The Wrap
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Blizzard impact, ER closures, managed encampments, Jets analysis, 7-gift rule
Plus: Santa, elves sought in 'Robin Hood' grocery theft

Good evening. Here’s a look at what our newsroom has been working on today:

 

'I knew as soon as I went outside, it was bad'

Nicole Buffie and Adam Treusch:

Blizzard blasts southern Manitoba

Winnipeggers started digging out Thursday after a blizzard hammered southern Manitoba, with city police urging drivers to stay off the roads for much of the day. Read More

 

Free Press staff:

In pictures: Winnipeg blizzard, Dec. 18, 2025

Views around the city as Winnipeggers dig out from the first major blizzard of the winter. Read More

 

Nicole Buffie:

Staff, parents irked by late decision to close city schools

Officials criticized for jeopardizing safety as blizzard descended on Winnipeg Read More

 

Scott Billeck:

Neighbours dig paths for fire truck, ambulance stuck in snow

A show of neighbourly kindness helped free a fire truck and an ambulance responding to a call in Sage Creek during a blizzard Thursday. Read More

 
 
 

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'It’s getting to the point where it’s not shocking anymore'

Chris Kitching:

Doctors Manitoba advises rural Manitobans to plan ahead over holidays, as some ERs closing, changing hours

Patients in Winnipeg could face longer waits at Grace Hospital’s ER and all three urgent-care centres due to staff vacancies. Read More

 
 

'A potential tent city'

Joyanne Pursaga:

City looking at options for ‘managed encampment’ with basic services for homeless people

The City of Winnipeg will explore options for a temporary “managed encampment to housing” site, aimed at ensuring homeless people receive basic services and supports at a dedicated location. Read More

 
 

'This ship is taking on water, and it has far too many passengers'

Mike McIntyre:

Jets’ season on thin ice

Without major shakeup, Cup hopes for club rapidly fading Read More

 
 

'It’s not too late to change the way we gift'

AV Kitching:

New yule rules

Thoughtful gift-giving plan focuses on quality, avoids mindless spending Read More

 
 
 

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Local

Nicole Buffie: Winnipeg Beach mourns councillor
Nicole Buffie: Annual hamper drive delivers toys, food to families in need
Maggie Macintosh: Inner-city outreach workers take on truancy one student at a time
Graham McDonald: Hospitality was the cornerstone of restaurateur’s family business
Janine LeGal: Food-waste program hits pay dirt in first year
Dean Pritchard: Judge convicts man who switched seats with driver after collision that killed cyclist
Joyanne Pursaga: Mayor says city council showed ‘courage’ in 2025
Scott Billeck: Santa, other cyclists brave nasty weather to spread goodwill, supplies
Maggie Macintosh: ‘Bipartisan’ local journalism committee jousts over report
Nicole Buffie: Winnipeg schools reopen as teachers warned to report to work
 

Opinion

Russell Wangersky: A sliver of hope amid darkening grey days
Tory McNally: AI policy needs: principles, boundaries, expectations grounded in respect for people
Joel Schlesinger: ‘Warren Buffet’ of Winnipeg Storied value investor with track record of beating U.S. market opens up about new podcast, basics of good investing
David McLaughlin: Poilievre should take time to reset message, style
Kyle Volpi Hiebert: Global politics as we move into 2026
Editorial: Time to clean up a world of ‘slop’
Free Press: Letters, Dec. 20
Jen Zoratti: Director Rob Reiner’s oeuvre more than mere movies
Maureen Scurfield: Get busy while wife’s on ice to stay warmer
Patricia Dawn Robertson: Pastry recipe never fails
 

Arts & Life

Georgia Nicols: Today’s horoscope
Holly Harris: RWB holiday tradition never loses its lustre
Randall King: Chilling thriller fuel for nightmares
David Sanderson: Cast of RMTC’s Elf: The Musical weigh in with top picks for Yuletide flicks
Free Press: What’s up in Winnipeg on New Year’s Eve: Karaoke, masquerade party, The Leaf after dark, and more
Free Press: New in paper
Ben Sigurdson: Locals sweep McNally’s top non-fiction sales
Reviewed by Julie Kentner: Bones of new Brennan thriller fall short of Reichs’ best
John Longhurst: City church helps make Christmas merrier for care home residents
 

Sports

Mike McIntyre: Nyquist looks to impress on top line
Mike McIntyre: Jets fall to league-leading Avalanche 3-2
Taylor Allen: RBC Future Olympian nod a game changer for East St. Paul product
Grace Anne Paizen: The Backcheck
Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe: Predictions for Milan-Cortina as men’s hockey roster deadline looms
Taylor Allen: Bombers’ Demski excited to ink two-year contract extension with club
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press: Canada tabs former NHLer Kyle Turris for shootout tips ahead of world juniors
Jerrad Peters: Africa Cup of Nations already unprecedented success
Allen G. Breed And Gary D. Robertson, The Associated Press: Retired NASCAR driver Greg Biffle and family among 7 killed in North Carolina plane crash
The Associated Press: Jake Paul and Anthony Joshua have a lot to lose in Netflix bout
 

Business

Aaron Epp: Construction industry procurement software firm QuoteToMe builds on passion
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press: AI names push stock markets higher on Friday
The Canadian Press: CPKC, CN Rail warn on risks around proposed Union Pacific, Norfolk Southern merger
The Associated Press: Sony buys a majority stake in the ‘Peanuts’ comic for $457 million from Canada’s WildBrain
Free Press staff: Saskatoon firm to spend $10M in Manitoba
Gabrielle Piché: U of M nets surge in research income, corporate funding, national recognition
Daniel Johnson, The Canadian Press: TSX, U.S. markets gain ground Thursday following U.S. inflation report
Craig Lord, The Canadian Press: Northern mine lands $115M federal loan as global diamond prices face tariff hit
Free Press staff: NFI Group announces leadership transition as longtime CEO Soubry to retire
Aaron Epp: Showcasing AI application in ‘legacy industry’
 

Canada

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press: Canada to begin formal talks with U.S. in January on review of free trade deal
Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press: Conservatives look to turn the page after ‘terrible disappointment’ of 2025
David Baxter and Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press: Ontario, Ottawa agree to speed up project approvals, including Ring of Fire mining
Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press: Alberta increases referendum petition fees to $25,000 — a 5,000 per cent hike
The Canadian Press: Pablo Rodriguez publicly resigns as Quebec Liberal leader after six months in job
Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press: Jewish organization calls for ‘action’ to protect community after Sydney shooting
Dayne Patterson, The Canadian Press: Manitoba wildfires, Arctic Ocean storm among Canada’s top weather events for 2025
Hannah Alberga, The Canadian Press: This is what Canada’s pain medication shortages have been like for chronic pain patients
 
 

World

Bassem Mroue, The Associated Press: Israel launches intense airstrikes in Lebanon as deadline looms to disarm Hezbollah
The Associated Press: Belarusian leader says Russia deployed its latest nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile to the country
Emma Burrows, The Associated Press: Russia is trying to overwhelm Europe with its sabotage campaign, Western officials say
Lorne Cook, Sam Mcneil And Angela Charlton, The Associated Press: EU talks stall on massive loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets
The Associated Press: Rain creates a crimson spectacle on Iran’s Hormuz Island for the first time this year
Ben Finley, Eric Tucker, Kevin Freking And Joshua Goodman, The Associated Press: Trump’s blockade of sanctioned Venezuelan oil raises new questions about legality
Stephen Groves, The Associated Press: House Democrats release more photos from Epstein’s estate
Michael Casey And Patrick Whittle, The Associated Press: Brian Walshe is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife, whose body was never found
Josh Funk, The Associated Press: US government admits role in causing helicopter-plane collision that killed 67 in Washington
Peter Smith, The Associated Press: Efforts to reconnect Americans face challenges in a lonely time
 

One last thing...

Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press:

Santa, elves sought in alleged Montreal grocery theft described as political act

In what activists have described as a Robin Hood-inspired theft at a Montreal grocery store this week, several dozen people dressed as Santa and elves allegedly shoplifted thousands of dollars worth of food in an effort to denounce rising prices. Read More

 
 

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