An RCMP collar tab pin is seen in Edmonton, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

Manitoba RCMP are investigating a suspicious death in The Pas.

Officers responded at around 7:55 a.m. on Friday after receiving a report of an unresponsive man in an open area south of 4th Street West.

Police say a 43-year-old man was found at the scene and pronounced dead.

The death is considered suspicious, and multiple RCMP units are investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP in The Pas at (204) 627-6204 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

By The Canadian Press

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced recalls due to possible listeria contamination affecting products including salads, cheese and meal kits.

The agency says Co-Op brand creamy garlic and spinach salad, sold in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Saskatchewan with best-before dates between March 24 and April 4 are recalled and should not be consumed.

Numerous cheese products sold nationally, including Bothwell shredded three-cheese nacho blend in 400-gram and one-kilogram quantities, Goldstream cheddar style shredded processed cheese product, and Paradise Island brand Asiago shredded cheese are also among the recalls over listeria concerns.

A recall for some cheese ingredients included in certain Hello Fresh brand meal kits, sold across Canada has also been expanded from an earlier one issued last Monday.

Complete lists of affected products are available on the CFIA website.

Listeria can contaminate a food product without making it appear spoiled, and those who consume those foods may develop symptoms including vomiting, nausea and persistent fever, although the CFIA says there have been no reported illnesses associated with any of the recalls.

By Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala poses with the provincial budget after speaking to the media at the legislature in Winnipeg, on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski)

A report from a major credit-rating agency is raising questions about the Manitoba government’s plan to reduce the deficit this year and balance the budget next year.

Moody’s, in a report issued last week, said the province’s plan to slash annual deficits, last estimated at more than $1.6 billion for the fiscal year that ended in March, does not appear to line up with the government’s own economic growth projections. Economic growth leads to more tax revenue.

“The budget expects slow but steady economic performance, with real (gross domestic product) growth of 1.3 per cent in 2026 and 1.7 per cent in 2027, although we note that the rapid pace of projected fiscal improvement appears inconsistent with this slow growth,” the report says.

Moody’s also raises a cautionary note about the budget’s projections for a big turnaround and profit at Crown-owned Manitoba Hydro.

For the last two years, government budgets have predicted a net income at the utility. In both years, the utility ended up losing money, largely due to drought and reduced water levels used to generate power.

Hydro’s net loss was last pegged at $502 million for the fiscal year that ended in March. This year, the government is predicting net income of $140 million.

“The province’s forecast of a rapid fiscal improvement relies in part on its expectation of a significant year-over-year improvement in Manitoba Hydro’s performance,” the Moody’s report says.

“However, recent forecast misses by the public utility indicate significant uncertainty around its fiscal contribution.”

Another credit rating agency, Morningstar DBRS, also issued a report last week. It, too, raised concerns about economic uncertainties, but said the Manitoba government’s plan to balance the budget “appears intact.”

“The New Democratic Party government appears committed to its goal of returning to balance by 2027-28, although we believe that a softer economic outlook, extreme weather events, and trade disruptions could challenge the government’s ability to achieve its fiscal targets,” the report says.

“That said, the budget incorporates modest contingencies, and a well-diversified economy will help mitigate potential financial pressures that could arise from trade disruptions.”

The NDP made a balanced budget by 2027-28 part of its election platform in 2023. Manitoba has recorded deficits in every year but two since 2009.

The government has missed its targets since the election. Expenditures are running about $2 billion higher than what was laid out in the NDP’s initial path to balance.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala said the government’s revenue projections are accurate and the province will have a balanced budget next year as promised.

“Like all provinces in Canada, Manitoba continues to face some uncertainty related to the impacts of tariffs, but fortunately we’ve got a strong and resilient economy that’s very diverse and tends to fare well during these periods where we face headwinds,” Sala said Thursday.

As for the expected profit at Manitoba Hydro, Sala said the budget has taken into account the dry conditions from the last two years.

“This year’s Hydro net-income forecast acknowledges that our reservoirs are low by historical standards, and then from there, builds a forecast based on average precipitation over the course of the year.”

Debt-servicing costs are dropping, Sala added, which should free up $240 million this year for other spending.

The government is predicting a surplus of $8 million for the 2027-28 fiscal year — the year in which voters are scheduled to go to the polls again. Moody’s said the $8 million planned surplus is “thin,” equal to less than 0.1 per cent of the government’s annual revenues.

Here’s a rundown of what’s open, closed or operating on a reduced schedule for Good Friday (April 3), Easter Sunday (April 5) and Easter Monday (April 6) in Winnipeg.

Civic Offices

Closed on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6, 2026.

Shopping Centres

• St. Vital Centre — Open on Friday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sunday, April 5
• Polo Park — Open on Friday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, April 5 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Outlet Collection Winnipeg — Open on Friday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sunday, April 5
• Kildonan Place — Open on Friday, April 3 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sunday, April 5
• Grant Park — Open on Friday, April 3 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Sunday, April 5

Manitoba Liquor Marts

All Manitoba Liquor Marts will be open for reduced hours on Friday, April 3 and Sunday, April 5. For specific store hours throughout the weekend, visit liquormarts.ca/hours.

Attractions

• Manitoba Museum — Open on Friday, April 3 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. but closed on Easter Monday.
• Assiniboine Park Zoo — Open daily all weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Winnipeg Art Gallery — Closed on Friday, April 3 and Easter Monday. The WAG will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 5.
• Canadian Museum for Human Rights is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3 and Sunday, April 5, but closed Easter Monday.

Recycling/Garbage Collection

Recycling and garbage will be collected as normally scheduled for those with Friday and Monday as their collection day.

Winnipeg Transit

On Friday, April 3, Winnipeg Transit will operate on a Sunday schedule.

Indoor Pools

Friday, April 3 – all pools are closed, with the exception of:

• Pan Am Pool: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Margaret Grant: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 4 – regular operating hours

Sunday, April 5 – regular operating hours, with all sites closing at 4 p.m., with the exception of:

• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: closing at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, April 6 – all pools are closed, with the exception of:

• Pan Am Pool: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Margaret Grant: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Libraries

All Winnipeg Public Library branches will be closed on Friday, April 3.

All branches are closed on Sunday, April 5.

On Monday, April 6, the following branches will open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.:

• Millennium
• Bill and Helen Norrie
• Henderson
• Louis Riel
• Pembina Trail
• St. James-Assiniboia
• West Kildonan

Fitness & Leisure Centres

Friday, April 3 – all fitness and leisure centres are closed, with the exception of:

• Pan Am Pool: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, April 4 – regular operating hours

Sunday, April 5 – regular operating hours, with all sites closing at 4 p.m., with the exception of:

• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: closing at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, April 6 – all fitness and leisure centres are closed, with the exception of:

• Pan Am Pool: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Animal Services

The Animal Services Agency will be closed on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6. The Agency will be open regular business hours on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5, from noon until 5 p.m.

Cemeteries

Brookside, Transcona, and St. Vital cemeteries will remain open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; however, the administration office at Brookside Cemetery will be closed as of Friday, April 3, reopening on Tuesday, April 7.

Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a 34-year-old man following a police response in Winnipeg.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba says Winnipeg police reported the incident on Wednesday. Police were called at around 8 a.m. after a woman reported a man had broken into her home in the 100 block of Burrin Avenue.

Officers arrived and found the man unconscious on the floor. Police say he appeared to be in medical distress. He was handcuffed for safety reasons while officers provided aid and called for an ambulance.

The man was transported to St. Boniface Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The IIU has taken over the investigation and no further information was released.

A firearm seized in Duck Bay, Manitoba by Winnipegosis RCMP on March 30, 2026. (RCMP HANDOUT)

A 41-year-old man is in custody following a police incident involving threats and a firearm in Duck Bay.

Manitoba RCMP officers responded at around 6:40 a.m. on March 30 after receiving reports of a man making threats and barricading himself inside a garage with a firearm.

As a precaution, residents in a nearby home and surrounding neighbours were evacuated while multiple RCMP units, including crisis negotiators and the emergency response team, attended the scene.

Police say the suspect exited the building around 1:45 p.m. and was safely taken into custody.

He is facing several charges and remains in custody.

Duck Bay is approximately 440 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

Sea Bears’ guard Teddy Allen (8) moves up the court in a game against the Scarborough Shooting Stars at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Friday, May 24, 2024. (CEBL / HANDOUT)

The Winnipeg Sea Bears have signed forward Teddy Allen ahead of the upcoming CEBL season.

The 6’6″ forward returns to Winnipeg after previous stints with the club in 2023 and 2024. He has also played in the league with the Saskatchewan Rattlers and the Scarborough Shooting Stars. Across his CEBL career, Allen has averaged 24.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

Allen, whose nickname is “Buckets,” was named CEBL Most Valuable Player in 2023 while with Winnipeg and earned First Team All-CEBL honours after ranking among league leaders in multiple categories.

“We are excited to welcome Teddy back to the Sea Bears,” said head coach and general manager Mike Raimbault, in a release.

“He is a proven MVP-calibre player in our league and a professional scorer at every level. He’s grown his game since his previous time in Winnipeg, and we’re looking forward to having him back this summer.”

Allen is currently playing in the NBA G League, where he has split time during the 2025-26 season between the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Delaware Blue Coats. He is averaging 20 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

Allen will be signing autographs today (April 2) at 3:30 p.m. at the Outlet Collection Winnipeg (near Old Navy). All fans are welcome to attend.

The hunt just got real. Teddy Buckets is back. pic.twitter.com/xHR6MeIpkD

— Winnipeg Sea Bears (@wpgseabears) April 2, 2026

By Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press

Peter Nygard arrives in a police vehicle to a courthouse in Toronto on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston)

Sex offender Peter Nygard is suing the Manitoba and Saskatchewan governments, Winnipeg police and others, alleging charges he faced in one case were an abuse of process.

The former fashion mogul was charged in 2023 with sexually assaulting and unlawfully confining a woman in Winnipeg in 1993.

Those charges were stayed in October, after a judge ruled records of police interviews with the complainant in 1993 were destroyed without justifiable reasons, violating Nygard’s Charter right to a fair trial.

Prosecutors had decided not to lay charges in 2020, but the Manitoba government later forwarded the investigation to Saskatchewan Justice for an independent review and Nygard was arrested.

In the statement of claim, Nygard’s lawyers allege two women — including the complainant — made defamatory statements, the Manitoba government acted improperly and police were negligent.

The lawsuit, which was filed last week, hasn’t been tested in court and none of the defendants have filed statements of defence.

“The plaintiff states that this re-review occurred because … the (two women) made representations to the government directly and through different media platforms,” says the lawsuit, filed in Court of King’s Bench of Manitoba.

“When the attorney general ordered the review, he breached his duty and caused damage to the plaintiff and committed the tort of abuse of process.”

Nygard, now in his mid-80s, founded his now-defunct global women’s clothing company in Winnipeg in 1967. He stepped down as chairman, after the FBI and police raided his offices in New York in February 2020.

Nygard was sentenced in 2024 to 11 years in prison for sex offences in Toronto. He also faces a trial on sex charges in Quebec as well as extradition to the United States on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. He has denied wrongdoing.

In the Winnipeg case, notes from the 1993 police interviews were presumed to have been purged due to the passage of time.

The judge who stayed the charges rejected the Crown’s argument that the interview documents were relevant but their loss didn’t reach the level of unacceptable negligence.

In the lawsuit, Nygard alleges the police actions fell below the minimum standard required in sexual assault investigations.

“As a result of this negligent conduct, the plaintiff has incurred general damages in the form of pain and suffering and mental anguish, details of which are to be proven at trial.”

Canadian $100 bills are counted in Toronto, Feb. 2, 2016. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graeme Roy)

Manitoba’s minimum wage will increase by 40 cents to $16.40 per hour, effective October 1, but one labour group says that’s not enough.

The annual adjustment, set under Manitoba’s Employment Standards Code, is tied to inflation. This year’s increase reflects the province’s 2025 inflation rate and raises the wage from $16.00.

Labour advocates say the increase doesn’t keep up with today’s true cost of living.

Kevin Rebeck, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour, said the 40-cent hike “falls well short” of what workers need to afford basic expenses such as food and housing.

He noted that, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives’s Manitoba office, a living wage in Winnipeg is estimated at $19.77 per hour.

“While the provincial government’s recent budget includes some affordability measures that will benefit Manitoba’s lowest wage workers, including free bus passes for youth, free menstrual products at work and free child care for low income families, boosting the minimum wage to a living wage level would do far more to help these workers and add hundreds of dollars to their paycheques,” said Rebeck.

He added that rising costs for essentials are hitting low-wage earners the hardest and called on the province to replace the current minimum wage framework with a plan aimed at lifting workers out of poverty.

An adult emerald ash borer beetle in a tree in the St. Boniface area. (CITY OF WINNIPEG / FILE)

City crews are responding to the first significant detection of emerald ash borer activity in Winnipeg since the pest was first discovered in 2017.

The invasive beetle, which feeds on and kills ash trees, poses a serious threat to the city’s entire ash tree population once established.

When the pest was initially detected, officials warned it could wipe out Winnipeg’s ash trees within 10 to 15 years, as seen in other parts of North America. However, preventative tree injections and aggressive management helped slow its spread, with only 22 infected public trees removed between 2017 and 2025.

Earlier this year, a new population of the beetle was identified, prompting renewed action.

Crews are now set to remove susceptible ash trees in the Glenwood neighbourhood starting this week, and the city says it is updating its management plan to respond to the changing situation.

The city says the easiest way Winnipeggers can help slow the spread of EAB is to not move firewood and residents to burn wood where they bought it.

(UFFW 867 / FILE)

One person was taken to hospital Tuesday night after a fire in a three-storey building in the 400 block of Sherbrook Street.

Winnipeg emergency crews responded to the scene just before 7 p.m. to find smoke and flames coming from the structure.

Firefighters attacked the fire offensively while paramedics assessed and transported one patient to the hospital in unstable condition. Everyone else safely evacuated from the building.

The fire was declared under control at 7:20 p.m.

Officials say the blaze was contained to the single suite. The cause remains under investigation.

A woman receives a measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at the Rockland County Health Department in Pomona, N.Y., on June 5, 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Seth Wenig)

Young adults and children in Manitoba can soon receive the measles vaccine at their local pharmacy.

Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced the change on Tuesday, saying having pharmacists administer the measles vaccine is “a common-sense step.”

“Pharmacists are trusted, accessible health-care providers in communities across Manitoba, and expanding their role makes it easier for families to get vaccinated and protect those most at risk,” said Asagwara.

Manitobans aged two to 19 can receive the free vaccine at their local pharmacy when access to the vaccine arrives in the coming weeks.

The change comes after a request from Pharmacists Manitoba and takes effect immediately.

Vaccines remain available through existing providers, including public health clinics, physicians, nurse practitioners and midwives. The addition of pharmacists is intended to expand access and provide more convenient options for families.

An RCMP patch is worn by an officer at RCMP “E” Division headquarters in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns)

Two people are dead following a two-vehicle collision on Highway 11 south of Lac du Bonnet on Tuesday morning.

Manitoba RCMP say officers responded to the crash just after 7 a.m. near Road 84 North.

Investigators say a vehicle travelling along the highway lost control and entered the path of an oncoming pickup truck, resulting in a collision.

The driver and passenger of the second vehicle, aged 71 and 66 and both from Lac du Bonnet, were pronounced dead.

The pickup truck driver, a 71-year-old man from Beausejour, was not injured. His 69-year-old female passenger was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police say poor road conditions and heavy snowfall are believed to have been factors in the crash.

An investigation into the crash continues.

The names of the deceased weren’t released.

(WINNIPEGTRANSIT.COM)

Winnipeg Transit will roll out service improvements later this month, including expanded late-night options.

The city says the changes will take effect on Sunday, April 12 and also include increased capacity on several high-demand routes.

Winnipeg Transit’s route changes have been heavily criticized since coming into effect last summer.

“This is how we make the system better, by listening to riders and making adjustments where they’re needed,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham, in a release.

“We’ve heard the feedback, and these changes reflect what people are telling us. We’re going to keep improving the service so it’s more reliable, more convenient, and works better for riders.”

As part of the plan, late-night service will be extended past midnight on 10 routes across the city, including D10, D14, D16, D17, 28, 38, 43, 70, 74 and 680.

The city is also adding more trips on several busy routes, including the F5 and F8 lines, Route 74 between CF Polo Park and Old Commonwealth Path, Route 557 serving south Winnipeg neighbourhoods, and Route 676 connecting St. Vital Centre to Bridgwater Centre and Creek Bend Road.

To balance the changes, Winnipeg Transit will reduce service on some routes with lower-than-expected ridership, including portions of the FX3 and FX4 lines.

Cannabis plants grow inside a production facility in Simcoe, Ont., Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tara Walton)

A Winnipeg criminal defence lawyer has been arrested following a year-long investigation into a scheme to smuggle cannabis into Headingley Correctional Centre.

The Manitoba Integrated Law Enforcement Team says the investigation began after correctional officers detected the smell of cannabis inside the facility on March 30, 2025.

Officers later identified a suspect and continued the investigation, which also uncovered an alleged conspiracy involving a restricted firearm.

RCMP arrested 43-year-old Chad Sutherland of Winnipeg on March 27. He is charged with conspiracy to distribute cannabis, conspiracy to commit mischief, and conspiracy to possess a prohibited or restricted firearm. He remains in custody.

Police say two other Winnipeg suspects were previously charged in the case. Hunter Audette, 31, and Krystle Richard, 41, are both facing charges related to conspiring to commit an indictable offence. Audette remains in custody, and both cases are still before the courts.

According to a statement on the Law Society of Manitoba website, Sutherland was suspended indefinitely on January 22, 2026 due to professional misconduct.