Main Street Project's new van to help clients get to ceremony, cultural events

An organization with a focus on harm reduction says the most recent addition to their fleet of transit vans is an example of the capacity and drive of Winnipeggers to come together and help people in their community.

Main Street Project will mostly use the new van to give their Indigenous clients an opportunity to access ceremonies and cultural events that are often out of reach due to transit barriers.

"The van has been nothing but a beauty to us," said Vanessa Gamblin, director of Indigenous relations at Main Street Project.

"When we first rolled up with the van the first day, we rolled up in front of the Thunderbird House and they all started screaming and cheering."

Gamblin said the van will help participants access opportunities to find their true selves and identities. She says it's motivating to have a simple tool like a vehicle to help implement calls to action from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Final Report.

"It may seem simple to others but it is actually profound for what we can actually do in the community,"Gamblinsaid.

The new van was donated to Main Street Project by a transit-worker-created fund that is administered by the Winnipeg Foundation.

Transit EmployeeCommunity Fund co-chairRandy Tonnelliersaid the fund is run by a small group that chooses projects they feel are important to the community.

"Transit employees are out there working with the citizens of Winnipeg every day, we're seeing homelessness we're seeing addiction, we're seeing people in need," says Tonnellier.

"We knew that the Main Street Project was just a really great organization. We were really happy to be able to get this van for them."

Jamil Mahmood. the executive director of Main Street Project, saidhis organization began working with a group of transit workers before the pandemic on de-escalation techniques and on how to work with vulnerable community members. That relationship helped create the Transit Employees Community Fund.

"There's definitely a unity of transit drivers and our staff that is shared," saidMahmood.

"Transit drivers like our staff are the front line staff in our community out on the front lines every day."

The new vehicle cost a little over $85,000. Mahmood says maintaining and running the van won't be a problem for the organization.

"We have a system in place that we use for other vehicles and that will be applied to this so there's no challenge for us to be able to cover maintenance."

Gamblin says the use of this van is unique because it will be used to respond to the needs of the community on the ground in real time.

"We have people walk up the street and say, 'Hey, I heard you guys are going to medicine picking, can I come?'" Gamblin said.

Mahmood says the van and the work it will support will allow people who access Main Street Project and their programs an opportunity to expand people's access to areas beyond the city.

"This is extending beyond just an emergency or critical need. I know a number of people it's their first time getting out of the city in many years, if ever," saidMahmood.

"We know how healing nature is and having that opportunity to get out there is such a great thing."