Portage la Prairie MLA Jeff Bereza, Deputy Opposition leader, and Provincial Agriculture Critic, says Oak Tree Towers residents have endured serious challenges but are finally seeing improvements.
“Let’s just thank the people of Oak Tree Towers for sticking this one out, working diligently and I can’t say enough about the people of Oak Tree Towers,” notes Bereza.
“When we first went in there and smelled urine in the hallways, saw broken glass, saw what was going on there; it was heart-wrenching and heartbreaking,” he says.
“We knew all along that there was an issue with drugs in the building and the people who were being held hostage. The drug dealer is no longer living there, one of the drug dealers, and it has changed things dramatically.”
He adds that while the building now has 24-hour security and more lighting, issues remain. Bereza says residents in other communities, such as Beausejour and Winnipeg, are facing similar problems with housing complexes.
“You get people who are on fixed incomes. They have a community in these buildings. And then this criminal element moves into these buildings and they create havoc and it makes the people in these buildings feel like prisoners. It doesn’t matter if you’re on fixed income or not. You deserve to be safe in your home.”
Improvements and support
Bereza says he is encouraged by progress at Oak Tree Towers and wants residents to keep speaking up.
“All I can say to the people out there, let us know, let us try and help you like we helped at Oak Tree Towers, and I’m glad to see that things are improving,” he notes.
He adds that he continues to meet with groups such as Dufferin Villa and Odd Fellows Towers about once a month to hear concerns and offer support.
“That’s the best part of my job, being able to help out the constituents that have put me here,” says Bereza.
Manitoba Housing response
Bereza points to one recent meeting as a sign of progress, when Manitoba Housing staff met directly with residents at Oak Tree Towers.
“I went to a meeting, I believe it was last Friday, and there were two or three people there from Manitoba Housing. I said, 'Oh, are you going to throw me out again?' And they were actually excellent.”
“They were answering questions the staff had. They were answering questions that I had. They were explaining to the staff what was going on, how long it was going on for, and things like that. It was like a 180,” he adds.
Bereza says Manitoba Housing is also introducing a key card system to monitor building access, which should increase safety and give residents more confidence. He hopes these upgrades expand to all Manitoba Housing complexes.
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