Operation Red Nose Brandon slamming brakes on safe ride program for 2024

Citing a steep decline in users since the COVID-19 pandemic, Operation Red Nose Brandon is hitting the brakes on the volunteer program that has offered people a safe ride home during the holiday season for nearly 30 years.

"This decision we didn't arrive at easily," said Frank McGwire, its media relations manager. "It was a tough one because we fully believe that this is just an amazing service to have, especially through the Christmas season."

The free service, which uses volunteer drivers to pick up people and take them and their vehicles home, has been operating in the Wheat City for almost 30 years. Funds raised by the program through donations from users go to local youth sports groups.

However, in the last few years "the calls have been fewer and fewer," and the organization's 10-person committee couldn't justify a decision to "kind of struggle again to get through … the season," McGwire said.

Before COVID-19 a typical weekend could raise thousands of dollars and see more than 100 calls, McGwire says. In 2023 it managed to raise $500 while fielding only five calls for service. The first week of service had to be cancelled due to a lack of volunteers.

Operation Red Nose will still be running in other Manitoba cities on weekends starting on Nov. 29. However, Operation Red Nose Winnipeg says it's also struggling this year, and could be in jeopardy unless the service gets a big cash injection.

No excuse to drive impaired: MADD

On Friday, Mothers Against Drunk Driving kicked off its 37th annual Red Ribbon campaign, which runs until Jan. 6. 

Danielle Lewis, whose sister Taylor Renwick was killed by an impaired driver in October 2015, says there's never an excuse to drive under the influence.

"If you plan ahead, there's always an option to get you a safe ride home, no matter where you live," said the president of MADD Brandon.

Lewis is optimistic the drop in demand for Operation Red Nose means people are planning safe ways to get home. However, she still worries some people might choose to drive impaired, which includes any intoxication from alcohol, drugs or prescribed substances. 

MADD doesn't promote prohibition of alcohol or other substances, Lewis says. Instead, it wants people to plan their rides over the holidays.

On a typical day, nine impaired driving charges are laid every hour in Canada. Unfortunately, Lewis says, the rate rises during the holidays.

Brandon police run "road watches," also known as checkstops, to catch impaired drivers. In 2023, 132 stops led to 63 impaired-driving charges in the city of 54,000. As of September 2024, 80 road watches have led to 41 impaired-driving charges. 

"If you're going to be consuming alcohol, cannabis or other drugs, leave the car at home, take an Uber, taxi, public transit, user-designated driver, or plan to stay the night," Lewis said. "We urge people to take a few minutes to plan."

While McGwire is not sure why the phone has stopped ringing at Operation Red Nose Brandon, he suspects it might be because more people are staying home over the holidays.

Now, their goal is to make sure people know it could still be an option in 2025.

"We're gonna hit the pause button for a while and hopefully the demand is back next year," McGwire said.