Frustration grows as rural Manitoba communities struggle to deal with crime, repeat offenders
CBC
In the past few months, Portage la Prairie has seen more than a dozen people go through the "revolving door" of the justice system and end up accused of repeat offences, the mayor of the small southern Manitoba city says.
"It's frustrating for citizens," said Mayor Sharilyn Knox. "It's affecting their livelihood, their properties, the things that they care about."
Knox says in recent months, about 15 people in the city have been released on conditions after being arrested, then been accused of breaching those conditions and ended up being arrested again.
They're typically accused of petty crimes like shoplifting and property crimes, she said, some of which appear to be fuelled by methamphetamine addiction.
Knox says RCMP have told her they received 148 property crime calls from Portage la Prairie from October to December 2022 — an increase of about 20 per cent from the 125 calls over the same period in 2021.
"We're spending time and money on it," said Knox. "It seems like property crime can be repeat, repeat, repeat before there's sort of anything really significant done."
The city of about 13,000 is one of several southwestern Manitoba communities seeking new ways to tackle crime.
Just over a year ago, Portage la Prairie started working with the province, the justice department, Crown prosecutors and RCMP to create a committee dedicated to tackling the repeat offender issue.
Its goal is to increase communication between all groups to ensure offenders receive not just proper sentences, but also resources and services.
Portage la Prairie was also one of 12 communities that got a total of $1.3 million in provincial funding last April to develop and implement local safety and well-being plans.
Knox says that offers an opportunity to better understand what's still needed to help improve safety in the community, including making sure repeat offenders have the resources they need.
"I just feel that there's a piece missing, where we just don't have the services out there to give people the help they need," Knox said.
"We're at a little bit of a crossroads right now … in our province and in our country, where we need our justice system and our social services systems to line up a little better."
The current state of rural crime is "unsettling," said the president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities.
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