Health Sciences Centre Safety and Security Update from Dr. Chris Christodoulou, Interim President & Chief Executive Officer, Shared Health
It’s my sincere pleasure to welcome you to the Health Sciences Centre Safety and Security Update.
This has been a difficult period as we’ve dealt with a series of troubling incidents at HSC.
As I write this message, I wish to make one thing very clear to all; the security and safety of staff, patients and visitors to HSC is our top priority. You have my absolute personal commitment to a secure and safe working environment for all.
A significant piece of that work is listening to you, our staff. Your experiences, concerns and ideas in addition to security and crime prevention specialists will shape the steps we take to make HSC a safe environment for everyone.
I had the opportunity over the past couple of weeks to hear from several of you during the series of drop-in meetings at HSC. Throughout the meetings I was truly moved by the willingness of staff to come forward and share your experiences. There were several difficult conversations throughout the meetings but it’s precisely these types of conversations that are needed at this time.
Thank you to everyone who has attended the drop-ins. We appreciate the feedback you have given us on our approach to offer the sessions at various different locations and times to best serve you.
The voice and concerns of our staff will remain at the forefront of the steps we take in the coming days and weeks. By working together, we have an opportunity to make the meaningful changes we all want to see.
What We’ve Done
Addition of Winnipeg Police Service officers to Emergency Department
As was shared on Sept. 9 by our provincial government partners, two Winnipeg Police Service officers will be stationed in the HSC Adult Emergency Department on a full-time basis in the coming weeks.
For more on this important announcement, please see my message sent to all HSC staff on Sept. 9.
Changes to HSC area transit stops
The recent changes to the locations of nearby bus stops is an example of the difference we can make by working together. Shared Health and HSC leadership took feedback from HSC staff and met with City of Winnipeg Transit officials to request the transit stop near William at Furby be moved closer to our campus.
The City of Winnipeg was quick to respond to our request and shared that effective August 31, 2025, the bus stops located at William and Furby (stops 11102 and 11103) will be relocated to the intersection of William and Sherbrook. All transit stops in the proximity of the HSC campus are currently under review based on ongoing concerns that you have shared with us since the new City of Winnipeg transit plan came into effect.
HSC Security and Safety Email Account
Also, at the suggestion of staff, we have created a new Shared Health/HSC Security and Safety email account – [email protected]. It was noted that security updates can get lost among the daily messages that come from the HSC Messenger account and that a new account, strictly for security-related matters would be helpful.
Increased Visibility of Security Numbers
You may have noticed in recent days that efforts have been made to make our security information and contact numbers (204-787-4567; PsycHealth Only: 204-787-5000) more visible throughout the campus for staff, patients and visitors. Included in that information is the number to contact should you see any incidents or suspicious activity on campus.
I appreciate that in the face of the larger picture these might seem like smaller issues, but I highlight them to show that your voice matters and will be considered on all steps we take, big and small.
Importance of Reporting Safety Incidents and Concerns
While meeting with staff during the drop-in meetings I was struck to hear several people share they had seen incidents and suspicious activity on campus but chose not to report it.
I raise this point because as staff on campus, you are our eyes and ears. Please ensure that any suspicious activity on the campus is reported. Hearing about this activity helps security attend to situations before they escalate. It also enables our security team to determine trends on the campus and make the necessary adjustments to address them.
We all have a role to play and, from an executive perspective, I give my commitment to staff that all reported incidents will be followed up on in a timely fashion.
In closing, I wish to reiterate my earlier point: the safety and security of all HSC staff, patients and visitors is an absolute. No stone will be unturned in this effort. We are also mindful of ensuring HSC remains a patient-centred facility and that our work continues to support critical initiatives such as our Harm Reduction Program.
This will be a challenging task but one we are deeply committed to in partnership with you, our staff, union partners, educational partners, the provincial government and City of Winnipeg.
Moving forward, we will be sharing security updates and initiatives with staff as they become available via updates such as this one. We have also created a Security and Safety Updates page on the HSC website which will also be updated regularly.
Make Your Voice Heard
To date I have received more than 40 messages from staff. If you have ideas, questions or concerns I encourage you to message me directly at
[email protected] and I will respond to all message personally.
