Shannon Dueck

Manitoba has launched its flu shot campaign as the start of respiratory virus season nears in our province. 

Dr. Brent Roussin is Chief Provincial Public Health Officer. He says all Manitobans six months of age and older are encouraged to get their free influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations, noting they are currently available in many medical clinics, ACCESS centres, pharmacies, vaccine clinics, nursing stations, and through public health. 

The Member of Parliament for Provencher says the Conservatives have introduced a bill aimed at defending freedom of worship and assembly.

Ted Falk says Bill C-411, or the Anti Arson Act, would create a specific criminal offence for causing damage by fire or explosion to a place of worship. It would also amend the Criminal Code to create an offence for causing a wildfire.

The St. Joachim Parish Church in La Broquerie is nearing its 125th anniversary. And, to ensure that the church building is around for many more years, a fundraising campaign has started that will help with some much-needed repairs. 

Luc Grenier is President of the 125th ad hoc committee. He says the church along Principale Street was constructed in 1901. Grenier says it was a handful of parishioners that moved to the area, along with their priest who decided that a church building needed to be constructed. He notes almost all of the material was sourced locally.

Manitobans could be paying more for natural gas, beginning next month.

Centra Gas Manitoba Inc. has filed a general rate application with the Public Utilities Board (PUB). The application seeks approval, on an interim basis, of an average natural gas general revenue increase of 4.5 per cent. If approved, the increase will take effect November 1st of this year.

Manitoba Hydro states that for a typical residential household, the new rates would result in an average increase of approximately 3.9 per cent, or $2 per month. 

Back-to-back weekends of extremely windy conditions in southern Manitoba has some people asking whether we are currently in a windy cycle and if this is a sign of things to come. 

David Phillips is Senior Climatologist with Environment Canada. He says though it has been a windy year for this half of the province, there is not much we should be reading into this. 

There was a two-vehicle crash involving a school bus Monday morning south of Ile des Chenes.

Ritchot Fire Chief Scott Weir says emergency crews were called at approximately 7:30 am to the intersection of the old Highway 59 and Provincial Road 210. 

Weir says a First Student school bus and pickup truck collided there. According to Weir, there were no children on the bus at the time of the crash. 

Thousands of health care support workers, including ones in Southern Health-Sante Sud, could walk off the job as early as Tuesday.

Gina McKay is CUPE Manitoba President. McKay says negotiations have stalled this week as government has made no new move towards a deal. 

"It's very disappointing to see and we know that health care in Manitoba is in crisis," says McKay.

Manitoba motorists will continue to benefit from lower fuel prices for at least three more months.

Premier Wab Kinew announced through a press release on Wednesday that the gas tax holiday will be extended until December 31st. It was set to expire on September 30th.

The gas tax holiday, which has been in place since early January, removes the 14-cent Provincial Sales Tax.

Manitoba motorists will continue to benefit from lower fuel prices for at least three more months.

Premier Wab Kinew announced through a press release on Wednesday that the gas tax holiday will be extended until December 31st. It was set to expire on September 30th.

The gas tax holiday removes the 14 cent Provincial Sales Tax. It has been in place since early January.

A couple from Kleefeld could be out of their home for weeks yet as the result of a flooded basement from last week's heavy rain.

Southern Manitoba was inundated with rain on Monday and Tuesday, with some areas receiving more than 200 millimetres in about 24 hours. In the Rural Municipality of Hanover, this resulted in road closures and flooded basements.

Brittany Engbrecht lives in Kleefeld, 65 kilometres south of Winnipeg. Engbrecht says though her basement stayed dry, the same cannot be said for her parents Mark and Khristy Butler, who live just around the corner.