News briefs for Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Train collides with semi-trailer in Carman

8:48 PM

A portion of Highway 13 that cuts through Carman was closed after a semi-trailer and train collided Wednesday evening.

The Carman Dufferin Fire Department reported the collision had shut down traffic on Main Street in the town southwest of Winnipeg.

No other details about the collision or possible injuries were available.

Federal government cuts jobs at Winnipeg lab

5:08 PM

The union that represents employees at the National Microbiology Lab and related sites in Winnipeg says the facility wasn’t spared from the federal government’s latest round of job cuts.

“It has been brought to our attention that four positions were affected and, unfortunately, they were cut,” a spokesperson for the Union of Health and Environment Workers said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada expects its overall workforce in Canada to be reduced by about 50 positions through targeted attrition over the next three years, spokesman Mark Johnson said.

He said the federal agency will not provide location-specific details due to privacy reasons, because it may be possible to identify affected employees in some workplaces that have a low number of workers.

Thousands of federal public service workers across Canada received notices last month that their jobs may be cut.

Last week, the Research Council Employees’ union said 12 scientists at the National Research Council facility in downtown Winnipeg were laid off.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights confirmed seven employees were laid off earlier this month.

Operations back to normal at police headquarters in wake of flood

3:02 PM

The Winnipeg Police Service says all units displaced by a weekend flood of police headquarters have returned with operations back to normal.

Police and the city said in a statement on Wednesday that while they are continuing to assess damage from the flood — caused when emergency water valves were opened in a stairway — all impacted units have returned to the building at 266 Graham Ave., and operations are back to normal there.

Police said standing water has been removed from all areas, electrical systems have been deemed safe, and both air quality and humidity have been tested as within acceptable ranges.

The WPS and the city are working together to increase preventative measures in the tower part of the complex to prevent it from happening again.

Two people are facing several charges of mischief over $5,000 in connection with the incident.

Police notify public about release of high-risk sex offender

2:52 PM

Police are warning the public about the release of a high-risk sex offender who sexually assaulted an adolescent girl in Thompson.

Curtis Leroy George, 34, served his sentence at Milner Ridge jail and is expected to reside in Winnipeg. Police say George remains a high-risk to reoffend in a violent/sexual manner against all females, both adults and children.

“This information is provided to enable members of the public to take suitable measures to protect themselves.Any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct directed at Mr. George will not be tolerated,” police stated in a news release.

Police are asking members of the public to contact them if they have any information to report about George to the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit at 431-489-8056.

RCMP ask for help after Portage stabbing

2:50 PM

RCMP are investigating after a man was stabbed Thursday in Portage la Prairie.

A 42-year-old man was walking in a back alley near the 100-block of Saskatchewan Avenue East at 11 p.m. when he came across a male and a female. During the encounter, a second female came up from the victim’s side and stabbed him, RCMP said in a Wednesday news release.

The victim was taken to hospital in Portage la Prairie before being transferred to Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg in stable condition.

Police ask anyone with information to call Portage RCMP at 204-857-4445 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or online.

Pedestrian dead after collision near landfill

1:04 PM

A 43-year-old pedestrian is dead after he was struck by a vehicle near the Brady Road landfill.

Winnipeg police officers were called to Brady Road and Gousseau Road around 4 a.m. Friday, after receiving a report of a collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian.

The driver remained at the scene and co-operated with officers.

Police spokesman Const. Pat Saydak said the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

He did not know whether the pedestrian or driver worked at the nearby landfill, nor did he have any information to provide on why someone was walking in the area at the time.

Police continue to investigate.

Company fined for worker’s 2022 death

12:28 PM

A Manitoba company has been fined after pleading guilty to violating Workplace Safety and Health regulations following the death of a worker at its facility.

On July 20, 2022, a worker was fatally injured while working at Wintec Building Services Inc. after falling into an unguarded radiator fan blade, the province said on Wednesday.

The company provides excavation and base services, asphalt paving and supply, property and roadway maintenance, aggregate supply and snow removal services throughout the province.

Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health officials and laid charges under the relevant legislation. The company pleaded guilty in provincial court late last month to failing to ensure that when machine or tool safeguards are removed or made ineffective, alternate protective measures are in place until the safeguard is replaced. 

The court fined the company $50,000, plus an additional $20,000 to be used for public education on occupational safety and health.

Boy, 14, arrested in slaying of 18-year-old

12:26 PM

A 14-year-old boy has been charged in the killing of an 18-year-old ward of Child and Family Services.

The 18-year-old woman was found dead at a home on the 500 block of Young Street at about 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, the Winnipeg Police Service said Wednesday.

Homicide detectives identified a suspect in the killing and arrested him Tuesday.

The 14-year-old boy, who was held in custody, was charged with second-degree murder and criminal negligence causing death.

The Free Press is not naming the victim because she’s a ward of CFS.

Her father said Tuesday she was living in a group home at the time of her death after her CFS care was extended to the age of 21.

Jann Arden, Shaun Majumder among comedy festival headliners

11:50 AM

The Winnipeg Comedy Festival has announced the gala headliners for its 25th anniversary show, running April 20-26 at various locations, including the Gas Station Arts Centre and the Burton Cummings Theatre.

“For our 25th year we really wanted to bring back a lot of our audience favorites – the comics that helped build the festival and put it on the map – as well as the country’s hottest new comics who are poised to be the stars of the future,” said artistic director Dean Jenkinson in a release.

The Mega Shows, held at the Burt will feature hosts Brooke Lynn Hytes (Canada’s Drag Race), Juno winner Dave Merheje, This Hour Has 22 Minutes’ Shaun Majumder and Chris Wilson, and singer-songwriter Jann Arden.

Tickets for these gala performances are $40 and available now online.

The always popular tapings of CBC’s The Debaters, hosted by Steve Patterson, will take place April 25 and 26 at Jubilee Place; tickets are $45 at wpgcomfest.com.

More acts and shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

Recreation sites in The Pas get funding boost

10:27 AM

The Manitoba government is injecting $3.8 million into recreational and arts facilities in The Pas.

Two years ago, the city’s Lido Theatre burned to the ground. The province will spend $2.5 million rebuilding the arts, culture and education centre. It will be a hub for performances and events, a government news release says.

Another $1.3 million will be spent upgrading the Roy H. Johnston Arena and Kelsey Recreation facilities.

Money comes through the province’s Manitoba GRO program.

Firefighters battle pair of overnight blazes

8:38 AM

City firefighters battled a pair of structure fires in unoccupied buildings overnight.

Crews were called to a single-storey, mixed-used commercial and residential building in the 400 block of Bannerman Avenue just before 1 a.m.

They encountered smoke and flames coming from the building and were able to get the fire under control by 1:21 a.m.

Firefighters searched the building and no occupants were found.

Crews were then called to the 600 block of Munroe Avenue just before 4 a.m. to a two-storey, mixed-use commercial and residential building, where they quickly doused a small fire.

A search inside the building was completed and no occupants were found.

No injuries were reported in either fire. Both fires are under investigation. Damage estimates are not available.