Winnipeg’s theatre district is getting extra eyes on the street this fall, as the city launches a new program aimed at getting patrons, performers and staff safely to and from downtown performing arts venues. Mayor Scott Gillingham announced the Performing Arts Wayfinder Program Monday, a partnership between his office and the Downtown Community Safety Partnership (DCSP) that will run through the 2026-27 performing arts season. “This new initiative will provide courtesy walks and enhanced patrolling in the area of our theatre district,” Gillingham said, speaking at a news conference in Winnipeg’s Old Market Square. Starting in September and running through June 2027, a two-person DCSP Wayfinder team will patrol around the Centennial Concert Hall and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, including nearby parking lots, on performance and rehearsal nights. Patrons and artists will be able to request a courtesy walk to their vehicle through the DCSP app or by approaching a Wayfinder team in person. The program will support performances and rehearsals by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Manitoba Opera and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (WSO), using a shared calendar so teams know when and where to be stationed. Gillingham said his office is contributing $100,000 toward the initiative. “This all started through a letter that was written by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra musicians, a letter written to me asking if we could meet to talk about safety and security concerns that they had as artists,” Gillingham said, adding the letter led to a meeting that also included the Exchange District BIZ, the DCSP and the Winnipeg Police Service. Chris Fensom, principal trumpet with the WSO and co-chair of the orchestra’s members’ committee, said musicians have dealt with repeated break-ins and disturbances in the area. “We’ve had many, many break-ins in the vehicles. We’ve had smashed windows, which many people have had. We’ve had people getting into the cars with musicians. We’ve had people following them,” Fensom said, adding the musicians felt compelled to speak up after comparing notes on their experiences. “This is bigger than we anticipated.” The Wayfinder program already operates more broadly across downtown Winnipeg, with dozens of workers rotating through the area daily. Mitch Bourbonniere of the DCSP said the broader initiative has hired 42 young people with lived experience this summer to assist people downtown—including those in crisis. “We want to be helpful to our brothers and sisters on the street that are suffering from a health crisis. Addiction and mental health is health. We want to be able to save lives,” Bourbonniere said. DCSP will track data throughout the program to evaluate its effectiveness and look for ways to improve it going forward.
