The Wrap: Rural growth, more police needed, deadly crash, birding takes flight
And the Free Press is launching a newsletter focusing on Indigenous issues and voices

Oak Bluff, situated in the northeast corner of the RM Macdonald, along with other municipalities on Winnipeg’s western border, is booming in industrial and residential growth. Both Rosser — home of CentrePort, a massive trimodal inland port — and Headingley have also clocked similar growth.

Relatively lower taxes, cheaper land, a faster permit process and good transportation access all play into the municipalities’ desirability says Paul Kornelsen, managing director of CBRE Winnipeg.

“I think Winnipeg is unique compared to some of the larger markets in Canada… Vancouver, for instance, is very land-locked, and they’re just out of space,” he said. “Us, we can just drive along our Perimeter and look outwards and see vacant land.”

Winnipeg’s interim police chief said call volumes hit a new high of 440 on one recent weekend day, underlining the need to hire more police officers to respond to calls for help.

Art Stannard said he’d like to see 78 more officers to address the problem.

Meanwhile, the number of protests continues to grow, with 415 so far this, up from 299 last year and puts another huge strain on police resources, according to Supt. Dave Dalal.

A pedestrian was killed, and three other people were injured in a series of collisions involving a pickup truck at a St. James intersection Friday.

A Ford F-150 was headed east on Portage Avenue when it struck a pedestrian and the glass bus shelter at the southwest corner of Bedson Street.

Then, after destroying the shelter, the truck severed a wooden hydro pole, slammed into an SUV on Bedson — causing that vehicle to spin — and came to a halt when it crashed into a bollard and support beam next to fuel pumps at a Canadian Tire gas bar.

Birding had a real moment during the pandemic when people were desperately seeking socially distanced outdoor activities.

And thanks to the influence of technology and social media, the University of Manitoba Indigenous Birding Club began to meet weekly since the spring of 2023.

It’s a casual network focused on fostering an appreciation for birds but also on building a welcoming outdoor community.

Adding to our shared stories about this place, the Free Press is launching an email newsletter that focuses on Indigenous issues and Indigenous voices, co-written by Rebecca Chambers and Niigaan Sinclair.

They want to explore and examine Manitoba experiences from an Indigenous perspective, and establish a place to reflect on the work done at the Free Press to support, strengthen and sustain Indigenous voices and stories.