Ron Schuler, longtime Manitoba Progressive Conservative, won’t run again

Finding the balance on short-term rentals

It’s fair to say the advent of Airbnb in 2008 changed the short-term rental market — it and its competitors gave hotels a run for their money, gave homeowners new ways to make an income and helped customers pay less for accommodations.

Ron Schuler, longtime Manitoba Progressive Conservative, won’t run again

WINNIPEG - Manitoba Progressive Conservative Ron Schuler has announced he will not seek re-election.

Schuler is 62 years old, has been in the legislature for 27 years, and says he is looking forward to spending more time with his family.

He plans to serve out the remainder of his term, and says announcing his plans now gives the party and potential successors time to prepare for the next election, slated for October 2027.

Two other Tories — Kevin Goertzen and Doyle Piwniuk — have also recently announced they will not run again.

Siloam Mission, WFPS discussing on-site paramedic to reduce staggering number of emergency calls

Winnipeg’s fire-paramedic service and its largest homeless-serving organization are discussing what it would look like to station at least one paramedic at Siloam Mission, as emergency calls to the downtown facility surge.

The ongoing discussions come as Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews were dispatched 1,771 times during the first eight months of the year to the two adjacent Siloam properties at 303 Stanley St. and 300 Princess St.

WFPS said most of the calls were related to overdoses or other consequences of substance use, with the total nearly double the 854 calls recorded over the same period last year. By comparison, there were 831 calls during the same span in 2024, and 591 in 2023.

“The number of emergency calls isn’t sustainable for us as a service, but it’s certainly not sustainable for them as an agency trying to provide services,” WFPS chief Ryan Sneath told the Free Press. “And they recognize that they’re impacting emergency services, not them specifically, but the site in a significant way.”

Snowbird replacements ‘extremely manoeuverable, powerful,’ RCAF commander says

GATINEAU - The Royal Canadian Air Force welcomed on Thursday the first two of its new trainer aircraft, the CT-157 Siskin II — the same planes that will replace the old Tutor jets flown by the Snowbirds aerial demonstration team.

The turboprop planes will soon be headed to 15 Wing Moose Jaw, where the air force eventually will station 19 of them to serve as its main training fleet.

Acquiring the Siskin II, also known as the Pilatus PC-21, is part of the RCAF's plan to modernize its fleets and overhaul its training.

RCAF Commander Lt.-Gen. Jamie Speiser-Blanchet said the modern aircraft are well suited both to aerial acrobatics and to preparing pilots for the more advanced aircraft the air force is bringing online.

Jets GM insists club’s not working under any deadline in netminder’s trade request

Connor Hellebuyck and his family were subject to so much post-Olympic vitriol that both the Winnipeg Jets security team and even police had to get involved.

Former Bombers linebacker Gauthier enjoying career as electrician

Most professional football players don’t ride off into the sunset on their own terms.

Shayne Gauthier was well aware of that, but it didn’t make it sting any less when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers informed the veteran linebacker that they weren’t bringing him back for 2026.

“I was really hoping to play one more (season) because it would have been my 10th season, so, I’d say it didn’t really end the way I wanted,” Gauthier recently told the Free Press.

“It left a little sour taste in my mouth, but that’s part of pro sports. If everybody got the ending that they wanted, then it wouldn’t really work.”