Workers with Manitoba Metis Federation (MMF) say they are being harassed and threatened by residents of nearby homeless encampments.

Currently, there is one camp near MMF's fence, as well as one along the side of the building. MMF President David Chartrand says these camps are often dumping grounds for garbage, noting a treadmill in front of one tent, as well as a hotspot of illegal activities.

Chartrand says that his workers are scared to leave the building after work and need to be escorted, one by one, to their cars.

"They are being threatened as they go to their cars, and spit on. One has a knife yesterday just placed on her hood and there were people standing by there beside them. They did not know if they were going to grab the knife or what they were going to do," Chartrand says. He adds that they were told to call 311 as a solution.

Chartrand has countless stories of MMF employees, who are primarily female, being threatened, harassed, and overall made to feel unconformable while going to and leaving work.

"I want to hire more people, but how can I do that if people do not feel safe and do not want to come to work?"

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When attempting to reach out to his own city councillor about the situations occurring at the camps, Chartrand says he was told to call 311.

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MMF has spent tens of thousands of dollars to increase security, but Chartrand is frustrated in a lack of support from the governments.

Chartrand notes that the more attention that is brought to the camps, the more tents come down.

On Tuesday, MMF's legal council sent Mayor Bowman and City Council a letter calling for action.

The letter states that MMF workers are experiencing a multitude of illegal activities, including exposure and the use of illegal drugs.

"MMF staff have witnessed firsthand clear examples of illegal drug use and sale, open fires, indecent exposure, loitering and the presence of a sizable amount of garbage. The MMF parking lot and fence have been used for public urination and defecation. Interactions by MMF staff with various individuals at these encampments have made it clear that such individuals are either experiencing serious mental health issues and/or drug-induced behaviour, both of which have resulted in MMF staff being harassed and threatened," MMF says in a letter to Council.

Organizations, such as the Main Street Project, are working to provide beds for all, and say they have. According to Councillor Browaty, Main Street Project believes said encampment has "grown out of control" and requires City intervention.

The location also is no stranger to open fires. Browaty says the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Services are concerned about the "lack of life safety" at this location and have responded to out of control fires at this location many times.

"The Disraeli homeless encampment is simply not safe for the people living there or for the neighbourhood," Browaty said. "It has to be removed."

Previously, the City of Winnipeg would visit camps, removing bulky waste and biohazards from what Councillor Jeff Browaty says are illegal homeless camps.

Browaty says he would like the city to take action regarding the camps.

"The City of Winnipeg appears to have discontinued using its resources to remove unsafe homeless encampments, like the one near the Disraeli Freeway close to downtown," Browaty says. "In May 2019 plans to contract out the work were scuttled but the work was to continue being done by City of Winnipeg internal crews. There has been no direction from Council to change course, but at the moment that work doesn't appear to be happening."