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End Homelessness Winnipeg is calling for urgent action following the January 14 fire that destroyed the Manwin Hotel on Main Street, displacing residents and disrupting services.
The organization expressed concern for those affected, including nearby residents, businesses, and first responders. The fire also impacted Main Street Project, forcing an evacuation of shelter guests and a temporary halt to services.
While community partners stepped in to support, the response highlights the system’s fragility.
“The disruption of a single, core emergency response organization places immediate pressure on an already overstretched system,” End Homelessness Winnipeg said in a statement.
Vacant buildings, fires, and a rising crisis
The 2024 Winnipeg Street Census counted 2,469 people experiencing homelessness—the highest number since the census began in 2015. The organization says that reflects a system operating over capacity.
They also point to a worrying trend of fires in empty buildings. There were 274 fires in vacant properties in 2024, 150 in 2023, and 166 more by October 2025. At the same time, as of September 2025, 535 residential buildings—nearly 1,000 units—were under Vacant Building By-law orders.
In 2020, more than 34,000 Winnipeg households were in core housing need. With the city’s rental vacancy rate falling to 1.7 percent in 2024, rents are rising and options for low-income households are shrinking.
A call for collective action
End Homelessness Winnipeg is urging governments to act quickly and in coordination to tackle the growing crisis.
Proposals include:
- Converting vacant and underused buildings into supportive housing.
- Expanding access to housing with built-in health and harm reduction supports.
- Preventing homelessness with rent and eviction supports.
- Supporting homeowners to keep properties from becoming vacant.
- Clear accountability and public reporting across sectors.
“The Manwin Hotel fire is another stark reminder that housing is safety,” the statement said. “Winnipeg cannot accept a reality where buildings sit empty and thousands remain without a home.”
End Homelessness Winnipeg says it remains committed to working with all partners toward real, measurable solutions.
