As per Winnipeg Police, there is a spike in meth-related crime incidents, like property theft, residential break-ins, unreasonable anger towards each other (meth users) and other people around them, violent attacks, some ending up in lethal outcomes for victims, lately there were three deadly beatings in just three days in the city, one of the incidents is already connected to meth use, two other cases are still under investigation.
A West Broadway community organization says its staff and volunteers have little choice but to work around sleeping meth addicts who crash during the day after being awake all night. Methamphetamine is a real problem in Winnipeg, the majority of people involved are youth and older teenagers. There is a study conducted by Winnipeg Police department about how people on meth are no longer productive, so they have to find other ways to get money to fuel their addiction and get more drugs. People on meth turn to pity theft and other, more serious crimes. Bike theft, residential break-ins, garage theft is now a rising problem in the city. Just recently there were a number of bike thefts, most of them were arrested later by Winnipeg Police and incidents linked to meth usage.
“When you have no place to sleep and you have to walk all night to stay warm or avoid assault, meth helps,” said Lynda Trono of West Broadway Community Ministry. Trono said the ministry received a number of sleeping mats a couple of months ago, and since then, the Furby Street facility has been packed every day with vulnerable people looking for a place to sleep.
They’re not all meth users, but she said addicts make up a significant percentage of the 100 or so daily visitors to the facility, which offers food and resources to those in need.
City authorities putting a lot of effort and pretty large funding dedicated to study and overcome Winnipeg`s meth problem.