Latest news with #ManitobaTransportationandInfrastructure
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Evacuees express frustration in march to Garbage Hill
Brenda Dysart said she would rather be swimming at the beach in Leaf Rapids Thursday afternoon. Instead, she and 40 others from the northern town, who were evacuated to Winnipeg owing to wildfires, marched from their hotel on Notre Dame Avenue to Westview Park. They made the public trek to demand the province provide more support. 'My heart hurts. It aches for home,' Dysart said. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Leaf Rapids residents who were evacuated to Winnipeg owing to wildfires, marched from their hotel on Notre Dame Avenue to the summit of Garbage Hill at Westview Park Thursday, to demand the province provide more support for evacuees. Chants of 'what do we want? Support! What do we need? Support!' could be heard over hand drums and traditional Indigenous songs as the group marched to the summit of Garbage Hill. About 350 people were evacuated from Leaf Rapids nearly three weeks ago. 'It's hard being in the city,' Dysart said. 'Our kids are struggling. They're free at home, but they can't be free here.' 'Red Cross is doing their best with meals and everything, but we need the government to step up and do whatever they can to put the fire out.' The march was prompted by news the flames entered the town Wednesday night and destroyed several vacant buildings and one home. Dysart said the news made her cry. She lives one street away from the damaged home. 'If the wind would have switched, we would have lost our home,' she said. 'There's still a chance the wind will switch. It's gonna hurt. And then what? Where do we go? Who's gonna take care of us?' Evacuee Melvin Anderson said his younger brother stayed to help in the fire fight. He sends him regular updates, but he worries the shifting winds will send the flames back again. The fire is about half a kilometre away from Anderson's home, according to reports from his brother on the front lines. 'I got a house that we worked and paid for, and what happens if it goes up in flames?' he said. Anderson is frustrated with the lack of communication about the wildfire, owing to the town having no mayor or council. The town's leadership was dissolved in 2019 and the province appointed an administrator to deal with day-to-day operations. 'They say it's government-run. Where's the people in the government that run it? They're supposed to be in town so they can see what's going on,' Anderson said. Tuesdays A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world. Blair McTavish, assistant deputy minister of Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure, said at a Thursday afternoon press conference he believes town administration is running the town's Facebook page, which is what many residents rely on for wildfire information. McTavish said the province is working with the Leaf Rapids administration to ensure it has timely and accurate information. Dysart said she's frustrated she can't complain to a town official. 'You complain to your neighbours, that's all you can do these days,' she said. Nicole BuffieMultimedia producer Nicole Buffie is a reporter for the Free Press city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the Free Press newsroom as a multimedia producer in 2023. Read more about Nicole. Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Owners shocked Falcon Beach Ranch could be wiped out by Trans-Canada twinning
The owners of a ranch that has been in Whiteshell Provincial Park for 60-plus years fear it will cease to exist if a new Trans-Canada Highway corridor cuts through the area. Kendra Imrie said land and horse-riding trails used by Falcon Beach Ranch, which is also her family's home, would be expropriated if the province builds a new segment nearby when Manitoba's only undivided section of the Trans-Canada is twinned. 'There would be no ranch if that option was chosen,' said Imrie, who co-owns the site with her husband, Devin. 'Until we hear the final decision, it's something that is going to be hanging over us. We're worried.' JESSICA FINN / FREE PRESS FILES 'Until we hear the final decision, it's something that is going to be hanging over us. We're worried,' said Kendra Imrie. JESSICA FINN / FREE PRESS FILES 'Until we hear the final decision, it's something that is going to be hanging over us. We're worried,' said Kendra Imrie. Consultants hired by the Manitoba government are studying potential corridors to align with Ontario's twinned highway. About half a dozen variations are being evaluated with the aim of improving safety and journey times on the trade and travel route, which has become increasingly congested. Several people have been killed or injured in crashes on the existing two-lane, 16-kilometre stretch between Falcon Lake and the provincial boundary in recent years. A preferred corridor has not yet been selected during a three-year conceptual design phase, which will be followed by a functional design. The province has not set a construction start date or estimated cost. At a July 3 community meeting, the Imries learned an option that includes a new highway segment just east of the ranch, which would require expropriation, is being considered since an earlier presentation. SUPPLIED The six highway route alternatives that are under review. SUPPLIED The six highway route alternatives that are under review. 'We were pretty shocked,' Imrie said. The Imries shared their concerns with consultants and Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure. 'Safe roads for Manitobans are a top priority, and twinning Highway 1 is a key step toward improving safety and supporting our trade network,' Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said in a statement. 'We know how important this project is for families, businesses, Indigenous nations, and the economy, and we're taking the time to consult and move it forward thoughtfully and responsibly.' The Imries' lease of 40 acres of Crown land, just north of the Trans-Canada, includes a clause that allows them to make and maintain the trails. Imrie said it is a unique spot in eastern Manitoba because it has a pasture and sandy, horse-friendly trails in a boreal forest, with minimal rock and no bogs. 'A loss of the ranch would be a loss for Manitobans,' she said. 'It would have far-reaching implications for this area.' The ranch welcomes thousands of guests each year, and currently employs 15 people, Imrie said. The site opened in 1963. It was acquired by the Imrie family 47 years ago. SUPPLIED Route 1 alternatives: 1A: Add two lanes just north of existing lanes (red); 1B: Add two lanes just south of existing lanes (yellow); 1C: Four new lanes over part of Barren Lake (blue). SUPPLIED Route 1 alternatives: 1A: Add two lanes just north of existing lanes (red); 1B: Add two lanes just south of existing lanes (yellow); 1C: Four new lanes over part of Barren Lake (blue). One proposed corridor would double the existing highway to four lanes. A variation includes a new crossing over Barren Lake. Two other proposals involve a new northern corridor that would go around Barren Lake. New lanes would be constructed just east of the ranch or west of Falcon Beach, creating a bypass of the community. The northern corridor would be a four-lane stretch (turning the existing highway into a local park road) or a two-way couplet with the existing section. While a route that goes as far north as possible would benefit the ranch, business owners in Falcon Beach fear a bypass would lead to a downturn in customers, Imrie said. For each proposed corridor, consultants are considering the potential effect on everything from the environment and cultural sites to homes and businesses. After more than a decade of discussions, studies and planning, Ontario started construction in 2022 on the first of a three-phase plan to twin some 40 kilometres of the Trans-Canada Highway from its boundary with Manitoba to the Kenora area. After more than a decade of discussions, studies and planning, Ontario started construction in 2022 on the first of a three-phase plan to twin some 40 kilometres of the Trans-Canada Highway from its boundary with Manitoba to the Kenora area. The first phase, starting at the provincial boundary, expanded about six km of Ontario Highway 17 from two lanes to four at a cost of more than $30 million. Construction has not yet started on the second section, which will be 8.5 kilometres from Highway 673 to Rush Bay Road. The final phase will be 24 kilometres to the Kenora bypass (Highway 17A). An environmental assessment and preliminary design for the second phase are ongoing, the engineering firm WSP Canada Group Ltd., which has been contracted by Ontario's government, said on the project's website July 2. Ontario's transportation ministry has a preferred alignment for the second stage, and is developing mitigation strategies 'to best address potential impacts and concerns' before finalizing a transportation environmental study report, the update said. A construction timeline is expected to be developed after a public review period. Ontario began a route planning and preliminary design study for its Highway 17 'four-laning' project in 2009. Meetings sought feedback from Indigenous land and water rights holders, permanent residents, cottagers, local businesses and industry. Niiwin Wendaanimok (Four Winds) Partnership, which includes Shoal Lake 40 First Nation on the Manitoba-Ontario boundary, will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Manitoba government Aug. 12 to set a 'collaborative path forward,' the organization said in a social media post. Niiwin Wendaanimok signed an MOU with Ontario before its twinning project began east of the provincial boundary. Following its own technical review, the Manitoba Métis Federation has significant concerns about the footprint of the linear corridor, and the project's impacts on the rights, claims and interests of the Red River Métis, said Jack Park, the federation's minister of energy and infrastructure. 'The MMF has made several recommendations to Manitoba seeking to avoid and/or mitigate these impacts such as reconsidering the preferred route and having a Red River Métis monitor on site during construction,' he said in a statement. SUPPLIED Route 2 alternatives: In both options, the existing highway becomes a local park road. In option 2A, four new lanes are added west of the existing pipeline; in 2B, four new lanes are added just east of Falcon Beach Ranch. SUPPLIED Route 2 alternatives: In both options, the existing highway becomes a local park road. In option 2A, four new lanes are added west of the existing pipeline; in 2B, four new lanes are added just east of Falcon Beach Ranch. Whiteshell Cottagers Association president Ken Pickering said attendees' concerns at the July 3 meeting included potential expropriations and the loss of natural land. Some properties could be in the way if the province chooses to expand the existing highway, he said. At least one attendee asked if the highway can remain as is. 'There's a broad range of concern, depending on where you are in the Whiteshell,' Pickering said. 'People do tend to understand there's limited real estate they can go through on that existing route. There's concern that properties would potentially have to be dealt with in those areas.' He said he left the meeting with the impression that everyone understood there are downsides to every option. The assocaition isn't advocating for one option over another. Earlier this month, Premier Wab Kinew announced the Manitoba government will not proceed with a restricted crossing U-turn, or RCUT, at the Trans-Canada and Highway 5 junction — where 17 bus passengers died in a crash in 2023 — following objections from Carberry-area residents. Other options are being explored. SUPPLIED Route 3 alternatives: In both options, the existing highway becomes the eastbound lanes. In option 3A, two new lanes are added west of the existing pipeline to become new westbound lanes; in 3B, two new lanes are added just east of Falcon Beach Ranch to become new westbound lanes. SUPPLIED Route 3 alternatives: In both options, the existing highway becomes the eastbound lanes. In option 3A, two new lanes are added west of the existing pipeline to become new westbound lanes; in 3B, two new lanes are added just east of Falcon Beach Ranch to become new westbound lanes. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Chris KitchingReporter Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris. Every piece of reporting Chris produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Province scraps RCUT plan at deadly Carberry intersection, commits to new solution
The Manitoba government is backing away from a proposed traffic redesign at the junction of PTH 1 and PTH 5 near Carberry, after months of public concern and consultation, and nearly two years after a tragic collision at the site claimed 17 lives. In an email to the Winnipeg Sun, Lisa Naylor, Minister of Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure, confirmed the province will not proceed with the previously proposed Restricted Crossing U-Turn (RCUT) configuration and will instead return to the drawing board to identify a new, community-supported solution. 'We are a government that listens — and rural Manitobans have been clear,' said Naylor. 'The people of Carberry and the RM of North Cypress–Langford told us they do not support the RCUT option, and we respect that. That's why we're going back to the drawing board to explore other solutions.' 'We know how deeply this intersection impacts the community, and we acted quickly to improve safety with new signage, rumble strips, and other immediate measures following the tragic accident,' she added. 'We're committed to finding an option that prioritizes safety and also works for the community. That means continuing to listen to rural Manitobans and working closely with safety experts to get this right.' On June 15, 2023, a crash between a semi and a passenger bus at the intersection killed 17 people — one of the deadliest road collisions in Manitoba history. In the months following, the province launched a dual assessment: A Standards Review and an In-Service Road Safety Review (ISRSR), conducted by consulting firm WSP. That review produced 12 immediate safety recommendations, including better signage, new rumble strips, enhanced lighting, and improved pavement markings — all of which have since been implemented. A separate, longer-term functional design study began in 2024 to explore permanent upgrades to the intersection, evaluating a wide range of options such as widened medians, roundabouts, traffic signals, interchanges, and the RCUT. The RCUT option — which restricts straight-through and left-turn movements from side roads, instead routing traffic to make a right turn followed by a U-turn — was among the early contenders. However, local pushback began almost immediately, with many residents and agricultural operators arguing that the design would be cumbersome, particularly for large farm equipment and semi-trucks in winter conditions. Community engagement and feedback Throughout 2024 and into 2025, Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure held multiple rounds of public engagement, including sessions with landowners, First Nations and Métis groups, local governments, the trucking industry, and the general public. A public open house held at Carberry Collegiate in March 2025 drew a strong response, including more than 2,100 signatures on a petition opposing the RCUT. Many stakeholders voiced a preference for a widened median or a full interchange, citing both safety and practicality. In light of that feedback, the province has now confirmed that the RCUT proposal will not move forward. According to the province, the functional design study will continue, with a revised shortlist of alternatives to be presented during a third round of engagement planned for later this summer. The project remains on track for detailed engineering and land acquisition to begin later this year, with construction expected to start in 2026 and finish by the end of that year. In the meantime, the province says it will continue to work with safety experts and community stakeholders to identify a permanent solution that is both effective and locally supported. For more information and project updates, Manitobans can visit the MTI website at . [related_links /] — Pam Fedack is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Have thoughts on what's going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
11-07-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Province plans major upgrades to PTH 14 in growing Winkler region
Three separate projects are moving forward along Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 14 between Winkler and Plum Coulee, with one planned reconstruction extending into the City of Winkler's east end industrial area. Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) says three projects are in development along PTH 14 between Winkler and Plum Coulee. Two intersection upgrades within Winkler — one at the corner of PTH 14 and PTH 32, and another at PTH 14 and Eastview Drive — are currently in the design phase. Both are high-traffic intersections that experience significant daily traffic, particularly with ongoing residential and industrial development in the area. A third project, involving surface reconstruction approximately 1.6 km east of PTH 32 in the Municipality of Rhineland, is scheduled to begin construction in 2026 and is expected to be completed by fall 2027. 'PTH 14 is an important transportation route in southern Manitoba, used by approximately 6,400 vehicles daily,' a provincial spokesperson said in a statement to the Winnipeg Sun. 'MTI is dedicated to ensuring safety for all Manitobans on the provincial road and highway networks.' Winkler Mayor Henry Siemens said the upgrades are a welcome step in addressing mounting traffic pressure and economic opportunity. 'We are thankful the province is aware of the rapid growth in southern Manitoba, both in our population and businesses,' Siemens said. 'This road is bumper-to-bumper at all hours of the day, and if we want to continue to contribute to the provincial economy, something needs to be done. We're pleased to see that the province recognizes that and is stepping up to relieve that impediment to growth and development.' The province says it works in collaboration with municipalities, towns, and cities throughout every phase of planning, design, and construction. These projects form part of Manitoba's long-term strategy to invest in transportation infrastructure that supports trade diversification and private-sector growth. The Winnipeg Sun has requested further details from the province regarding the total length of roadway affected, estimated project costs, potential detours or closures during construction, and how local communities have been consulted. Updates will be shared as more information becomes available. More information is available through the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure Multi-Year Infrastructure Investment Strategy at , or by visiting for project updates. — Pam Fedack is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. Have thoughts on what's going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CBC
28-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
New biking, walking pathway to connect Morden, Winkler by fall
Social Sharing People in the Morden-Winkler area of southern Manitoba will soon have a new biking and walking trail connecting the twin cities, as well as linking Winkler and some of its neighbouring communities to the Trans Canada Trail network. "It's really a triple win," James Friesen, chair of the committee behind the Stanley Community Pathway, told CBC News last week. The pathway will run the approximately 10-kilometre stretch between the two cities, along the south side of Highway 3/14. Friesen's committee recently got approval from Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure to build the trail near the highway, and construction is expected to begin this spring, following a tender process, and finish by fall, he said. "It's become a very strong symbol I think for unifying communities," said Friesen. The committee — made up of city planners and representatives from Morden and Winkler, along with the surrounding Rural Municipality of Stanley and the Stanley Trail Association — has been working on the plan for the paved three-metre-wide trail for more than four years, although Friesen says the idea has been around for decades. "Early on in the planning, of course, the pandemic hit, and so a lot of the conversation during planning at that time was aware of the tensions that were being experienced across the world," Friesen said. "The pathway to us really signifies sort of a physical bond between two communities that are so close together." Friesen met with CBC near the Morden Research and Development Centre, where the trail will extend east from the city through the RM of Stanley. The pathway will eventually curve down to a rest stop at the Boundary Trails Health Centre, before looping back up and east to Winkler's Partridge Crescent area. Trail will make travel more affordable, safer: cyclist Craig Doell bikes along the highway from Morden to the regional hospital for work, and said he expects the new trail will mean he'll see more people commuting. "It's going to be big," Doell told CBC on his ride home, as dozens of cars and commercial trucks zoomed by. "I can see why people wouldn't want to be on this highway." Doell is a familiar sight on the road, with his flashing lights and high-visibility gear. He's been cycling his 20- to 45-minute commute most days for the last two decades, rain or shine, he said. He looks forward to having a safer ride on the pathway, especially during blustery, foggy and icy weather, he said. In all his years cycling the highway, both the population and traffic have exploded in the area, with many people relying on cars to get to and from Morden and Winkler and neighbouring communities, he said. WATCH | New bike path will connect Morden, Winkler: Between 2011 to 2021, Morden's population grew by 27 per cent to nearly 10,000 people, according to Statistics Canada. Winkler's jumped from 12,000 to nearly 14,000 during that time, a rise that was largely driven by immigration. "I think it definitely will connect the two communities for newcomers that just can't afford to drive, and now they have this option, that safe option," Doell said. RM of Stanley Reeve Ike Friesen agrees it will improve safety for the many commuters in his municipality. The pathway committee is close to breaking ground on the nearly $4.2-million trail, he said, thanks to business and community donations and federal, provincial and municipal funding, including a combined $750,000 from Morden, Winkler and the RM of Stanley. "We do other projects together, and this is just another way to connect our whole community," Friesen said. "We've finally got to this point. It's very exciting for us." The trail will connect Winkler, along with neighbouring Reinfeld and Schanzenfeld, to Morden's Minnewasta Lake Trail and the Stanley Trail that is part of the Trans Canada Trail network, which runs along the Pembina escarpment west of Morden, he said.
