Winnipeg Local News Digests

🚨 Crime & Public Safety

Man charged after Winnipeg police allege he sexually assaulted 4 more teens. Winnipeg police laid charges this week alleging sexual assaults involving four additional teenage victims; the charge count reported in police media releases is four accused victims and the matters are being handled by Winnipeg police investigators. ↗
Winnipeg police officer won't face charges after man shot with beanbag rounds in 2024. Police reviewed the 2024 incident in which an officer shot a man with beanbag rounds and concluded no criminal charges will be laid against the officer, according to the public update this week. ↗
Human remains found in Umpherville, Manitoba RCMP say. RCMP in Manitoba reported recovery of human remains in the Umpherville area; the discovery and RCMP involvement were confirmed in the official briefing this week. ↗
Winnipeg man who once fled Somalia as refugee sentenced to 4 years for human smuggling. A Winnipeg man was sentenced to four years in prison after a conviction on human-smuggling charges, with the sentence handed down in provincial court this week. ↗

Vacant Winnipeg home to be demolished after ‘severe fire, smoke and water damage’. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said crews fought heavy flames and smoke at an abandoned Point Douglas house after responding shortly after 6 a.m.; the structure sustained severe fire, smoke and water damage and emergency demolition arrangements are underway. ↗
Boarded-up house burns off Disraeli Freeway in central Winnipeg. Fire crews responded to a blaze at a boarded-up residence near the Disraeli Freeway in central Winnipeg; officials reported exterior firefighting actions and damage assessments this week. ↗
Man dies after off-road vehicle crash; RCMP urge safe driving. Manitoba RCMP reminded riders to drive safely on off-road vehicles after a passenger was killed in a recent crash, RCMP statements this week confirmed the fatality and called for cautious operation. ↗

'Effectively, we're out of business': U.S. tariffs cut Manitoba honey farm off from vast majority of customers. A Manitoba honey producer says U.S. tariffs have effectively cut off most customers, and the operation described a dramatic loss of market access following tariff measures reported this week. ↗
U.S.-Canada trade talks have collapsed. Carney says these 3 issues torpedoed them. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced negotiators were recalled to Ottawa and that trade talks with the U.S. collapsed over last-minute disagreements on auto tariffs, Canadian decision-making autonomy and tariff treatment for alcohol, according to his public statement. ↗
Studies show year-round shipping potential from Manitoba’s Port of Churchill. Provincial studies cited by the premier say advances in ship design and reduced sea ice could allow year-round or extended-season shipping from Churchill using icebreakers costing $100M–$410M or lighter bulk carriers priced around $60M–$70M. ↗

U.S. alcohol may go back on Manitoba shelves, but Kinew urges customers to buy Canadian. Premier Wab Kinew said he is open to returning U.S. alcohol to Manitoba shelves if it helps a trade deal, but publicly urged Manitobans to buy Canadian products and said the province could remove U.S. products again if needed. ↗
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew 100% behind prime minister's decision to pull out of U.S. trade negotiations. The premier publicly backed the prime minister's decision to walk away from the U.S. negotiations, according to the political update issued during the trade-talks collapse this week. ↗
'Extreme' underfunding of legal aid faces constitutional challenge in Manitoba. A constitutional challenge was filed this week alleging extreme underfunding of Manitoba's legal aid system; court documents and filings advancing the challenge were reported in provincial legal coverage. ↗

Manitoba reports 4th case of West Nile virus as province to ramp up fogging in hot spot areas. Manitoba confirmed its fourth West Nile virus case and announced plans to increase fogging in identified hot-spot neighbourhoods this week, per public health communications. ↗
Number of adverse reactions by plasma donors reduced after Grifols flagged misclassification: Health Canada. Health Canada reported a reduction in adverse reactions among plasma donors after Grifols flagged a misclassification issue; the regulator's update detailed the change in reporting and observed reaction counts. ↗

Winnipeg artists design national monument recognizing the LGBT Purge. Winnipeg artists Shawna Dempsey and Lorri Millan were part of the winning team that designed the Thunderhead Monument to recognize the LGBT Purge; the monument is set for unveiling in Ottawa and the designers cited prairie thunderhead imagery. ↗
WHS temporarily freezes intake, says resources ‘stretched incredibly thin’. The Winnipeg Humane Society announced a temporary pause on animal intake because holding areas and clinic teams are at capacity, with the shelter noting per-animal costs of $200–$300 for healthy cats and ongoing funding pressures. ↗
Orphaned polar bear cub arrives at Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoo. An orphaned polar bear cub arrived at Assiniboine Park Zoo this week and zoo staff confirmed intake of the cub and its placement under zoo care. ↗

Winnipeg’s Braxton Kuntz drops back in 2nd round of Manitoba Open. Kuntz carded a 72 in round two at Elmhurst Golf and Country Club to sit at minus-3 and tied for 40th after a double bogey on his 18th, falling seven shots off the leaders in the PGA Tour Americas Manitoba Open. ↗
Winnipeg Blue Bombers lose Ethan Ball to season-ending injury. Head coach Mike O'Shea announced defensive back Ethan Ball suffered an Achilles injury in the fourth quarter of a recent game and will likely miss the rest of the season, the team confirmed this week. ↗
Blanchard hits 40-yard walk-off field goal to lift Elks past Blue Bombers 22-19. A 40-yard walk-off field goal by Blanchard gave the Edmonton Elks a 22-19 victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in this week's CFL action, as reported in game coverage. ↗

New signs give Winnipeg drivers time to detour before getting stuck waiting at rail crossings. The city installed new advance-warning signs at rail crossings to give drivers time to detour before being held at crossings; municipal transportation notices this week confirmed the signage rollout. ↗
Manitoba farmers harvest crops while reflecting on a ‘volatile’ year. Manitoba producers are harvesting amid extreme weather, tariffs and price pressures; provincial reports note lost acres for some farmers and generally favourable crop-condition statements from the province. ↗