Portage

Amber Beaulieu, network coordinator for the Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, visited the Portage la Prairie Youth Hub this week to speak with youth about sexual health, rising cases of syphilis, and overdose prevention.

Beaulieu notes that International Overdose Awareness Day took place on August 31, and her team hosted a local event. She says speaking with youth in advance is an important way to raise awareness.

Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Cartier, Christa Vann Mitchell, says August 20th's heavy rains left a trail of damage, raising concerns for local farmers trying to reach their fields.

While some areas west of Portage la Prairie fared better, places closer to the La Salle River struggled with sewer backups and flooding. She explains that the unexpected rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems, partly because sump pumps and weeping tiles in many homes feed directly into municipal sewers.

Federal public servants were less likely to call in sick to work during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, new government data shows.

The figures shared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat indicate that in 2020-21, when the pandemic had most office employees working entirely remotely, the average number of sick days for the public service was 5.9.

That number grew to 8.1 in 2021-22, 8.8 in 2022-23 and 9.2 days in 2023-24.

New research on a sample collected from the asteroid Bennu — a small portion of which should arrive in Canada soon — is offering a glimpse into how it came to be.

Studies published in Nature Astronomy and Nature Geoscience last week offer some insight into the granules that were collected and brought to Earth in September 2023 as part of NASA-led OSIRIS-REx mission.

Lyss Houde has been a growing voice in hockey throughout Manitoba for a while now, and the gifted host has taken her talents to the world of podcasting where she is talking about important issues with people who are educated and passionate about the game.

How it all got started

After 25 years, Point West Electric’s founders are entering retirement, leaving behind a thriving business and a bright future.

When Gil and Kelly first launched Point West Electric 25 years ago, they didn’t have a building, a large crew, or even a long list of local contacts. What they did have was determination.

“I wasn’t from Portage, my wife was, so I didn’t know a lot of people when we first started,” Gil remembers. “It meant going door to door, earning trust, and proving we could deliver.”

A couple of weeks ago, you may have noticed a plume of fire shooting into the air just North of Carman, Manitoba, if you were driving along Provincial Road 13.

The pillar of fire appeared to stretch as much as 20-30 feet into the air, and was seen burning continuously for days on end.

A rather odd and uncommon sight to see across the Prairies, it may have left residents and passersby in the area concerned about an out-of-control situation, but that couldn't be further from the reality.

Fort la Reine Museum has wrapped up what staff describe as their fastest fundraiser ever, with community donations surpassing the target to rebuild the Métis Trapper Cabin.

Fundraising and community engagement coordinator Cindy McDonald says the initiative, called Buy a Log, allowed residents and businesses to purchase individual logs for $50 each. The response was swift, and combined with a substantial anonymous donation from a local, the goal of $8,000 was quickly exceeded, reaching nearly $11,000.

Splash Island Waterpark is getting ready to close its gates after another busy summer in Portage la Prairie.

The last day of operations is set for Monday, September 1, with public swim and private rentals continuing through the final weekend.

“Swimming lessons are done for the season, and so we're just kind of wrapping up with private rentals and public swim,” notes Angie Shindle, General Manager of the Portage Regional Recreation Authority.

Portage la Prairie’s new automated garbage collection system is settling in smoothly, with residents adapting well to the city’s updated pickup process.

Jocelyn Lequier-Jobin, Director of Operations for the city, says the system is functioning as planned, and feedback from the community has been fairly positive since the new automated cart system rolled out August 1, 2025.

Minimal issues and smooth adoption

Lequier-Jobin says the early weeks of the program have gone well.