City councillor pushes for free downtown parking for cops

One Winnipeg city councillor is pushing for police to get free parking spots downtown.

Coun. Paula Havixbeck said officers should get free spots near the new Public Safety Building when it opens at 266 Graham Ave.

The councillor for the Charleswood-Tuxedo area pitched the idea at city hall Tuesday morning.

She said parking is too expensive downtown, and officers should have access to a safe and secure place to leave their vehicles.

"Winnipeg police officers put their lives on the line. They deserve to come back to their vehicle and not have their personal property or themselves hurt," she said.

Havixbeck said she is aware of incidents where off-duty officers were attacked after their shifts as they were going to their vehicles.

She also said fire and paramedic staff get free parking and thinks police officers are owed the same courtesy.

"Police in suburb stations are also paying and when you compare that to our firefighters and paramedics, they don’t have to pay, necessarily, to park at the station," she said. "That’s very unfair in my mind."

Renovations on the new Public Safety Building are expected to be completed next year.