Manitoba premier promises 'deep dive' into concerns about crime in Swan River

The provincial government says it wants to hear first-hand why residents in Swan River are fed up with crime.

Premier Wab Kinew said Thursday his government will return to the community this summer to hear concerns about the high rate of property and retail crime afflicting the western Manitoba town.

The province will meet with municipal leaders, but it's important "to open this one up" to other voices, Kinew said at a news conference held on the front lawn of Swan River's town hall.

"This has been such a hot topic here in the Swan Valley region that we really think it's necessary that we spend a significant amount of time and a significant deep dive, if you will, in terms of hearing the voices, the challenges, some of the local solutions as well," the premier said.

According to Statistics Canada data, the town's crime severity index — a measure that takes into account how much crime is reported and the seriousness of the crime — was nearly 3.5 times higher in 2022 than in Manitoba as a whole.

Swan River's severity index that year was more than 50 per cent higher than it had been five years earlier.

In response to the rising crime rate, the town and local business owners have helped fund the installation of dozens of security cameras and bought a patrol vehicle to make rounds.

Kinew said the government was invited to discuss public safety with communities as part of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities' regional district meetings coming up this summer, which includes a stop in Swan River. 

While the government is still finalizing details with the association, Kinew said the province will ensure members of the community can participate in the Swan River discussion.

A government spokesperson said meetings in other communities are planned, and Justice Minister Matt Wiebe will attend the discussions.

That meeting will be in addition to public safety summits the government was already planning to organize in other regions, including Westman and northern Manitoba.

Earlier this week, the first such summit was held in Winnipeg. Upwards of 200 community and Indigenous leaders, as well as representatives from law enforcement, restorative justice, victims' service organizations and advocates serving vulnerable populations, took part in the invite-only event.

Some representatives from the Swan River area attended, Kinew said.

Swan River Mayor Lance Jacobson said the community has seen positive returns in recent months from the new security cameras and patrol vehicle, and he wants more businesses involved in setting up cameras.

Late last year, the town said it had already installed 20 cameras, and hoped to increase that to at least one camera at 84 different locations.

The provincial government held the news conference Thursday to re-announce its initiatives to curb crime, such as hiring a dozen police officers in Winnipeg and bolstering the monitoring of chronic offenders.