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SUPPLIED Julie Regner loves to see Canadians tackle the slopes or après-ski at North Dakota’s Frost Fire Park.

Manitobans continue to draw line in sand, choose not to cross once-neighbourly line on land

Chris Kitching 6 minute read Monday, Feb. 23, 2026

Julie Regner loves to see Canadians tackle the slopes or après-ski at North Dakota’s Frost Fire Park, which has drawn skiers and snowboarders across the border for decades.

While there hasn’t been an official tally of visitors this season, the park’s general manager doesn’t think she’s seeing as many Manitobans amid the steep decline in Canadians venturing south.

“I would say it’s maybe decreased some from last year. They’re definitely still coming down to ski,” Regner said from the park, which is close to Walhalla, just 10 kilometres south of the border.

“We just love having them come down. They’re super nice people.”

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A city committee heard a report Tuesday on the planned development of Winnipeg Airports Authority land. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)

Jet to the west

A city committee heard a report Tuesday on the planned development of Winnipeg Airports Authority land. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)

Local

NFI Group net earnings up in Q1 on similar revenue

Free Press staff 2 minute read Friday, May. 8, 2026

NFI Group Inc. has reported a 40.8 per cent increase in gross profit in its first quarter, compared to a year earlier.

The Winnipeg-headquartered bus manufacturing company (which keeps its books in U.S. dollars) posted US$132.3 million in gross profit in the first three months of 2026, impacted by the firm working through a backlog of higher-margin units.

Its overall revenue in the same quarter was US$842 million, similar to the previous year.

NFI said its net earnings were US$11.5 million, an increase of US$18 million year-over-year.

Local

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES City council’s community services committee is set to revisit fireworks restrictions next March.

Councillors push decision on new fireworks restrictions to next spring

Malak Abas 4 minute read Preview

Councillors push decision on new fireworks restrictions to next spring

Malak Abas 4 minute read Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2026

Fire prevention officers will meet with cultural groups and fireworks sellers to talk about conducting safe celebrations, but the city won’t impose any bans or create new bylaws before next year.

City council’s community services committee heard from the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service Tuesday and from speakers arguing both for and against additional fines, enforcement or restrictions around the sale and use of fireworks.

The committee was split on how to approach new fireworks bylaws and eventually voted to revisit the issue next March, promising to create a working group to explore the issue further, in the meantime.

“I think it’s a very complicated file, and it’s important that we’re able to hear from the councillors on what direction they want this to take for the city,” Lisa Gilmour, the WFPS’ assistant chief of community risk reduction, said after Tuesday’s meeting.

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Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2026

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Local

Opposition house leader Derek Johnson, right.

Health care at heart of spring session as MLAs head back to legislature

Carol Sanders 5 minute read Preview

Health care at heart of spring session as MLAs head back to legislature

Carol Sanders 5 minute read Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026

Health care bills top the NDP government’s legislative agenda as MLAs return for the spring session Wednesday.

Premier Wab Kinew said Tuesday that a patient safety charter, nurse-to-patient ratios “and then ending mandatory overtime” are his government’s priorities.

“Those are the ones I really want to see,” Kinew told reporters Tuesday, echoing messages contained in November’s throne speech.

The Manitoba Nurses Union said it supports bills to strengthen health care but isn’t sure how and when they can be enforced.

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Wednesday, Mar. 4, 2026
A Doctors Manitoba survey found strong support for age-based restrictions on social media up to and including at least age 16. (The Canadian Press files)

Manitoba doctors raise alarm about social media health risks for youth, support provincial ban

Carol Sanders 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba doctors raise alarm about social media health risks for youth, support provincial ban

Carol Sanders 3 minute read 11:18 AM CDT

Doctors Manitoba is throwing its support behind the province’s proposed youth social media ban.

A new report by the organization that advocates for physicians in the province found social media and excessive screen time pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of children and youth.

“As physicians, we are increasingly seeing the impact of excessive social media and screen time on mental health, sleep and healthy development,” Dr. Alon Altman, the new president of the provincial physicians’ advocacy organization, said in a news release Monday. “There is strong evidence and growing concern about these highly addictive digital platforms, and that’s why Doctors Manitoba supports government action to reduce the risks and improve the health of children and youth in Manitoba.”

A Doctors Manitoba survey of more than 240 family physicians, pediatricians, psychiatrists and other specialties conducted April 30 to May 15 found that most support age-based restrictions up to and including at least age 16.

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11:18 AM CDT

Health

A Doctors Manitoba survey found strong support for age-based restrictions on social media up to and including at least age 16. (The Canadian Press files)

Manitoba doctors raise alarm about social media health risks for youth, support provincial ban

Carol Sanders 3 minute read Preview

Manitoba doctors raise alarm about social media health risks for youth, support provincial ban

Carol Sanders 3 minute read 11:18 AM CDT

Doctors Manitoba is throwing its support behind the province’s proposed youth social media ban.

A new report by the organization that advocates for physicians in the province found social media and excessive screen time pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of children and youth.

“As physicians, we are increasingly seeing the impact of excessive social media and screen time on mental health, sleep and healthy development,” Dr. Alon Altman, the new president of the provincial physicians’ advocacy organization, said in a news release Monday. “There is strong evidence and growing concern about these highly addictive digital platforms, and that’s why Doctors Manitoba supports government action to reduce the risks and improve the health of children and youth in Manitoba.”

A Doctors Manitoba survey of more than 240 family physicians, pediatricians, psychiatrists and other specialties conducted April 30 to May 15 found that most support age-based restrictions up to and including at least age 16.

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11:18 AM CDT

Local

Man convicted of sex assault at city gym denies liability in civil suit

Erik Pindera 3 minute read 6:52 AM CDT

GOODLIFE Fitness Centres and a former personal trainer who was convicted of sexually assaulting a client at a Winnipeg location of the chain gym have denied legal liability in response to the victim’s lawsuit.

The victim filed the lawsuit against Joseph Patrick Luna and Goodlife in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench late last year.

Luna, now in his late 20s, was working as a personal trainer at the Regent Avenue West location when he sexually assaulted the woman during a training session in a private room on Dec. 16, 2023.

Luna was sentenced to 18 months in jail in June 2025.

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Opinion

MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS files Tory MLA Wayne Ewasko was ejected for a comment directed at Premier Wab Kinew.

Outrage over Northland Tales program hypocritical

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Preview

Outrage over Northland Tales program hypocritical

Niigaan Sinclair 5 minute read Friday, May. 22, 2026

Progressive Conservative MLA Wayne Ewasko was suspended from the Manitoba legislature earlier this month for yelling at Premier Wab Kinew: “You’re drunk, you’re drunk. I thought you quit drinking.”

I talked about the racist comment in my weekly Free Press newsletter Biidaajimowin: News from the Centre (check it out at wfp.to/niigaan).

Racism is not an individual problem, it’s a community problem.

A single person doesn’t make racist comments without learning them from someone else.

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Friday, May. 22, 2026

Local

‘Prevention and protection’: police set to return to buses, stops

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Friday, May. 22, 2026

Undercover and uniformed police officers are returning to Winnipeg Transit buses this weekend.

The Winnipeg Police Service, citing the success of the fall pilot project, announced Friday that regular patrols will resume monitoring activity on and around buses, stops and transit hubs.

“Everyone — riders, operators, and transit staff — deserves to feel safe. Violent and disruptive conduct will not be tolerated,” police said in a news release.

It described the initiative as one “rooted in prevention and protection.”

Local

RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS FILES Matt Henderson, superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division, says the division needs to provide safe working environments while balancing students’ needs.

Efforts underway in school divisions to address safety concerns

Maggie Macintosh 3 minute read Preview

Efforts underway in school divisions to address safety concerns

Maggie Macintosh 3 minute read Friday, May. 22, 2026

School leaders say they’re staffing up, scaling training and prioritizing post-incident debriefs to address employees’ concerns about violence.

“When we want to include everyone in our society, it’s hard work. It’s a lot easier to exclude people,” said Matt Henderson, superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division, the largest in the province, with more than 30,000 students.

The division needs to provide safe working environments for roughly 4,000 employees while balancing the rights of students, more of whom have complex needs, Henderson said.

Jenness Moffatt and Dan Ward, co-presidents of the provincial association of superintendents, echoed those comments in a joint statement.

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Friday, May. 22, 2026

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