Thunder Bay Police to Launch Project Support in Downtown Core Stabilization Effort
THUNDER BAY – NEWS – Thunder Bay Police Service says it will begin a new downtown core stabilization initiative on April 20, with a focus on connecting vulnerable people to housing, mental health and addiction supports before turning to enforcement.
The move matters in Thunder Bay because concerns about visible disorder, open drug use and aggressive behaviour have become a growing issue for businesses, transit users and residents in the city’s core areas.
Support-First Approach Planned for Downtown Patrols
The initiative, called Project Support, will be led by the Thunder Bay Police Service Community Oriented Response and Engagement unit.
According to police, the project is intended to improve safety in the downtown cores while helping people experiencing addiction, mental health challenges and housing instability connect with services. Police say the approach will combine outreach, partner co-ordination and increased foot patrols in key public spaces.
Operational Support Insp. Jason Rybak said the initiative is designed to begin with assistance rather than punishment.
“Our approach starts with support. The goal is to meet people where they are, connect them with the right services, and reduce the risks they’re facing,” Rybak said in a statement.
He added the project is not meant to criminalize poverty or addiction, but to improve safety while focusing enforcement on people who exploit vulnerable community members.
What the Project Is Intended to Do
Thunder Bay Police say Project Support has several goals:
The initiative aims to:
• Prioritize service connections for people experiencing addiction, mental health challenges, or housing instability
• Improve public safety and restore order in shared public spaces
• Reduce visible disorder and open drug use in downtown cores
• Strengthen collaboration with social service and community partners
• Ensure consistent, lawful, and proportionate enforcement
Police say the initiative is a response to ongoing concerns raised by the business community and the public about vandalism, trespassing, disorderly conduct, aggressive behaviour and related impacts on safety and economic activity.
Where Patrols Will Be Focused
Beginning April 20, patrols will focus on high-traffic and high-visibility locations in the downtown cores, including:
• Transit stops
• BIA storefronts
• Public plazas
• Parking areas
• Commercial areas
• Pedestrian walking areas
• Public gathering areas
The increased foot patrol presence is intended to address public concerns while also improving contact between officers, outreach workers and people in need of support.
Outreach Before Enforcement
Police say the first point of contact during patrols will usually be a TBPS social navigator or a Community Inclusion Team co-ordinator. Their role will be to offer referrals to services such as housing supports, addiction treatment and other community-based assistance.
Criminal enforcement, police say, will be used only as a last resort when disruptive or illegal behaviour in shared public spaces continues.
Why It Matters in Thunder Bay
Downtown safety and visible social disorder remain major public concerns in Thunder Bay, particularly in areas where businesses, transit users, service agencies and vulnerable residents interact daily. The success of Project Support will likely depend not only on police presence, but on whether enough housing, addictions treatment, mental health care and community services are available to meet the need.
That means the initiative will be closely watched by business owners, frontline agencies and residents looking for both safer public spaces and a more effective response to people in crisis.
