Candace Derksen & Pam Fedack

A unique community-based immigration program has been launched for the City of Winkler and R.M. of Stanley. The three-year pilot is a partnership between Winkler Stanley Economic Development Corporation (WSEDC) and the Province of Manitoba. 

The economic-based program will target in-demand skilled jobs in the Winkler/Stanley region, as identified in an annual regional labour forecast compiled by WSEDC. Applicants will then be vetted based on that report. 

"It was an interesting experience," described Henry Siemens, Mayor for the City of Winkler, when asked about writing his inaugural State of the City address. 

Siemens delivered the remarks at the Winkler & District Chamber of Commerce's annual general meeting on Thursday. 

"It's not something I had prepared for before, and it allowed me to give a fair amount of thought to what we wanted to bring forward," he added. 

City of Winkler staff are busy crossing the t's and dotting the i's on plans for a highly anticipated wastewater system expansion, now that funding is in place to pay for it.
    
The Manitoba government announced last week a matching grant of up to $10.9 million to help cover any cost overages of the project after planners were forced to go back to the drawing board back in May when tenders came back substantially higher than the budgeted $48 million dollars. 

A pleasant surprise, to the tune of $20,000, will benefit community services in the Municipality of Rhineland. It's all thanks to a grant from Enbridge. 
    
Reeve Don Wiebe says their administration plans to spend half to purchase equipment and the necessary associated training.

Some of the equipment includes an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) mobile screen set, which comes at a cost of $4,000. 

Council for the Town of Altona is keeping the tradition alive of having a youth rep on council. With a quarter of the community under the age of 19, Mayor Harv Schroeder says they want to make sure they're hearing those voices in their decision making.

The race is on to elect a new Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate in the riding of Midland in time for Fall 2023 provincal election.

Blaine Pedersen has long held the spot, but will not be seeking re-election once his term is up.

A nomination meeting has been scheduled for October 29th in Brunkild, and notices have been sent out to registered PC members.

There are three candidates members will be able to vote for. There are Doug Dobrowolski, Lauren Stone, and Shannon Martin.
      
Gordon Simpson is President of the Midland PC Riding Association.

The race is on to elect a new Progressive Conservative (PC) candidate in the riding of Midland in time for Fall 2023 provincal election.

Blaine Pedersen has long held the spot, but will not be seeking re-election once his term is up.

A nomination meeting has been scheduled for October 29th in Brunkild, and notices have been sent out to registered PC members.

There are three candidates members will be able to vote for. There are Doug Dobrowolski, Lauren Stone, and Shannon Martin.
      
Gordon Simpson is President of the Midland PC Riding Association.

Clean-up from Tuesday evening's unexpected downpour continued today in the City of Winkler.

By morning, City Manager Jody Penner reported water levels on many of the flooded streets had gone down. While that was encouraging, noted Penner, public works and utilities crews turned their attention to the City's sewer system which continued to be overwhelmed. 

Scott Crick will be running for his second term as Mayor of the Town of Morris on October 26th. Crick says a list of unfinished projects played a big part in his decision to run again. 

When Council set out four years ago under his leadership, Crick says the plans they had, which included expanding the industrial park, were derailed in many ways by things that have happened in the past few years, like the pandemic and the flood this spring. 

Scott Crick will be running for his second term as Mayor of the Town of Morris on October 26th. Crick says a list of unfinished projects played a big part in his decision to run again.
      
When Council set out four years ago under his leadership, Crick says the plans they had, which included expanding the industrial park, were derailed in many ways by things that have happened in the past few years, like the pandemic and the flood this spring.