Portage

The month of July has brought cool, wet weather and smoke from forest fires to the majority of the Prairies.

Rain has been reported in some of the drier areas, but its coming too late for drought stressed crops and forage, with RM's across Manitoba, and Saskatchewan and  Alberta County's now declaring agricultural disaster areas.

Taking a regional look at what's happening:

Manitoba

After a few quiet years, the Oakville Farmers Market is back and working hard to grow, both in size and community spirit.

Located at the new Oakville Community Centre, the market is once again offering residents a place to shop for fresh produce, homemade goods, and handcrafted treasures every other Thursday evening. With the next market set for Thursday (tonight) from 5 to 7 p.m., organizers are hoping for a strong turnout.

Jennifer Kroeker, who joined the Oakville Farmers Committee in 2022 as the group’s marketer, says the market's return is all about supporting local.

The Canadian Federation of Agriculture has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture & Food.

The agreement is designed to build stronger collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous agricultural producers.

Keith Currie, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture says by working together, we can amplify Indigenous voices, support agricultural entrepreneurs, and promote food production in ways that benefit all Canadians.

The provincial government recently announced two conservation programs: the Private Land Conservation Program and Ecosystems Grant Program 

The government of Alberta is investing $10 million to improve private land conservation, with the launch of two new and improved programs.

The enhanced Private Land Conservation Program and the new Ecosystems Grant Program will enable better protection of natural areas across the province, while allowing landowners to use their land for farming and ranching, the province has said.

A Winnipeg man is in custody following a series of thefts across the Interlake that began with a stolen off-road vehicle.

On the morning of July 17th, Stonewall RCMP received a report about a stolen ORV from a property in the RM of Rockwood.

According to police, the suspect used the stolen vehicle to travel north into the RM of Armstrong, where items were taken from another property.

From there, he reportedly continued to Fraserwood, where grocery items were stolen from a business on Road 231.

An Ontario judge is delivering her ruling in the sexual assault trial for five former members of Canada's world junior hockey team.

Content warning: This live blog includes graphic descriptions of sexual acts and explicit testimony from a court proceeding that some readers may find disturbing or triggering. Reader discretion is advised.

A speeding vehicle on Highway 6 in the RM of Coldwell has led to a seizure of methamphetamine, cellphones, and about $20,000 in cash, according to West Interlake RCMP.

Just before 2 a.m. on July 23, officers stopped a vehicle travelling 157 kilometres per hour in a 100 zone, near the intersection of Road 138 North. RCMP say three women were in the vehicle at the time.

Portage la Prairie families looking to enroll in Manitoba Public Insurance’s (MPI) popular Driver Z program can now register.

Tara Seel, Media and Public Relations Lead with MPI, says planning ahead will help families secure one of the coveted fall spots.

The new Portage Regional Health Centre is on track to complete construction by late 2025 or early 2026, with staff training, equipment setup and final preparations scheduled to follow in the months ahead. 

"We expect to have operational control by early 2026," says Implementation Lead Kyle MacNair. "That’s when we’ll begin training staff, installing equipment, and preparing the site for patient care." 

The full transfer of services from the current Portage hospital to the new facility is scheduled for mid-October 2026.