Portage

The Portage Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) is set to transform its challenging parking lot into a safer, more accessible space after receiving a $14,500 grant from the Community Foundation of Portage and District. The funding will address the current dirt-and-mud terrain riddled with potholes and uneven ground, which has long hindered accessibility for visitors, particularly those with mobility challenges.

A family's birthday tradition is helping push the Accessible Playground Equipment fundraiser forward in Portage la Prairie. Kim Wikdahl, a volunteer and co-chair of the Parks Committee, first pitched the idea in 2022 after seeing a family help their child, who uses a wheelchair, get on and off a school bus. It made her realize how few accessible options there were in the city's parks. 

Gas prices across Manitoba are seeing marginal movement this month, with only slight fluctuations of one or two cents per litre. While wholesale prices have dipped from around 90 cents to just under 88 cents, Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, says the real shift is coming at the retail level, where stations are sacrificing their margins just to stay in the game. 

“Gas stations are often running at zero margin,” McTeague notes. “They're able to make it up on sales of diesel, premium, or even what they sell in stores.” 

Manitoba's energy regulator has approved higher natural gas prices.

The Public Utilities Board says rates for a typical residential customer will rise 12.4 per cent, or about $73 a year, starting May 1.

The board says the increase is due to several market factors, including reduced natural gas storage levels in North America following a colder winter.

Higher demand for liquefied natural gas was also cited.

Gas rates are reviewed regularly and the next review is slated for August. 

The Winnipeg Jets suffered a lopsided 7-2 defeat in St. Louis on Thursday night, as the Blues rode early pressure and a playoff hat trick from Pavel Buchnevich to claw back into the series.

The loss trims Winnipeg’s series lead to 2-1 heading into Game 4 on Sunday.

Buchnevich shines, Blues dominate from the start

Heading into the game, the Jets were well aware of the challenge ahead. Mark Scheifele had said earlier in the week that playing in St. Louis’ building would be a difficult test, and he was proven right in emphatic fashion.

Party leaders emphasized familiar themes Thursday as they criss-crossed the country to shore up support in the final stretch of the federal election campaign.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre began Thursday in Halifax — where he pitched a promise of change for Canadians struggling to afford life's essentials — before heading to Saskatoon.

In Coquitlam, B.C., Liberal Leader Mark Carney spoke about bringing Canadians together to build up the country to fight U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war.

Excitement is building as the final draw for the Highway #1 Lotto 50/50 in support of the Portage Terriers and Virden Oil Capitals is set for today. With a goal of raising funds for Manitoba Junior Hockey League teams, this event is the first of its kind in the Central Plains area.

“We hope once we hit $100,000, that the pot will go even higher from there,” says Terrier marketing director Cody Buhler. “It’s going to be a really exciting finale to this fundraiser. The minimum take-home for the winner will be $50,000 and it could be more depending on the sales today.”

While the rain earlier this week was welcome, April has still been very dry and the Portage la Prairie Fire Department is once again on the scene of grass fires north of Portage Thursday night.

Residents in the area started reporting smoke in the region near Oakland just before sunset and then pictures starting rolling in to social media.

Earlier this week the fire department issued a warning to residents after responding to almost 10 calls over Easter weekend.

Two key community projects in Oakville are moving forward thanks to recent grants from the Community Foundation of Portage and District.

The Oakville Early Learning Centre received full funding for a project to enhance its outdoor play space. Executive Director Cindy Curry said the grant will provide essential tools like wagons, pails, and shovels. The Centre also received another grant called the sustainability grant for additional trees, fencing, and 40 yards of sand from Early Learning and Childcare Manitoba,

Seed treatments can play an important role against disease, helping to give the newly emerging crop a better start.

Dr. Kelly Turkington, a plant pathologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Lacombe says seed treatments can effectively control seed-borne diseases such as Fusarium, spot blotch pathogens in cereals, and loose smut in barley.