News briefs for Friday, March 28, 2025

IIU releases final report on incident

2:23 PM

The final report on an investigation into a Winnipeg police officer’s actions when a man broke his ankle after running into a moving cruiser car has been released.

The Independent Investigation Unit, which probes serious injuries involving police, previously cleared officers of wrongdoing in the Jan. 26, 2024 incident on McPhillips Street.

Police were sent to the Garden City Shopping Centre at about 6 p.m. regarding an armed robbery by a man with an axe who was trying to flee.

The man entered a taxi in front of Goodlife Fitness and stabbed the driver in the neck, then pulled him from his cab.

Tactical officers ordered him out of the taxi, but he ran. As patrol officers entered the parking lot in their cruiser, the man emerged from behind storage containers and sprinted. As the man was running, he made contact with the cruiser, the IIU found.

The agency said police did not intentionally hit the man and cleared the officer who was behind the wheel of wrongdoing.

The IIU finished the investigation this fall but did not release its final report until Friday because the man was still before the courts on charges related to the incident.

Southeast CFS workers ratify contract

11:47 AM

Southeast Child and Family Services workers have voted to ratify a new four-year collective agreement.

Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union Local 395 members had been set to go on strike Tuesday, but a tentative deal was reached Monday.

MGEU president Kyle Ross said the deal achieves wage parity with other CFS workers. The agreement includes wage increases in each year of the contract, increases to bereavement and family responsibility leave, new “wellness days,” and new shift and weekend premiums.

The MGEU said 170 Southeast workers had been without a contract since March 31, 2022.

About 220 and 110 workers at the Métis and Michif agencies have been on strike since Tuesday. They have been without contracts since Jan. 31, 2023.

Woman climbs Exchange District construction crane

11:16 AM

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews were sent to the Exchange District on Thursday after a woman climbed up a construction crane.

WFPS spokeswoman Kristin Cuma said firefighters were sent to the 200 block of William Avenue at about 5:30 p.m.

“At the scene, firefighters prepared for a rescue using the high-angle rescue team and a drone, but the person got down safely on their own,” she said.

Paramedics took the woman to hospital.

No charges have been laid against the woman at this point, a police spokesman said.

Police provide, then retract update on October collision that killed senior

11:16 AM

Police said in a news release Friday that a woman has been charged in connection with a fatal pedestrian collision this fall, but later said “some content in the release is inaccurate.”

A 75-year-old man was transported to hospital in unstable condition after he was hit by a 2022 Kia Seltos in the area of Corydon Avenue and Lilac Street at about 9:43 a.m. on Oct. 3.

The driver remained at the scene, and the man died from his injuries on Oct. 11, police said previously.

Details of the investigation were forwarded to Crown prosecutors for review.

A 44-year-old woman was charged with driving carelessly causing death and released on an appearance notice Thursday, the Winnipeg Police Service initially said in a news release Friday morning. The WPS said that afternoon that some content in the release was wrong and that another would be sent “at a later time.”

Man arrested with air pistol

10:50 AM

A man was arrested after police said officers saw him walking with what looked like the butt end of a handgun sticking out of a bag.

Officers were patrolling in the William Whyte neighbourhood at about 8:15 p.m. Thursday when they saw the man walking across the street with a bag. They stopped him near the intersection of Salter Street and Manitoba Avenue.

Police seized a replica Glock 19 CO2 pistol and a knife.

A 24-year-old man is facing two counts of possession of a weapon and was released on an appearance notice.

 Victoria Hospital town hall set for May

10:14 AM

The province will hold a town hall on the design of Victoria Hospital’s new emergency department later this spring.

The meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on May 6.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said in a news release Friday that the government will consult with front-line hospital staff members to understand their priorities for the new emergency department on April 15.

Planned construction tenders will be issued later this year, Asagwara said.

Poilievre coming to Winnipeg in first Manitoba campaign stop among leaders

9:36 AM

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will hold a news conference and rally in Winnipeg on Saturday.

He will be the first federal leader to make a stop in Manitoba since the election campaign began Sunday.

The rally is scheduled to begin at Unit 101B at 1821 Wellington Ave. at 3:30 p.m. after a morning news conference that will also be held near the airport.