Shannon Dueck

Council for the Rural Municipality of Ritchot has given the go ahead for a meat packaging facility to set up shop at Ste. Agathe.

The request came from Muuxi Adam of Iman Freshest Meat, who asked for permission to allow an abattoir and meat packaging facility in the industrial park at Ste. Agathe. The proposed sites are at 570 and 618 Batoche Way.

The price of natural gas is dropping for residential customers in Manitoba.

The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has approved the application by Centra Gas Manitoba to decrease the gas commodity rate. The rate will drop from about 18.78 cents per cubic metre to 14.64 cents per cubic metre. 

The PUB has also approved an increase to the Commodity Cost Balancing Deferral rate rider from .17 cents per cubic metre to .67 cents per cubic metre.

The major risk of flooding continues for the Red River between Emerson and the Floodway inlet. 

The Hydrologic Forecast Centre reports that while most tributaries have already peaked or are near their peak within the province, flows and levels continue to rise in major rivers, including the Red, Assiniboine and Souris rivers. 

Emergency crews responded to a multi-vehicle crash late Wednesday morning near Ste. Agathe.
    
RCMP say the collision involved a semi and pickup truck at the Highway 75 and Provincial Road 305 intersection. 
    
Police note it appears the pickup truck driver may have suffered serious injuries.
    
A motorist said both southbound lanes were closed while crews cleared the scene.

It appears as though the intersection at Highway 75 and PR 305 has since reopened.
    
We will provide more information when it becomes available.

A meteorologist with Environment Canada says the freeze-thaw cycle will likely be with us for a while yet. 

Brian Luzny says they are expecting double-digit highs at times this week, with some lows dipping below the freezing point.

The Executive Director for Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach says the future looks optimistic even though the museum reported a sizeable financial loss for 2022.

The museum held its annual general meeting Tuesday night, attracting about 35 people.

Gary Dyck says 2022 ended up being their busiest year ever at the museum. He notes part of that can be attributed to the excitement for a return to normal following the pandemic. He adds the museum also offered more winter activities and held its first-ever Peace Trek fundraiser. 

Manitoba Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen has ordered an external organizational review of Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI). 

The Steinbach MLA says the review comes following concerns raised by the Public Utilities Board (PUB) in recent rate applications as well as concerns he has raised both publicly and privately to MPI. 

The Member of Parliament for Provencher says he lobbied hard for his border communities, and now he has received what he was asking for.

On Friday, three ports of entry in Provencher returned to their pre-pandemic operational hours of service. Ports at Piney, South Junction and Tolstoi were all operating with reduced hours since July 2020. But, Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Marc Mendicino announced earlier in the week that beginning Friday, those three ports of entry would see the following hours:

The Mayor for Ritchot cautions that there are still many variables that could either strengthen or lessen the chances for significant flooding this spring. 

In its latest flood update from Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure's Hydrologic Forecast Centre, the province is calling for a major risk of flooding along the Red River. The risk of flooding is low to moderate in most Manitoba basins. 

Border crossing hours have been extended, beginning yesterday, for ports of entry at Piney, South Junction and Tolstoi.

Canada's Minister of Public Safety, Marc Mendicino announced Monday morning that starting Friday, March 31st, hours will be extended at 39 ports of entry across Canada, returning to pre-pandemic operational hours of service. 

Thirteen of those 39 land ports of entry are in Manitoba, including ones in Piney, South Junction and Tolstoi.