Winnipeg Police Launch Open Drug Enforcement Strategy Amid Public Safety Concerns
WINNIPEG — The Winnipeg Police Service says it has increased enforcement and outreach in neighbourhoods seeing higher levels of open drug use and drug trafficking in public spaces.
Police say the strategy is being driven by community concerns over safety, public disorder and the visible impact of addiction in affected neighbourhoods. The service says its focus is on disrupting people who profit from addiction, while also connecting people struggling with substance use to supports where possible.
Police say open drug use has increased in public places
In a public statement, Winnipeg police said they have seen a significant rise in open drug use and drug trafficking in public places across the city.
“As a police service, we have a responsibility to address the harm being caused by the drug trade,” the statement said. “We remain committed to targeting those who profit from addiction — those who traffic illicit substances and contribute to the cycle of harm.”
Police also acknowledged that enforcement by itself will not solve the crisis.
“Despite these efforts, drugs continue to reach our streets, and the impacts are visible,” the service said. “Open drug use is occurring in public spaces and it’s not something our community should have to accept. It affects safety, public health, and quality of life. And we must respond.”
Data-driven deployment underway
Winnipeg police say officers have increased their presence in neighbourhoods most affected by open drug use and trafficking.
The service says those areas are being identified through crime data and mapping intended to show emerging trends and guide enforcement and intervention. Police say residents can expect an increased and visible police presence in those locations.
So far, Winnipeg police report 100 interactions with individuals using drugs in public spaces, 25 arrests, including two specifically related to drug possession or trafficking, and three people taken to the Protective Care Centre.
Police say strategy is not aimed at criminalizing addiction
The Winnipeg Police Service says the initiative is intended to deter and reduce open drug use, disrupt drug trafficking and improve safety in public spaces.
“We are not criminalizing addiction,” the service said.
Police say individuals struggling with addiction will be offered connections to social supports and partner agencies. That approach reflects the difficult balance facing many Canadian cities: residents want safer public spaces, while health and social agencies warn that addiction, homelessness and mental health issues cannot be solved through arrests alone.
Legal context: drug possession and trafficking
Drug possession and trafficking offences are generally dealt with under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Section 4 of the act prohibits possession of substances listed under the federal schedules unless the person is authorized to possess them. Section 5 prohibits trafficking in controlled substances and possession of controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking. The act states that trafficking or possession for the purpose of trafficking can carry serious penalties, including a maximum of life imprisonment for certain Schedule I or Schedule II substances when prosecuted by indictment.
Sentencing in drug cases depends on the substance, quantity, role of the accused, whether trafficking was alleged, prior record, aggravating factors and whether the Crown proceeds by indictment or summary conviction. In smaller possession cases, outcomes can range from diversion or discharge to fines, probation or jail. In organized trafficking cases involving dangerous drugs, courts can impose significant custodial sentences.
In Manitoba, legislation also allows police to detain an intoxicated person found in a public place in certain circumstances for protective care. The provincial law states that a police officer may detain an intoxicated person in a place accessible to the public.
National context for Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario
Winnipeg’s strategy will be closely watched by other Canadian cities dealing with open drug use, public disorder, homelessness and addiction-related harm.
For Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario, the issue is familiar. Communities across the region are facing overlapping pressures involving toxic drugs, public safety concerns, strained emergency services, mental health gaps, homelessness and limited treatment capacity.
The Winnipeg approach reflects a broader national debate: how to protect public spaces and respond to trafficking networks without treating addiction as solely a criminal matter.
Thunder Bay’s role as a regional service hub adds complexity. People from across Northwestern Ontario, including remote First Nations, travel to the city for health care, court, education, shelter and social services. Any public safety strategy in northern cities must therefore account for trauma, housing, treatment access, Indigenous health supports and enforcement against those profiting from drug trafficking.
Presumption of innocence
Police have reported arrests as part of the Winnipeg initiative, but specific charges were not detailed in the statement beyond references to possession or trafficking-related arrests.
Any person charged with an offence is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
