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Travel Manitoba’s new marketing campaign puts focus on resilience in wake of wildfire-stricken 2025

Malak Abas 5 minute read Yesterday at 7:57 PM CDT

Tourism in Manitoba may be set for a comeback after last summer’s destructive wildfire season, as marketing for spring and summer excursionists begins targeting cities across North America.

A new $1.35 million marketing campaign from Travel Manitoba will launch in other Canadian provinces, North Dakota and U.S. cities with direct flights to Winnipeg.

The commercials and ads will air on streaming services, network television, movie theatres, social media, radio and in newspapers.

Along with focusing on outdoor experiences, Indigenous cultural events and connecting with the land in Manitoba, the messages will also hopefully bring new eyes to industries that were impacted by last year’s wildfire season, said Cody Chomiak, Travel Manitoba vice-president of marketing.

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Inflation jumps on Iran war shock but few signs yet of spreading price hikes

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

Inflation jumps on Iran war shock but few signs yet of spreading price hikes

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 3:42 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Statistics Canada reported a jump in the headline inflation rate for March but economists parsing the latest data argue there are few signs so far that the price shock from the Iran war is spreading beyond the pumps.

The agency reported Monday that the annual rate of inflation accelerated to 2.4 per cent last month, an increase of 0.6 percentage points from February.

It said higher gas prices tied to the war in the Middle East were the main reason for the jump. But economists had expected a slightly larger increase in the headline inflation rate and pointed to signs of easing elsewhere in the consumer basket.

"I would say, apart from those fuel-related inflation spikes, the report was fairly benign," said TD Bank senior economist Leslie Preston.

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Updated: Yesterday at 3:42 PM CDT

A woman gasses up at a gas station in Mississauga, Ont., Tuesday, February 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
A woman gasses up at a gas station in Mississauga, Ont., Tuesday, February 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

‘More bluster’: Poilievre, LeBlanc downplay Lutnick’s comments on Canada

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

‘More bluster’: Poilievre, LeBlanc downplay Lutnick’s comments on Canada

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press 2 minute read 1:20 PM CDT

OTTAWA - Federal politicians are dismissing U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's disparaging comments about Canada's negotiating position heading into major trade talks with the U.S. and Mexico.

Lutnick said Friday it would be a bad strategy for Canada to try to wait out the U.S. to reach a better deal later on, adding, "They suck."

Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade, says he spoke with Lutnick "at length" last week and the commerce secretary made no such comments to him in private.

Speaking with reporters on Parliament Hill, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says it just "sounds like more bluster."

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1:20 PM CDT

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick speaks during a roundtable discussion with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick speaks during a roundtable discussion with President Donald Trump on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Taiwan president postpones Eswatini visit and says China pressured African countries

Johnson Lai And Simina Mistreanu, The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Taiwan president postpones Eswatini visit and says China pressured African countries

Johnson Lai And Simina Mistreanu, The Associated Press 2 minute read Updated: 12:47 PM CDT

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s president postponed a visit to Africa this week when three countries withdrew permission for him to fly over their territories after pressure from China, his office said Tuesday.

President Lai Ching-te was set to visit Eswatini, Taiwan’s sole remaining diplomatic ally in Africa, from April 22-26.

But flight permits were canceled in island nations along the route, Secretary-General to the president, Pan Meng-an, told journalists in Taipei.

“The cancellation of flight permits by Seychelles, Mauritius and Madagascar without prior warning was actually due to strong pressure from the Chinese authorities, including economic coercion,” Pan said.

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Updated: 12:47 PM CDT

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during the 2026 Hsieh Nien Fan annual dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te delivers a speech during the 2026 Hsieh Nien Fan annual dinner of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, Taiwan, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
MIKE THIESSEN / FREE PRESS

Sentinel journey, sentimental memories

Wooden elevator reduced to rubble after towering over Austin for 75 years

Ben Waldman 6 minute read Friday, Apr. 17, 2026

Oilsands have strong growth potential, but pipeline constraints loom: Enverus

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Oilsands have strong growth potential, but pipeline constraints loom: Enverus

Lauren Krugel, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Updated: 12:06 PM CDT

CALGARY - Western Canadian oil production can grow by about one million barrels per day over the next seven years, driven mainly by expansions to existing steam-driven oilsands projects, says a new report from Enverus Intelligence Research. 

But it can take years to plan and build such projects, so producers have a limited ability to take advantage of the surge in global crude oil prices driven by the war in the Middle East, said the report released Tuesday.

West Texas Intermediate crude for June delivery was trading at around US$90 per barrel around midday — off from the US$114 mark it hit earlier in the conflict, but still 33 per cent higher than it was before the war began in late February. 

Enverus says the oilsands have 50 years worth of drilling opportunities that break even below a US$50-per-barrel WTI price.

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Updated: 12:06 PM CDT

The Cenovus Christina Lake oilsands facility southeast of Fort McMurray, Alta., is shown on Wednesday April, 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
The Cenovus Christina Lake oilsands facility southeast of Fort McMurray, Alta., is shown on Wednesday April, 24, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken

Manitoba company Nexom puts East St. Paul treatment technology demonstration facility in international spotlight

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Preview

Manitoba company Nexom puts East St. Paul treatment technology demonstration facility in international spotlight

Aaron Epp 6 minute read Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

Rural Municipality of East St. Paul — If Martin Hildebrand has anything to do with it, people from across the continent who are exploring wastewater treatment options will soon be visiting East St. Paul.

Last week, the founder of Manitoba water solutions company Nexom and other stakeholders celebrated the opening of North America’s first full-scale Cyclor Turbo wastewater treatment demonstration facility.

The project showcases a compact, chemical-free treatment technology that delivers phosphorus and nitrogen removal while significantly reducing infrastructure footprint.

It’s a project that has generated “a huge amount of interest” across North America, said Hildebrand, whose company brought the technology to the community.

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Yesterday at 6:00 AM CDT

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS

Nexom founder Martin Hildebrand with the new Cyclor Turbo wastewater treatment technology at the East St. Paul Wastewater Treatment Facility on Thursday, April 16, 2026. For Aaron story. Free Press 2026
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Nexom founder Martin Hildebrand with the new Cyclor Turbo wastewater treatment technology at the East St. Paul Wastewater Treatment Facility on Thursday, April 16, 2026. For Aaron story. Free Press 2026

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Sobeys expands deal with digital shelf labels firm JRTech Solutions

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Sobeys expands deal with digital shelf labels firm JRTech Solutions

The Canadian Press 2 minute read 11:28 AM CDT

MONTREAL - Sobeys has expanded a partnership with JRTech Solutions Inc. that will see it install electronic shelf labels across more than 300 grocery stores.

JRTech Solutions says the deal includes the tech and infrastructure to roll out tech company Pricer AB's multicoloured electronic shelf labels and cloud-based platform Pricer Plaza at stores.   

Montreal-based JRTech Solutions has been the distributor for Pricer's electronic shelf labels since 2008.

It says the deployment is scheduled to start next month and go on for 18 months.

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11:28 AM CDT

A Sobeys grocery store is seen in Halifax on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan
A Sobeys grocery store is seen in Halifax on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

ESG, ru OK?

Joel Schlesinger 6 minute read Preview

ESG, ru OK?

Joel Schlesinger 6 minute read Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

It’s been a rough year, depending on your viewpoint, for the world.

That’s especially true for folks who believe in climate change science, as they watch the largest economic power in the world make statements like: “We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion.”

That’s a March 2025 statement by Lee Zeldin, head of the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States.

Since then, the Trump administration hasn’t just embraced climate scepticism, it’s seemingly tried to accelerate climate change, repealing protections while rapidly expanding oil and gas, and even coal development.

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Saturday, Apr. 18, 2026

Freepik
Freepik

South Korean police seek to arrest K-pop mogul behind BTS

Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

South Korean police seek to arrest K-pop mogul behind BTS

Kim Tong-hyung, The Associated Press 3 minute read Updated: 1:36 PM CDT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean police said Tuesday they are seeking to arrest music mogul Bang Si-Hyuk, chairman of the agency behind K-pop supergroup BTS, as they expand an investigation into allegations that he illegally gained more than $100 million in an investor fraud scheme.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency confirmed that it has asked prosecutors to request a court warrant for arresting Bang, the billionaire founder and chairman of Hybe.

Bang’s legal team in a statement to The Associated Press did not directly address the accusations but expressed regret that police were seeking his arrest “despite our full and consistent cooperation with the investigation over an extended period.”

“We will continue to cooperate with all legal procedures and make every effort to clearly explain our position,” the statement said.

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Updated: 1:36 PM CDT

Bang Si-Hyuk, a chairman of HYBE answers reporters' question upon his arrival at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Kim Keun-soo/Newsis via AP)
Bang Si-Hyuk, a chairman of HYBE answers reporters' question upon his arrival at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, Sept. 15, 2025. (Kim Keun-soo/Newsis via AP)

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