News briefs for Monday, September 21, 2026

Power outages expected as giant tanks moved

5:18 PM

Manitoba Hydro customers in some communities may be temporarily without power while eight giant storage tanks are transported across Manitoba by truck between Tuesday and Thursday.

Outages may affect areas primarily along highways 23 and 59, Hydro said.

Crews will either lift or temporarily disconnect power lines at about 220 locations along the roughly 430-kilometre route from the Manitoba-Saskatchewan boundary and the Tolstoi border crossing into Minnesota. Each outage is expected to last about 1 ½ hours.

Hydro said the empty storage tanks, manufactured in Alberta, are being moved so they can be shipped overseas. Each tank is about the height of a two-storey building.

A schedule provided by Hydro said the tanks will be moved along highways 1, 21 and 23 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the move will resume at the intersection of highways 23 and 34, and proceed to Morris.

The last leg, on Thursday, is between Morris and the Manitoba-Minnesota border, using highways 23 and 59.

U.S. judges to hear convicted human smuggler’s appeal

4:23 PM

A panel of U.S. judges will hear an appeal Oct. 23 from one of two men imprisoned for a human smuggling operation at the Manitoba-Minnesota border, which led to the deaths of a family near Emerson.

Steve Shand, 52, has argued the case should be sent back to a lower court for a retrial “and/or other appropriate proceedings.” The appeal will be heard in St. Paul, Minn.

Shand, who is from Deltona, Fla., was sentenced to more than six years in prison after a Minnesota district court jury convicted him and co-accused Harshkumar Patel of four charges in 2024.

The frozen bodies of parents Jagdish Patel, 39, and Vaishaliben Patel, 37, their three-year-old son, Dharmik, and their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi, were found just north of the border after a blizzard in January 2022.

Seven migrants who survived the overnight crossing were detained by U.S. border agents.

Patel, who received a 10-year sentence and is not related to the victims, filed a separate appeal.

Senior’s death probed as homicide

2:45 PM

The death of a 72-year-old man outside the Lynn Lake RCMP detachment Sunday morning is being investigated as a homicide.

At 7:30 a.m., a cell guard at the detachment found the senior on the ground outside the building with serious injures, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release Monday.

Officers provided medical care, but the man died on scene.

RCMP said it is believed the man managed to make his way to the detachment after being assaulted at his home.

Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 204-356-8862.

Lynn Lake is located more than 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

IIU probes injuries after police pursuit

1:26 PM

Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating after two people were seriously injured during a police pursuit early Sunday.

Manitoba First Nations Police Service officers were sent to an address before 2 a.m. in Long Plain First Nation because of an impaired driver who had repeatedly showed up at the residence.

When officers arrived, the suspect drove off at a high rate of speed.

Officers followed the vehicle but soon lost sight of it.

A short time later, officers came across the suspect vehicle in a field with smoke coming from the engine and both airbags deployed. The driver was arrested after a short foot chase. The passenger, who was still in the vehicle, was also arrested.

The driver received a possible broken nose while the passenger was found to have a break in her spine and a possible fractured back.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or may have video footage of it are asked to contact the Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba toll free at 1-844-667-6060.

Collaros not participating

12:39 PM

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers returned to work on Monday from their bye week.

Starting QB Zach Collaros — who left the Banjo Bowl early due to injury — is in street clothes and not participating. Running back Brady Oliveira, receiver Nic Demski, defensive tackle Cam Lawson, and receiver Ontaria Wilson also aren’t participating.

The Bombers host the Toronto Argonauts on Friday.

Police to increase presence at places of worship after Ontario synagogue shooting

11:13 AM

Flora Avenue vacant building burns for fifth time

9:56 AM

Winnipeg firefighters battled two significant blazes Sunday, including the latest in a string of fires at a vacant and boarded-up apartment building on Flora Avenue.

Crews were called to the 600 block of Flora Avenue around 1:30 p.m., where they found the building engulfed in flames. Firefighters were forced to attack the blaze from outside because conditions made it unsafe to enter. The fire was brought under control shortly after 3 p.m. No injuries were reported.

The building has a long history of fires, having previously been damaged by blazes in July 2025, December 2024 and twice in November 2024.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service also dealt with another major fire earlier Sunday morning.

Firefighters were called to a house in the 300 block of Morley Avenue shortly before 8 a.m., where they encountered heavy smoke and flames. Crews alternated between attacking the fire from inside and outside the home before bringing it under control shortly after 1 p.m. No injuries were reported in that fire either.

Both fires remain under investigation. Damage estimates were not immediately available.