Property tax hike included in Gillingham’s costed platform

Mayoral candidate Scott Gillingham says property taxes will rise another 3.5 per cent in 2027, with no set cap on potential increases in each of the following three years, if he is re-elected as mayor on Wednesday.

A new property tax target would instead be determined by city council for the following three budget years, with a goal to keep annual hikes “close to inflation,” respect affordability and protect essential services, Gillingham said while releasing a costed election platform Monday.

“To say today we’re going to set a (property tax hike) target, set an amount without knowing where the inflationary rates would go would be irresponsible,” he said.

In his 2022 election campaign, Gillingham promised to raise taxes by 3.5 per cent per year. However, the city instead imposed a 5.95 per cent property tax hike in 2025, Winnipeg’s largest single-year increase since the 1990s.

Police probe weekend vandalism spree as dozens of school buses taken out of service

Vandals used fire extinguishers to damage dozens of Winnipeg School Division buses and an elementary school in a pair of weekend break-ins, disrupting transportation or lessons for potentially hundreds of students.

Several buses were taken out of service, resulting in cancellations or delays on some routes Monday, after 45 parked vehicles were damaged in a lot on Selkirk Avenue, west of Keewatin Street.

“We occasionally will have a fire extinguisher stolen or a little bit of damage, but this was certainly the largest-scale vandalism that we’ve seen in our (transportation) yard,” said Matt Henderson, superintendent of Manitoba’s largest school division.

“The result of that was a number of bus routes had to be cancelled (Monday), which is really problematic. There’s an added stress on families to get their children to school.”

‘Important first step’: Arctic Gateway, CentrePort sign MOU with Dubai ports giant

The Port of Churchill owners say they’re working with Dubai-based logistics giant DP World Inc. to potentially boost traffic to North America’s only deep water Arctic seaport.

Man accused of assaulting unconscious woman has lengthy record of abuse

A convicted sex offender accused of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman last week — only to be stopped in the process by police officers — has a lengthy history of abusing vulnerable victims.

Harley Aaron Okemow, 34, was arrested Oct. 21 on Stanley Street, near Henry Avenue, and charged with sexual assault causing bodily harm.

He had been released from provincial jail in mid-September, with a sentence of two years of supervised probation plus the time he served behind bars awaiting court, after pleading guilty to several breaches of court orders committed earlier this year.

“Mr. Okemow … does have a serious record … that includes sexually offending against six different victims, five of which were children,” said Crown prosecutor Katie Dojack at Okemow’s sentencing last month.

Salomonsson ‘feeling good’ after season debut in Jets colours

Sal is officially back with his NHL pals and is eager to get back up to speed.

The Swedish blue-liner made his season debut with the Winnipeg Jets in the Heritage Classic on Sunday in his return from off-season shoulder surgery. And Elias Salomonsson handled himself well despite his return to NHL action coinciding with the spectacle of an outdoor game.

Sure, there was the expected rust to shake off after being limited to two games with the Manitoba Moose last week, but the defenceman was immediately elevated into a second pairing role.

“He showed off his skating and first-pass ability,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “His timing, some contact and practicing at NHL pace will help him get up to speed.”

Man stabbed outside shelter dies days later, manslaughter charges laid

A violent altercation outside Winnipeg’s largest homeless shelter turned fatal days later, leaving staff and community members mourning the loss of a man who was well known to them.

Police were called to Siloam Mission around 10:30 a.m. Saturday Oct. 17 after a fight broke out in the shelter’s parking lot on the 300 block of Stanley Street, leaving a 31-year-old man with stab wounds.

Officers found the man in critical condition and rushed him to hospital, where he remained until his death on Tuesday Oct. 20.

On Monday, police identified the victim as Jereth Joseph James Clarke, a member of Norway House Cree Nation who had been staying in Winnipeg.

Deer Lodge Centre taking over operations of Charleswood adult day program slated for closure

An adult day program set to close at the end of the month in Charleswood has been spared.

The provincial government announced Monday that is ensuring adult day programming for seniors continues in the same Charleswood space after Lions Housing Centres announced Oct. 30 would be its last day.

“All of the participants are going to be able to continue at that same location,” Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara said in an interview Monday.

The funder — the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority — and the operator, Lions Housing Centres, sent a letter Sept. 16 to the 107 day club members and their families informing them of the closure without providing a reason. The letter said the WRHA was working closely with partners to explore options for current participants and individuals on the waiting list and that a home care case co-ordinator would contact them with options to try to meet their needs.

IIU authorizes charges against Portage RCMP officer now accused of hitting, injuring man on bicycle

Manitoba’s police watchdog has authorized charges against a Portage la Prairie RCMP officer who allegedly hit and injured a man on a bicycle with his police cruiser.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba announced two charges against RCMP Const. Wail Mohamed after launching an investigation in March 2025, a Monday news release said.

Mohamed is facing one count of operating a conveyance in a dangerous manner to the public and one count of assault with a weapon.

On March 26, 2025, Mounties saw two people matching the description of suspects from a previous criminal incident, the release stated. As one officer spoke with a woman, Mohamed saw a man leave on a bicycle, the IIU said.

Man, 19, killed in semi, passenger vehicle crash north of Emerson

A 19-year-old is dead after a collision Saturday in southeastern Manitoba involving a semi-truck and a passenger vehicle.

RCMP officers from the St-Pierre-Jolys detachment received a call at 8 p.m. about a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of highways 23 and 200, located roughly 35 kilometres north of Emerson, a Monday news release said.

A vehicle with five people inside was travelling north on Provincial Road 200 when it hit a semi-truck travelling east on Provincial Trunk Highway 23, police said. The semi-truck jackknifed in the eastbound lane and tipped over into the ditch. The other vehicle landed facing west in a ditch on PTH 23.

A STARS air ambulance was dispatched, police said.

Bank of Canada now expected to hike key rate as it faces ‘pivotal decision’

Expectations are rising that the Bank of Canada will indeed raise its benchmark interest rate this week as it considers the effect of higher energy prices on the economy.

Financial market odds for a rate hike were just over 83 per cent as of Monday afternoon, according to LSEG Data & Analytics. The central bank's planned interest rate announcement on Wednesday will also include an updated monetary policy report.

The Bank of Canada has held its policy rate at 2.25 per cent for seven consecutive meetings.

RBC economists said in a note to clients Thursday that they are now expecting a quarter-point hike as the central bank faces a “pivotal decision amid evolving economic conditions.”