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In the most recent provincial budget, the government announced a $150 million commitment to the agricultural sector in the face of tariffs from the United States and China.
Details of that commitment were announced Wednesday, with $10 million in additional matching funds for the AgriStability program, as well as $140.8 million for business risk management programs such as AgriInsurance and AgriInvest.
Dauphin MLA and Provincial Ag Minister Ron Kostyshyn says the intent of the funding is to have money available if tariffs put Manitoba producers in a challenging position.
"We still do not know what may change, but we just wanted to work in partnership with the proposal that had been brought forward by the Federal Agriculture minister. We just solidified that thought that we were putting additional dollars in the budget towards the Ag Stability program."
There is also an additional $90 million set aside as a contingency for farmers and producers if the impact of tariffs grows.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
More than 1,200 athletes competed for gold medals, and more than 700 volunteers made it happen. Thousands of visitors came to Dauphin to witness history in the making.
The 2024 Manitoba Summer Games, powered by Manitoba Hydro, were an overwhelming success this past summer. The event featured the top athletes in the province in various age groups, and people are still talking about how special it was.
And as the City of Winnipeg gets set to host the 3rd Annual Tourism Awards, Clayton Swanton and Carla Wolfenden will be there
The 2024 Summer Games is a finalist for Event of the Year - Rural Category.
The Ghost Tours at Lower Fort Garry, the Gimli International Film Festival, the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival, and Nuit Blanche 2024 round out the top five.
Carla Wolfenden was a co-chair for the Dauphin event.
"We're very honoured. It's a great way to be recognized for all of the years of hard work that people put in," said Wolfenden. "We aren't able to pay or recognize everyone because it was literally hundreds of people that made it happen. It makes me feel very proud of our community. We didn't just get it done, we got it done very, very well."
The week-long event began with the Opening Ceremonies in front of a packed crowd at Credit Union Place and ended with the Closing Ceremonies, once again in front of a packed crowd at Credit Union Place. Athletes competed in several different sports.
"We put Dauphin on the map again as a great event-hosting community," continued Wolfenden. "We were able to show off our incredible recreational facilities. Many of the athletes had never been here before and were so impressed with what we have here."
Wolfenden knows this event couldn't have happened without the volunteers and executives.
"On behalf of Clayton and myself, we can't thank our executive and all of the incredible volunteers enough. You stepped up when we made the call for volunteers," ended Wolfenden. "They helped us put on a great event and showcase our town to the province."
The 2024 Manitoba Summer Games, an event that no one will forget.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Established in 1982, the Swan Valley Crisis Centre (SVCC) provides critical services, including emergency and transitional housing, to women and children who are experiencing or have experienced family violence.
Between 2019 and 2023, there were 979 victims of intimate partner homicide, 719 of whom were women.
That meant in that period, a woman in Canada was killed by her intimate partner every 2.5 days. In 2023 in Canada, of the 123,319 people aged 15 and over who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), 78% were women.
Within the SVCC is the Women's Resource Centre, which provides drop-in services, such as computers, and ways to navigate the different systems.
Crystal Duchesne is the Executive Director at the SVCC and says the programs offered are incredibly important.
"To not have these services in this community would mean women and children having to leave our community," said Duchesne. "They would be transferred to Dauphin, and many times they're full, so they would be transferred to Brandon. That takes them away from their family, their friends, their jobs, and their community."
As noted above, they also provide transitional housing, and the 2023-24 year was one for the record books.
"We've seen a sharp increase in women and children spending the night here," continued Duchesne. "Bed nights from 2023-24 almost hit 3000, which is a 100 percent increase from the year before."
They are also the only organization in Swan River that offers parenting courses, and all services are free. They are one of two organizations that provide anger management sessions and the only organization that does domestic violence information sessions.
In the 2023-24 year, there were 341 women's counselling sessions, 90 children's counselling sessions, 95 parenting sessions, 79 anger management/domestic violence sessions, 34 women's group sessions, and 28 public/classroom presentations.
They service the Swan Valley and surrounding First Nations communities. So if you are in need, you can call them at 204-734-9368. You can also visit them at 119 9th Ave N in Swan River.
Crystal also confirms that they are in the planning stages of expansion. The current building is older and isn't accessible to people with mobility issues, meaning it does not meet the needs of all community members.
Under their current vision, the new space would include a healing room and 12 additional emergency and transitional housing units, which would bring the total to 16 units for women and children suffering from family violence. The new building will ultimately go on property donated by the Elbert Chartrand Friendship Centre.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Some troubling numbers have come in from Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI).
In 2024, 2,817 drivers were suspended for three days for distracted driving, while 150 were suspended for seven days due to distracted driving. Last year's numbers were a sharp increase from those in 2023, when 2,469 three-day and 98 seven-day suspensions were handed out.
Tara Seel is with MPI.
"These numbers are the highest they have been in the past five years," said Seel. "Distracted driving isn't just cellphones or electronic devices, there are many different forms, and all are equally as dangerous. These numbers are alarming, we're seeing more distracted drivers than ever on Manitoba roadways."
In 2024, there were 675 distracted-driving collisions throughout the province, many of which resulted in fatalities. While distracted driving collisions have gone down from their high in 2022 of 795 across Manitoba, even a single collision due to distracted driving is too much.
"It is the number one cause of fatalities on Manitoba roadways," offered Seel. "Distraction in all its forms is taking people's focus off the road, and when that happens, they are unable to respond in a timely manner to unexpected obstacles on the roadway."
There are a few easy tips to ensure you stay focused while driving.
- Turn on the do not disturb function on your cellphone;
- Tell your passengers you are focused on the road;
- When travelling with your animals, make sure they are restrained; and
- When travelling with children, keep them busy.
Not only is it extremely dangerous to drive while distracted, but significant fines can follow. Driving while distracted can result in fines up to $672 and a five-point deduction on your Driver Safety Rating (DSR).
Repeat offences can lead to a license suspension, and you can also be charged with an offence the distraction caused you to commit. This includes running a red light and or getting in a collision.
As April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, now is the time to make the right decision: don't drive while distracted.
"We see many Manitobans still practicing risky driving behaviours that are putting lives at risk," ended Seel. "The main message is, focus on the road, lives could depend on it."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The spring Rotary Book Sale begins Thursday morning at the 8th Avenue Hall.
Jean-Louis Guillas with the Dauphin Rotary club says there will be a little bit of everything at this sale.
"Everything that you want to read for all ages. Come and do your Christmas shopping early! We have two pristine, complete sets of Harry Potters, and all other kinds of books."
All books at the sale are two dollars or less.
Guillas explains what proceeds from the book sale go towards.
"It helps to sponsor all of our youth programs and scholarships and leadership camp experiences. We have a team going out to Model United Nations again this year, which we are really excited about. It is the second year in a row for that. This year, we are going to send someone to "An Adventure in Human Rights, which is at the Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg."
It is free to attend, with the sale going from 9 am to 7 pm tomorrow, 9 until 5 on Friday and 9 to 4 on Saturday.
There is also a wine tasting event on Friday from 7 to 9:30 p.m., which costs $40 to attend.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The Dauphin Rail Museum is hoping a public information campaign will bring the City of Dauphin back to the table to discuss options for saving the last remaining rail turntable in Manitoba.
President Jason Gilmore says that includes an online petition, which can be accessed through their Facebook page.
He admits the city holds all of the cards in this situation.
"We have fully understood that it is a work site and have tried to be respectful of that. If we send people or visitors it is usually on evenings or weekends. But we were told that vehicles are getting larger, which is the reason why (the turntable) needed to be moved. And then finally, with the notification of the letter for the full removal, indicating that this would allow the shop to function better."
Gilmore says if discussions can not come to a resolution towards saving all or at least some of the turntable at its current location, they would at least like a detailed report from the city as to why that can not happen.
The rail turntable, which is 84 feet in size and weighs approximately 40 tonnes, first opened in Dauphin in 1906.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
It has been five years since Melinda Lynxleg was last heard from.
The 40-year-old from Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve was found on June 7, 2023, at an abandoned property in San Clara. This was after she had been missing for three years, and an autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide.
The RCMP has spoken to more than 130 people over the past five years, looking for answers. Recently, new information came to light, giving the investigation forward momentum. Officers are confident they're even closer to finding answers for the family.
If you have any information, call the RCMP Major Crime Services Tip Line at 1-431-489-8042.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Two high-profile local court cases were back on the docket in recent days.
Former Gilbert Plains Municipality CAO Amber Fisher appeared in Dauphin Provincial Court on Monday, where she had her case adjourned until May 13th.
She is accused of defrauding the municipality of over 500 thousand dollars while she was employed by them and then allegedly claiming a cyberattack as a means of trying to cover it up.
And Marc Dorais was also back in court in relation to a fire set to an Ethelbert home last June while a female and her children were inside the house.
The 54-year-old from Ethelbert remains in custody until his next appearance on April 11th.
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The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba has completed its review of the death of an adult male following an interaction with RCMP officers from Ste Rose.
The interaction began on December 30th, 2022, when Mounties were alerted about an alleged home invasion and vehicle theft in Rorketon.
The vehicle was found in a ditch near Crane River with four people trying to dig it out.
Three of the suspects were arrested, and the fourth escaped into the woods.
A few days later, police received a missing person's report for the fourth individual and returned to the wooded area, where his body was located.
An autopsy determined that he cause of death was hypothermia, and following more investigation and consultation, the IIU decided no charges would be laid against the officers and no further action would be taken.
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
The excitement is building at the Dauphin Fire Department (DFD).
Fort Garry Fire Trucks was awarded the tender in August 2023 to build a new fire truck that will be used in Dauphin to serve and protect the area. Less than two years later, the truck will soon be coming to its new home.
Cam Abrey is the Fire Chief of the DFD.
"We had our final inspection a couple of weeks ago with Fort Garry Fire Trucks to make sure everything was in line and had brief training on the new pump," said Abrey. "Once they're done the last of their prep work, delivery is planned for April 9."
The final cost of the truck was just less than $850,000, including taxes.
Elsewhere at DFD, Abrey says they're looking to recruit new firefighters.
"We are always in the process of recruiting new members," added Abrey. "We encourage if you're interested, stop by and ask questions. You can check out our facility and try out some of the equipment."
Abrey says they are looking at hosting an open house recruitment session later this year.
If you've always dreamt of serving and protecting, now is the perfect time. The Dauphin Fire Department is waiting for you.
"26 years ago, I took the step, and it's turned into a career for me," ended Abrey. "It's one of the best ways to give back to the community in which you live."
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Manitoba's minimum wage is going up as of October 1st.
It will jump 20 cents to $16 an hour.
This adjustment reflects Manitoba’s 2024 inflation rate of 1.1 per cent, rounded up to the nearest five cents.
The minimum wage is updated annually and is regulated through the Employment Standards Code
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