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Lately, a few of our local businesses have been blindsided by something that just doesn’t sit right. They installed security cameras to help protect their properties, something we all agree is necessary given what many of us deal with day to day, and suddenly found themselves facing fines from the City of Winnipeg for not pulling electrical permits.
Most of these systems are simple, plug-and-play devices. You plug them in, connect them to Wi-Fi, and that’s it. No rewiring. No renovation. Just a small effort to feel a little safer.
And here’s the part that stings: these cameras aren’t just for the business owner’s benefit. When something happens, an incident, a break-in, vandalism the first thing the police ask is, “Do you have cameras?” They rely on that footage. It helps solve crimes and keeps neighborhoods safer.
So when the city starts penalizing businesses for having them, it sends the wrong message. It feels like we’re being punished for trying to do the right thing.
For a long time now, many small business owners have felt like we’re fighting an uphill battle not just against theft or vandalism, but also against a system that doesn’t seem to value our presence. Every new rule, every overlooked concern, every extra cost added without consultation it adds to the sense that we’re not actually wanted by the very city and government we’re trying to support through our taxes, our jobs, and our services.
We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for some understanding. For policies that make sense. For support that doesn’t come with strings that make it harder to operate. When business owners take the initiative to invest in safety not just for themselves but for the whole community, it should be welcomed, not penalized.
We hope the city will take another look at how these permit rules are being applied. And we hope they’ll listen because what we’re trying to build here is safer, more resilient neighborhoods. But we can’t do it if we keep being made to feel like we’re the problem for trying.
Here is the article we are referring to:
