Manitoba gross domestic product growth modest in 2026: Deloitte

A new report by Deloitte has downgraded its projection for Manitoba’s gross domestic product growth in 2026.

The professional services firm predicted in January the province’s GDP will increase 1.4 per cent. Its latest economic outlook, released today, forecasts Manitoba’s real GDP growth at 1.0 per cent.

Manitoba’s modest growth will be supported by public infrastructure spending, such as the new CancerCare centre, according to Deloitte. Construction is scheduled to begin in August.

Improved agri-food export conditions after China’s tariff removals will also contribute to GDP growth.

Cost of hiring U.S. firm for Manitoba doctor hunt is ‘minimal’: health minister

WINNIPEG - The Manitoba government is paying a U.S. firm to find emergency room physicians south of the border for temporary posts, largely in rural and northern communities.

Shared Health, the province's central health planning body, has teamed up with Utah-based Global Medical Staffing, which has put up five job postings as a start in recent days. The postings tout Manitoba's natural beauty, including polar bears, beluga whales and the northern lights.

"Discover Manitoba where wild beauty, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and vibrant cultural experiences come together in the heart of Canada," one ad says.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the amount of overhead costs being paid to the American firm is "minimal." Shared Health declined to divulge the dollar amount or the number of jobs that will be posted.

Invasive species on the march, threaten city’s ash, elm trees

Winnipeg’s tree canopy is under siege.

The emerald ash borer has made a resurgence — after nearly a decade of minimal spread — and another invasive insect is bearing down on elm trees, which are already at risk of Dutch elm disease.

Brandon hospital undergoes $120-M renovation

BRANDON — The critical care centre at Brandon’s hospital will begin accepting patients in May when intensive care and inpatient medicine services are expanded, the Manitoba government announced Wednesday.

The number of beds in the new ICU will increase to 16 from 10, with 12 beds opening to start, Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said during a news conference at the Brandon Regional Health Centre.

The 30-bed internal medicine unit on the second floor will open 15 beds in the spring, with the remaining beds coming online as more staff are hired, they said.

“We know that the most responsible way to add capacity is to make sure that you’re doing it in a way where those beds are fully staffed … so that we’re not adding capacity and enforcing a scenario where you’re using overtime or mandating to staff those beds,” Asagwara said.

Police sound alarm about ‘sextortion’ scams targeting youth, young adults

Winnipeg police say the department is seeing a “continuous rise” in reports of the sexually exploitative blackmail scheme.

Khan in hot water over ‘deeply dismissive’ social worker remarks

Manitoba Tory Leader Obby Khan is under pressure to publicly apologize to social workers after saying they aren’t mental health professionals.

The Manitoba College of Social Workers issued an open letter to Khan this week in which it referenced comments made by him in the legislature March 26.

He had taken shots at the government’s plan to create a $13.6-million mental health zone in the Health Sciences Centre.

Khan said it would be staffed by social workers, although that detail isn’t confirmed in the 2026-27 budget released last month.

US crude tops $110 per barrel and Wall Street tumbles after Trump vows to escalate attacks on Iran

Oil rose more than 10% and U.S. futures tumbled Thursday after President Donald Trump said in his first national address since the Iran war began that the United States will escalate its campaign in the coming weeks.

Futures for the S&P 500 tumbled 1.5% before the opening bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 1.4%. Nasdaq futures slid 2%.

Thursday is the last day of trading this week due to the Good Friday holiday. Markets have not posted a weekly gain since the war began in late February.

A spokesman for Iran’s military insisted Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and production facilities.

Winnipeg dad, young son captivated by first mission to moon in more than a half-century

Father hopes witnessing the launch might leave an impression on his son who has developed a budding interest in astronomy.

Canadian astronaut circling Earth after successful Artemis II lunar launch

CAPE CANAVERAL - Canadian Jeremy Hansen is one of four astronauts circling Earth in a historic lunar mission after Artemis II successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday. 

On board with Hansen are veteran NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch.

The mission is expected to initially stay close to Earth in order to test systems before the astronauts fire the main engine to propel the spacecraft to the moon — marking humanity's first return in more than 50 years.

The 10-day journey will make Hansen the first non-American to travel beyond low Earth orbit.

April Fools’ Day jokes highlight real-life issues, joys of local small businesses, owners say

Oh Doughnuts patrons received a prank with their pastries on Wednesday morning.

The beloved Winnipeg business posted on social media that, at day’s end, it would shut its doors for good.

“The economy has been rough for us all, but as a small business it just became too difficult to keep this doughnut train going,” the post stated.

Eagle-eyed readers noted it twice mentioned April 1 — a hint it was in fact an April Fools’ Day jest.