Assault, harassment incidents rise at Millennium Library alongside boosted attendance

Last year brought another spike in attendance at Millennium Library alongside another rise in incidents, including assault and harassment.

A report made to a Winnipeg city committee found visitor numbers were up 19.4 per cent at the downtown library in 2024 compared to the previous year.

More incidents were also reported last year compared to 2023. However, it noted the percentage of incidents to library visits remains similar to previous report periods—0.1827 in 2024 compared to 0.1499 per cent in 2023.

“There is an increase in the number of incidents particularly in the April through June 2024 and October through December 2024 timeframe, but overall the percentages remain consistent with findings in previous quarterly reports,” the report reads.

Still, Millennium Library incidents in the last 12 months made up 49.88 per cent of all library incidents. This was an improvement over 2022 numbers when it made up 65.89 per cent.

All in, there were 103 calls to police from the city’s libraries and 60 of them stemmed from Millennium Library incidents.

Breaking down the incident types by numbers, reports of hazardous conditions were up 900 per cent compared to 2023, while reports of harassment were up 150 per cent. Assault incidents were also up 138 per cent, and intoxication incidents were also up 135 per cent.

Meanwhile, the library’s Community Connections space logged more information questions than any other service desk, despite reduced hours and staff shortages. It also handled 51 per cent of all Millennium Library information requests.

Employment information, including resume assistance and basic needs like phone access, sending faxes, and emails, were in high demand through the resources hub, the report said.

These numbers come after the city cut Community Connections’ funding, forcing the space to close at the end of last year.

City council later approved a proposal by the Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) during its 2025 budget vote to move into the space and offer its services starting April 1.

- With files from CTV’s Charles Lefebvre