Safety concerns raised as bus stop moved from hospital

A Winnipeg hospital says the recent decision to move a bus stop away from a hospital entrance is causing safety concerns. Jeff Keele explains.

A decision to move a transit bus stop further away from a Winnipeg hospital has raised safety concerns for hospital patients and staff.

The northbound bus stop on Pembina Highway in front of the Victoria Hospital is in a good location for daily rider Ash Kaur, but she said it’s not ideal for everyone.

“For those who are attending the hospital, those who want to go to the hospital, yeah, for them it’s difficult,” said Kaur.

The stop was moved from the hospital grounds to Pembina as part of the changes to the transit network. Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge – East Fort Garry) said the hospital has been lobbying Winnipeg Transit for months to move the stop back.

“This is just a small thing that can be done to give them their sense of safety back,” she said.

The new location is on the edge of the hospital’s property, but Rollins said this has created accessibility issues and safety concerns for patients, volunteers, nurses and other staff. She said hospital security was able to keep an eye on the previous location so close to the front doors.

“Volunteers and nurses had a proximity to their security on campus, and the patients wouldn’t have to limp bleeding towards the hospital,” said Rollins.

CTV News has also learned about an alleged incident that added to the safety concerns. Someone was allegedly threatening hospital staff over the phone that they were going to bring “vigilantes” to the Victoria to “liberate” a patient.

Winnipeg police said there was a call for service and the matter was resolved. Police said there were no charges and no threat to public safety.

A spokesperson for Winnipeg Transit said they have met with the hospital’s administration about their concerns. She said the southbound stop has always been on Pembina, and the northbound one was paired with it for safety and convenience. On top of that, a pedestrian half signal was installed.

“That said, all stops are undergoing review based on feedback and operational data. Some stops will be added, reinstated, removed, or relocated based on this review,” the spokesperson said.

“Our infrastructure team is evaluating this stop, and we have committed to continuing discussions with Victoria General Hospital in January.”

A spokesperson for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) said Victoria Hospital has heard about the concerns raised by staff, patients, and volunteers about the relocation. The WRHA said the change has created significant challenges for patients with limited mobility, especially during the winter months.

“We are also mindful of the safety and accessibility concerns this presents for our staff and volunteers, many of whom rely on public transit while commuting to and from shift work,” the spokesperson said.

The WRHA said Winnipeg Transit has reached out to hospital leadership to discuss the impacts from the change.

“We are sharing our experiences with them to help inform their next steps.”