community Decision-Making Tools for Housing Issues. The Manitoba Child and Family Poverty Report Cards: Broken Promises Stolen Futures and Manitoba Poverty Central were published.  The Police Accountability Coalition was founded and launched.  IPW received a five-year funding contract based on both its previous and planned work.  IPW coordinated the First Annual Anti-Racism Week, and development of multiple anti-racism resources including, but not limited to, Steps to Responding to Racism Comments, Tips for Victims of Hate Crimes, Debunking COVID-19 Racist Myths, and the creation of an online library of initiatives related to COVID-19. Launch of The Land and Treaties EAL Curriculum. In collaboration with IPW, MANSO, Mosaic, and Manitoba Possible, the Newcomer Vaccine Awareness Working Group was established to reduce barriers to vaccination. Introduction of Anti-Racism in Sport Campaign and cultural training workshops for sports organizations in Winnipeg.  IPW also saw its consultation and collaboration work come to fruition as Canada’s citizenship oath was officially changed to acknowledge First Nations, Metis and Inuit rights. 

2021-2022 

Ongoing coordination of the Police Accountability Coalition (PAC) led to meetings with both municipal and provincial government representatives.  Position papers on a funding model for the Winnipeg Police Service, the need for the collection of race-based data and body-worn cameras were developed and presented on.   PAC also, with the Public Interest Law Center, developed a position paper on the need to and how to overhaul the Independent Investigations Unit.  Facilitation of Housing Solutions Lab, report delivered March 2022. Creation of 2021 Census Population Dashboard on the data portal. Launch of Healthcare for All campaign with the Access Without Fear coalition. Worked in partnership with CCPAMB and chapter authors on what was to become Winnipeg at a Crossroads:  Alternative Municipal Budget 2022.  SPCW directly contributed to the chapters on policing, newcomers and the City’s Indigenous Accord commitments.  This was launched ahead of the 2022 municipal election.  SPCW then created information one-pagers on some of the chapters to help inform voters.  We also worked with community-based organizations to develop a series of questions that we then invited mayoral candidates to answer in a filmed interview.  These videos were shared widely ahead of the election.  As an acknowledged leader in developing resources and best practices on developing better relationships between newcomer and Indigenous communities, IPW received additional funding for a dedicated Indigenous Relations Coordinator. Promising Practices Series: Developing and Evidence Base and Sharing Settlement and Integration practices that Work was also created.  IPW facilitated the Anti-Racism Youth Forum: From Awareness to Action as well as the Walking Toward a Human Rights City. Newcomer Vaccine Awareness Working Group established multiple supports for newcomers accessing healthcare, including, but not limited to, language interpretation at vaccine appointments and vaccine information events. The Newcomer Education Coalition released the second annual State of Equity in Education Report, joined the Minister’s Advisory Council on Inclusive Education, and facilitated Youth Sector Call. Completion of Newcomer Employment Hub’s feasibility study on practical support for newcomers. Release of report Exploring Experiences of Racism and Anti-Racism in Sport in Winnipeg in collaboration with University of Manitoba as a part of 2021-2022 Anti-Racism in Sport Campaign. 

2022-2023 

SPCW partnered with the MMIWG2S+ Implementation Committee on a series of presentations and a joint statement for Mayor and Council on women’s experiences in taxis in Winnipeg to ensure the City’s Code of Conduct for all vehicle for hire drivers would be strong and ensure accountability.  This work led to the City doing more community consultation work specifically with Indigenous and newcomer women.  SPCW also partnered with End Homelessness Winnipeg and other community agencies to defeat a regressive move, dismantling of two bus shelters, in how the City deals with people experiencing homelessness. Continued to support PAC in organizing and coordination for meetings with Winnipeg Police Services and the Police Board.  Developed a position paper on the need for a more effective response to people in mental health crisis, one that is community led as opposed to police led, than Winnipeg’s Alternative Response to Citizens in Crisis. Partnered with End Homelessness Winnipeg to coordinate the 2022 Winnipeg Street Census and authored the final report. With MPHM created a set of policies for the provincial election candidates to prioritize the elimination of poverty in Manitoba and helped plan and host an election debate on poverty.  Child and family report card Poverty, The Pandemic and the Province released.  SPCW also supported the first performance of The Shoe Project in Winnipeg.  An initiative that supports newcomer women with writing and performance coaching to tell their immigration story.  Also partnered with a broad national coalition to win the Mason v. Canada Supreme Court challenge.  IPW launched the Indigenous Orientation Toolkit, including facilitator guides, EAL modules, with more to come including videos and a digital learning system. Launch of Winnipeg Newcomer Strategic Plan. IPW hosted the Newcomer Mayoral Forum in October 2022 as part of the Got Citizenship? Go Vote campaign. Release of Leadership Development and Board Capacity Working Group’s Research Report “Building Stronger Boards – a Study on the Diversity of Settlement Organizations in Winnipeg”. Establishment of the Anti-Racism in Sport Youth Council. Creation of Engaging Regulatory Bodies Working Group. With IPW’ support, ECCM received funding to launch multiple projects such as: Community Support, Multiculturalism, and Anti-Racism Initiatives Project, Healthy, Safe and Violence Free Relationships Project, Tales from our Grandparents, Inclusion Through Art and Culture Heritage Project, North End Connect Project, I am a Refugee Video Project and more.  IPW provided project oversight support to these as well.  IPW worked with the University of Manitoba on the Anti-Racism in Social Work Course Development and the on-going Community Safety Project, and released Supported Transitions for Small Centres: Older Youth with Interrupted Schooling. 

2023-2024:       

STAY TUNED! 

Download the PDF document here

March 13th, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Case for a Civilian Led Crisis Response Objectives:

1) People in medical crisis receive a medical response first.
2) Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) no longer responds to calls for service that are outside their scope or expertise.
3) A reduction in overall calls for service for WPS.
4) Better service to the community through a more effective evidence and community-based approach.

Winnipeg’s current police led response, the Alternative Response to Citizens in Crisis, was launched in 2021 on a false premise. At the time both the Winnipeg Police Service and Shared Health representatives, the project’s partners, insisted that a police presence was necessary due to the potential volatility of these calls for service. WPS Police Chief Danny Smyth said at the time: “…the reality is that police will always need to play a role in these calls for service as these situations can be violent and unpredictable….”. This is despite the fact that community-led responses had been in operation for years.

“We have seen too many heartbreaking tragedies, not just in this past year, but for years. The WPS continues to insist they must be the lead on these calls when the evidence does not back that up. Chief Smyth, himself, has recently noted that according to WPS use of force reports, only 0.33% of calls result in any force being used. So why do we need police at all 20 some thousand well-being checks?” Angelina Pelletier, PAC Co-chair “We do understand that there are inherent risks of a situation escalating. However, what the WPS approach does not recognize is that some people, due to their particular condition, substance used, past bad experiences with police etc… are actually escalated by a police presence. Just because a situation does not end in violence does not mean it was necessarily a success or as successful as it could have been. Someone can be intimidated into compliance furthering mental and emotional harm. A community led response would mean that the police would only be called if the community-based organizations’ first responders felt they needed additional support.” Abdikheir Ahmed, PAC Co-chair.

“We cannot pretend that there is not a racial component to this issue. When one considers who has died in police encounters, we see that they are predominantly Indigenous, Black or other Racialized People. If the crisis response team was rooted in community, we may get better representation and results as the person in crisis would see themselves in the person trying to help them.” Lisa Forbes, Immigration Matters in Canada Coalition and PAC member.

“My friend was left waiting for over 8 hours for the WPS to arrive. And when they did, they decided she was fine and left her. When I finally got to her, it was clear she was not. She was hearing voices and had shocked herself multiple times as those voices told her to by dismantling a wall plug. I got her to hospital where she was admitted for a full breakdown. But the police thought she was fine?” Teruni Walaliyadde, SEED and PAC member.

“We in Winnipeg are very clearly heading in the wrong direction. At a recent inquest into 5 deaths in police custody, that is 5 previous deaths, not the most recent ones, a police use-of-force expert said that all that is needed is for more police to show up at calls and have the paramedics arrive earlier so the person in distress can be subdued faster and then medicated. One can only assume this would be against their free will in these circumstances. How could this not just perpetuate harm? Kate Kehler, Social Planning Council of Winnipeg and PAC member.

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Kate Kehler, 204-590-8932, kkehler@spcw.mb.ca

Link to full position paper.