Portage

As Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre argues the government's plan to speed up key infrastructure projects doesn't go far enough, some Indigenous leaders are accusing Ottawa of not giving them enough time to weigh in.

The government is developing a bill to fast-track what it calls nation-building projects with a streamlined regulatory approval process as a substitute for reviews under the Impact Assessment Act, also known as C-69.

While the federal government and cities across Canada are making strides on expanding the housing supply, the provinces still need to get serious about building quality homes, a new report released Thursday argues.

No province earned a grade higher than C+ in the report assembled by the Task Force for Housing and Climate, a non-governmental body that was struck in 2023 with backing from the philanthropic Clean Economy Fund.

The task force's "report card" evaluated governments based on their policies for building homes quickly and sustainably.

As summer pool season ramps up, the City of Portage la Prairie is reminding residents that deeper backyard pools come with specific rules and a required permit.

Mike Manastyr, senior building inspector and development officer for the city, says any pool that reaches a depth of two feet or more (0.6 metres) needs a development permit.

The permit process includes submitting a site plan that shows the pool placement and fencing.

Safety is a key concern, and that’s where fencing comes in.

“Your whole backyard would need a six-foot fence,” says Manastyr.

The results are in, and Manitobans have spoken!

CAA Manitoba has released its CAA Worst Roads Top 10 list, declaring PTH 34 from Holland to Austin claiming top spot in this year's campaign. 

This 74 km (46 miles) stretch of road in the Central Plains/Pembina Valley Region south of the TransCanada Highway has prompted the majority of votes from Manitobans calling it the WORST road to travel on!

A collaborative community initiative saw members of the Rotary Club and employees from a few local businesses come together this spring to spruce up the Duck Pond area at Island Park, bringing life and colour to one of Portage la Prairie’s most beloved outdoor spaces.

The effort is part of a growing Rotary Club project that includes four distinct garden areas around the pond, each maintained by a local corporate sponsor. This year's sponsors include Homestead Co-op, Mackenzie's Funeral Home, Richardson Milling, and Southport Aerospace Centre.

Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) students and staff gathered yesterday afternoon to raise the Rainbow and Transgender flags, officially marking the start of Pride Month.

Led by teacher Mr. Yeates and supported by PCI’s Queer Students Association (QSA), the event brought together students, staff, and allies for a short walk, student speeches, and an outpouring of support for 2SLGBTQ+ students. Mr. Yeates says the school has been working to make the Pride event an annual tradition.

More people in northern Manitoba are leaving their homes as wildfires continue to threaten communities.

The roughly 600 residents of Cranberry Portage have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order because fires have knocked out power to the community -- a situation expected to last for days.

An evacuation of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, which started earlier this week, is ongoing and officials are expecting five flights to leave for Winnipeg by the end of today.

Smoke drifting in from wildfires burning in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan is causing pockets of poor air quality and reduced visibility across the region.

As a result, a special air quality statement has been issued.

According to Environment Canada and Manitoba Health, conditions can change quickly, even from hour to hour, depending on wind and smoke levels.

There's no rain in the forecast for Flin Flon, Manitoba, over the next week as crews there fight a wildfire that's raging nearby.

Temperatures throughout the weekend are expected to range from the low to high 20s, before cooling off.

Thousands have evacuated the northwestern Manitoba city, including municipal government officials and health-care professionals.

Flin Flon mayor George Fontaine said on Friday that unless things changed, the fire was projected to take chunks out of the town.

Ottawa probably can't help overhaul how municipalities raise funds in the near future, because the federal government is now focused on major, nation-building projects, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday

"We're building on what has worked. We're learning lessons from what hasn't," Carney said at an event held by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities.

The group represents cities and towns that have lobbied Ottawa for years to give them more independent means of financing their operations.