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‘The fireman grabbed me… and pulled me out’

Survivor recounts horror of losing granddaughter, cousin; within four minutes, small West End fire became fatal inferno

Chris Kitching 5 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

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‘Thought it was the flu’: more sick after eating at hotel buffet

Kevin Rollason 2 minute read Friday, Feb. 6, 2026

More possible victims of a case of suspected food poisoning at a prominent hotel have come forward.

A provincial government spokeswoman said two more reports came in on Friday after an article was published in the Free Press.

It brings the official total to 17 people who have complained they got sick after eating at a buffet at the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre at 1808 Wellington Ave., last weekend.

However, the Free Press heard from others who got sick but didn’t report it.

Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES
Air Canada announced it halted flights to Cuba due to the ongoing shortage of aviation fuel on the island, saying current projections will exhaust the supply of commercial fuel by Feb. 10.

Manitobans in Cuba stay calm as airlines cancel trips owing to fuel shortage

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Preview

Manitobans in Cuba stay calm as airlines cancel trips owing to fuel shortage

Tyler Searle 5 minute read Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

As he basked in the sunshine in Varadero, Cuba, on Monday, it was hard for Manitoban Geof Langen to imagine anything might interrupt his vacation — but when news broke that Air Canada had cancelled international flights to the island nation, it gave him pause.

“It’s kind of been the talk of today amongst Canadians. We’re a pretty large group down here, and everyone right now seems pretty calm,” Langen said by phone.

“Mostly, we’re enjoying Cuba and the incredibly gracious and hospitable people and great weather. It hasn’t at this point brought a damper or a sense of concern, beyond just paying attention to what’s going on.”

Air Canada decided to suspend service to Cuba days after Langen arrived in Varadero aboard a WestJet flight late Saturday. He and his partner are staying at a resort with friends, and were expecting a third couple from Manitoba to join them on Monday.

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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES
Taiv Inc. CEO Noah Palansky (left) and chief technology officer Jordan Davis.

Winnipeg-based tech firm Taiv closes US$13M growth round

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Preview

Winnipeg-based tech firm Taiv closes US$13M growth round

Aaron Epp 3 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

Taiv Inc. may rely on AI, but there’s nothing artificial about the Winnipeg company’s progression.

The tech company has closed a US$13 million growth round fewer than nine months after raising US$10.5 million in series A financing.

The latest round is a combination of debt and equity, and brings the total capital raised to more than US$30 million. The company’s latest valuation is just under US$100 million, said Taiv co-founder and CEO Noah Palansky.

“This is really a growth round,” he said. “It’s about hiring people and really investing in our product. We want to make something that’s amazing.”

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Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Rebecca Schneider worked at the Health Sciences Centre between 2009 and 2014.

Health-care ‘frustration’ keeps Manitoba nurse away

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Preview

Health-care ‘frustration’ keeps Manitoba nurse away

Nicole Buffie 5 minute read Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

A former Manitoba nurse working in Minnesota says despite political turmoil she won’t return home to practise due to the state of the province’s health-care system.

Rebecca Schneider has considered moving back to Manitoba since November 2024, when Donald Trump was re-elected.

As the U.S. has stepped up immigration enforcement raids to seek out undocumented immigrants, Schneider said she feels unsafe in her own city.

“I have felt more unsafe in the last month with all the (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity in Minneapolis than I ever felt during COVID, during the riots with George Floyd’s incident in 2020,” she told the Free Press, referencing the Black man murdered by a white police officer. “There’s areas of the city you just can’t go anymore.”

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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

St. John’s High School in Winnipeg (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)

Online threat forces closure of North End high school Monday

Marsha McLeod 2 minute read Preview

Online threat forces closure of North End high school Monday

Marsha McLeod 2 minute read Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

A North End high school was closed Monday morning after a threat was posted online.

St. John’s High School, located on Church Avenue, was closed “out of an abundance of caution,” said Matt Henderson, superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division.

The Winnipeg Police Service major crimes unit is investigating the threat, Henderson said.

Henderson initially said he was hopeful the school could reopen Monday afternoon, but later said students wouldn’t return for half a day.

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Monday, Feb. 9, 2026

The St. James - Assiniboia School Division Office at 2574 Portage Ave. (Mike Deal/ Free Press files)

St. James-Assiniboia School Division proposes nine per cent tax hike

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Preview

St. James-Assiniboia School Division proposes nine per cent tax hike

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read 2:38 PM CST

St. James-Assiniboia School Division is proposing a nine per cent hike in education taxes to make “minor improvements” next fall.

Officials hosted a public meeting Wednesday to share how they plan to spend $146.6 million during the 2026-27 school year.

The draft budget includes new dollars to hire secretaries to support small schools, expand extracurricular programming and reduce student fees.

“Overall, the budget reflects, mostly, a status-quo operating model,” said Tara Smith, chair of the board that oversees 26 schools across west Winnipeg.

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2:38 PM CST