Portage

The Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce held their best business awards on November 21, and several local businesses took home awards. 

The five awards were Outstanding Contribution to the Community, Outstanding Not-for-Profit, Outstanding Entrepreneur, Best Urban Indigenous Business, and Outstanding Business of the Year.

The event brought together some of the best and brightest in the city, and an enjoyable time was had by all in attendance.

2024 will go down as the year of canola disease.

That is according to Curtis Rempel, Vice President of Crop Production and Innovation with the Canola Council of Canada. Rempel says diseases were primarily root and lower stem. He notes this was partially due to the wet and cool conditions felt in large parts of the Prairies.

"For a lot of stubble-borne fungi, which are primarily disease-causing organisms, they are all fungal-related," explains Rempel. "The cool, damp conditions really allow the fungus to take off."

Following the first winter storm of the year, after a wonderful lengthy warmer-than-usual fall, snow clearing as has been the priority for city workers in Portage la Prairie. 

Mayor Sharilyn Knox says they beefed up the plan before last winter, noting last winter was somewhat mild.

The Portage Speed Skating Club recently celebrated a strong performance at the Short Track Provincial Championship held in Portage la Prairie. With just two years since the club started, they had four athletes compete, and they came out with some impressive wins. Hudson O'Neill earned a bronze medal, Jillian Wiebe took home a silver, and Casey O'Neill also secured a bronze, marking the club's success at the competitive level. The event saw athletes from various different regions compete. 

For the first time in the Manitoba Baseball Hall of Fame's history, twins will be honoured at the induction ceremony.

Matthew and Lindsey Dahl will be inducted together in 2025, and Lindsey says that it's something he wasn't prepared for.

"I was certainly surprised and excited, and quite honoured to receive the news about being inducted."

He adds that being inducted together with his brother Matt is something that he doesn't take for granted.

The government on Thursday announced a sweeping promise to make groceries, children's clothing, Christmas trees, restaurant meals and more free from GST/HST between Dec. 14 and Feb. 15. 

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have secured a key piece of their roster, announcing the re-signing of veteran kicker Sergio Castillo to a one-year contract.

Castillo, 34, has been the Blue Bombers' placekicker since 2023, marking his third stint with the team. He began his CFL career with Winnipeg in 2015, returned via trade in 2021, and rejoined the team in 2023 after a season with Edmonton.

A family with deep roots in the region is making a mark after partnering with the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) to protect an ecologically significant stretch of Manitoba grassland. The Langford Escarpment project, located between Gladstone and Neepawa, is now conserved for future generations, thanks to the Harper family and NCC’s efforts.

Spanning 178 hectares, this property has been in the Harper family since the early 1900s, providing a home for several generations. Judith Harper, a representative of the family, shared the idea behind the donation.

Portage la Prairie's Mayor Sharilyn Knox has weighed in on her opinion of the Provincial Throne Speech Tuesday afternoon. She notes Portage actually received a shout-out during the speech when making reference to a sustainable aviation fuel facility possibly coming to the region.

The Liberal government plans to temporarily lift the federal sales tax off a slew of items just in time for Christmas and send cheques to millions of Canadians this spring, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday.

"Our government can't set prices at the checkout, but we can put more money in people's pockets," Trudeau said at a press conference in Toronto alongside Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.