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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)

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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.

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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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Opposition house leader Derek Johnson, right.

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

Carol Sanders 4 minute read Preview

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

Carol Sanders 4 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

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Opinion

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has been defending the U.S.’s crippling tariffs. (The Canadian Press files)

Offended U.S. ambassador’s cries of bullied anguish on trade ring hypocritically hollow

Dan Lett 5 minute read Preview

Offended U.S. ambassador’s cries of bullied anguish on trade ring hypocritically hollow

Dan Lett 5 minute read 2:27 PM CDT

You really have to feel for Pete Hoekstra.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s hand-picked ambassador to Canada has suffered innumerable indignities in the three weeks since he officially began the job. So rough, in fact, that after less than a month, Hoekstra is taking his suffering public.

In an interview last week with Radio-Canada, Hoekstra defended Trump’s punishing tariffs by asserting the right of the U.S. to “do certain things that protect America.” At the same time, he assailed Canada for having the temerity to ban American alcohol.

“It creates some questions about whether Canada really wants to do business with the United States,” Hoekstra told Radio-Canada.

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2:27 PM CDT

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MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Sonia Prevost-Derbecker is stepping down as CEO of Siloam Mission.

Siloam Mission, new CEO part ways

Scott Billeck 5 minute read Preview

Siloam Mission, new CEO part ways

Scott Billeck 5 minute read Updated: 5:38 PM CDT

After several tumultuous months at the helm of Winnipeg’s largest homeless shelter, Siloam Mission’s chief executive officer is stepping down.

The move to part ways with Sonia Prevost-Derbecker comes as part of a “six-month organizational support plan and leadership transition” in response to challenges facing the charitable sector across Canada, a Monday news release said.

“This is a critical period of transition for Siloam,” board chair Tracey Silagy said in the release. “Like many charities across Canada, we are navigating rising costs, declining donations, increasing service demand, and an extremely challenging fundraising environment. The board has made the decision to move forward with focused organizational support efforts to ensure Siloam remains strong, sustainable, and able to serve the community for years to come.”

The plan includes tighter financial oversight, reviews of the organization’s structure and fundraising operations, a governance review, and leadership transition measures.

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Updated: 5:38 PM CDT

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JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS Winnipeg police are still investigating the crash.

Man in critical condition after Transcona single-vehicle rollover

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Preview

Man in critical condition after Transcona single-vehicle rollover

Maggie Macintosh 4 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 4:18 PM CDT

Police are investigating after a motorist was airlifted to hospital in critical condition following a single-vehicle rollover in east Transcona during the early morning hours Sunday.

The Winnipeg Police Service was alerted about a crash near the intersection of Redonda Street and Victoria Avenue East shortly before 2 a.m., Const. Claude Chancy said.

Chancy said an adult male — the only person believed to be involved in the incident — was airlifted from the scene with serious injuries.

He did not have an update on the man’s condition 12 hours after police responded to reports of the crash near Collège Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau and Murdoch MacKay Collegiate.

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Updated: Yesterday at 4:18 PM CDT

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Connor McDowell 3 minute read Saturday, May. 23, 2026

BRANDON — The Canadian Armed Forces has chosen to operate newly procured rocket technology at CFB Shilo.

The Department of National Defence said Friday the military base east of Brandon will be the primary operation centre of 26 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System weapons, six-barrelled rocket launchers that are mounted on an army truck.

The rockets will be “leveraged” by CFB Shilo’s existing 1st Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery to start, but will “establish the foundation for the eventual formation of a new unit, the 9th Rocket Regiment, RCA,” wrote Andrée-Anne Poulin, media relations for the DND, in an email

The systems, manufactured by U.S.-based Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, are expected to be delivered in 2029 along with related technology.

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Skye Anderson 3 minute read Saturday, May. 23, 2026

BRANDON — Police say they had no choice but to take an aggressive 11-year-old boy who had punched the principal and caused destruction to his school into custody despite criticism by his parents who have demanded an apology.

The Brandon Police Service said Friday that taking a child into custody is a “last resort.”

“That decision is made only when it is necessary to prevent harm to the child or to others,” Insp. Dana McCallum said in an emailed statement to the Brandon Sun.

On Tuesday, officers responded to Earl Oxford School after receiving reports of a student who was “screaming and striking” walls, police said Wednesday.

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