Provincial subsidy fund for Winnipeg flights to L.A., Atlanta runs dry
A $4.8-million flight subsidy fund created by the former Progressive Conservative government under Heather Stefanson government is all used up, said Ryan Stelter, a spokesperson for Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew.
The fund, which was managed by the Winnipeg Airports Authority, will not be topped up with additional public money under the current NDP government, Stelter added.
"The previous government entered into $4.8-million agreement with the Winnipeg Airport Authority in June 2023 for flights to Los Angeles and Atlanta. That agreement … was honoured and paid out in full," Stelter said Wednesday in a statement.
The flight subsidy fund was originally envisioned to last until this October, Stelter said. Its demise comes at a time when trade tensions, economic uncertainty and anti-U.S. sentiment have already reduced Canadian demand for travel south of the border.
This, in turn, has prompted WestJet, Air Canada and Porter to cut back on some Canada-U.S. routes and muse about suspending or cancelling others.
WestJet said Wednesday it is reviewing its Canada-U.S. flight schedule for the summer months "due to the changing demand surrounding travel to the United States."
Details around adjustments will be finalized in the coming weeks, WestJet public relations manager Jen Booth said Wednesday in a statement.
WestJet has already announced new flights out of Winnipeg will start in July to serve Canadians seeking to travel to Europe and within Canada, said Booth.
That includes new flights between Winnipeg and St. John's added "to meet increased domestic and transatlantic travel demand," along with increased service between Winnipeg and Halifax, she said.
The Winnipeg Airports Authority did not comment Wednesday. It is slated to hold its annual general meeting on Thursday morning.
Economic Development Winnipeg also declined to comment Wednesday.
Manitoba Film and Music, which speaks on behalf of the film industry in this province, said Wednesday it has received no word of changes to the funding for the Winnipeg-Los Angeles flight and does not know what the impact of such a change would be.
The Manitoba film industry spent years lobbying successive NDP and PC governments to subsidize a direct Winnipeg-Los Angeles air connection.
"We are grateful to the province for their support in bringing the direct flight from L.A. to Winnipeg, as it had a positive impact on our ability to promote the film and television industry and bring production to Manitoba," Manitoba Film and Music CEO Lynne Skromeda said Wednesday in a statement.
Price Industries, a Winnipeg manufacturer whose head office is located in an Atlanta suburb, did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Price's Gateway Road facility served as the setting for the original announcement by Stefanson and WestJet about the start of direct flights to Atlanta.
Stelter said he is not aware of requests by the Winnipeg Airports Authority, WestJet or other entities to top up or extend subsidies for the Los Angeles and Atlanta flights.
Flights between Winnipeg and Los Angeles started in 2022. Winnipeg-Atlanta flights began the following year.
Former premier Stefanson joined WestJet's board of directors in 2024, after she left office, and is still listed as a member of the airline's board.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Sun
9 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Outgoing antisemitism envoy calls out business, religious leaders for lack of action
Published Jul 23, 2025 • 1 minute read Deborah Lyons attends a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. Photo by Valentin Flauraud / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS OTTAWA — Ottawa's outgoing envoy for tackling antisemitism is accusing Canada's business sector and civil society of failing to call out a rising tide of hate against Jews and other minorities. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In an extensive interview with The Canadian Jewish News, Deborah Lyons also says she could not get a meeting with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during her nearly two-year term. She says Canadian society faces a growing gulf over violence in the Middle East and Canadians are 'listening and hearing on different frequencies' instead of trying to find common ground against hate. Lyons says she lacked the energy at times to bridge that gap and reveals that both her and Canada's Islamophobia envoy faced pushback from their own constituencies when they worked together. She says Canadian society is 'weakening' as business and religious leaders avoid calling out the rise in hate crimes, and as multiple levels of government fail to adequately co-ordinate their responses. Lyons says she is leaving her job three months early not for health reasons, but rather to restore 'a little bit of the joy back into life.' The Canadian Press has asked Lyons for an interview and Poilievre's office for comment. Golf Canada Toronto & GTA Ontario World
Winnipeg Free Press
9 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The US decision to leave UNESCO again puts a spotlight on what the agency does
PARIS (AP) — With the support of international partners and $115 million in funding, the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO recently helped rebuild the Iraqi city of Mosul after it was devastated by the Islamic State group. The restoration of the historic city's iconic Al-Nouri Mosque and Al-Hadba Minaret was just one of many programs run by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which is in the spotlight because the United States is leaving it once again. The decision to pull U.S. funding and participation from UNESCO will deal a blow to its work preserving cultural heritage around the world. U.S. President Donald Trump exited the agency during his first term, accusing it of promoting anti-Israel speech. The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden had rejoined UNESCO in 2023 after citing concerns that China was filling the gap left by the U.S. in UNESCO policymaking. Here's a look at the work UNESCO does: World Heritage Sites UNESCO names World Heritage sites, including landmarks like the Great Wall of China, the Egyptian pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the Statue of Liberty, and gives them special protection under its World Heritage Sites program. Its World Heritage Committee each year designates sites considered 'of outstanding value to humanity' and intervenes when sites are in danger of destruction or damage. The program provides countries with technical assistance and professional training to preserve the sites. A World Heritage site designation is coveted and seen as a boost to tourism. Another UNESCO convention created in 2003 protects 'intangible' heritage such as folk songs and traditional dances, crafts and cooking in its lists. Holocaust Education Like the rest of the U.N., UNESCO was created in response to the horrors of World War II, and particularly Nazi crimes. Amid concerns that the agency's Arab members have used UNESCO to pass anti-Israel resolutions, UNESCO has worked in recent years on Holocaust awareness projects. That includes educational materials and organizing visits to former Nazi concentration camps. Empowering Girls UNESCO works to improve literacy, with a special focus on girls in countries hit by war or disasters who get little or no schooling though programs such as the Malala Fund for Girls' Right to Education. In Tanzania, for instance, over 2,500 girls benefited from the creation of safe spaces in 40 secondary schools. The agency provides teacher training and materials and encourages programs for girls to pursue careers in science. Climate Change One of the agency's goals is coordinating climate knowledge and improving international education about how global warming occurs and affects people around the world. Over 30 UNESCO programs are designed to help its members adapt to climate change and favor sustainable development. Ethics of Artificial Intelligence UNESCO adopted in 2021 what it calls 'the first and only global standard-setting instrument on the ethics of artificial intelligence.' Applying to all 194 member states, the recommendation emphasizes the protection of human rights and dignity, grounded in principles like transparency, fairness, and human oversight of AI systems. Operating without the U.S. UNESCO director general Audrey Azoulay said the U.S. decision to leave was expected and that the agency has prepared for it. While the U.S. had previously provided a notable share of the agency's budget, UNESCO has diversified its funding sources. 'Thanks to the efforts made by the organization since 2018, the decreasing trend in the financial contribution of the US has been offset, so that it now represents 8% of the organization's total budget compared with 40% for some United Nations entities,' Azoulay said. She added that the agency's overall budget has increased and that it has the steady support of 'a large number of member states and private contributors.'
Winnipeg Free Press
9 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Outgoing antisemitism envoy calls out business, religious leaders for lack of action
OTTAWA – Ottawa's outgoing envoy for tackling antisemitism is accusing Canada's business sector and civil society of failing to call out a rising tide of hate against Jews and other minorities. In an extensive interview with The Canadian Jewish News, Deborah Lyons also says she could not get a meeting with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during her nearly two-year term. She says Canadian society faces a growing gulf over violence in the Middle East and Canadians are 'listening and hearing on different frequencies' instead of trying to find common ground against hate. Lyons says she lacked the energy at times to bridge that gap and reveals that both her and Canada's Islamophobia envoy faced pushback from their own constituencies when they worked together. She says Canadian society is 'weakening' as business and religious leaders avoid calling out the rise in hate crimes, and as multiple levels of government fail to adequately co-ordinate their responses. Lyons says she is leaving her job three months early not for health reasons, but rather to restore 'a little bit of the joy back into life.' The Canadian Press has asked Lyons for an interview and Poilievre's office for comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 23, 2025.
