News briefs for Friday, March 21, 2025

School bus veers off road, two kids injured

4:44 PM

Two students suffered what RCMP call minor injuries when a school bus veered off the road in the Rural Municipality of St. Clements on Friday morning.

Red River North RCMP are investigating the collision, which happened sometime between 7:20 a.m. and 8:20 a.m.

The bus was carrying 19 students, from kindergarten to Grade 12, when it veered off the road. Mounties say the driver regained control of the vehicle and kept on the route. It’s unclear whether the injured students had to seek medical attention.

RCMP have confirmed alcohol was not a factor in the incident.

Police investigating allegations of fraud in Birdtail Sioux First Nation administration

4:24 PM

Police are investigating “potential financial irregularities” in the administration of Birdtail Sioux First Nation.

The Manitoba First Nations Police Service said it received a complaint about alleged fraud on Feb. 6 and began investigating with the help of RCMP cyber and financial crime experts.

“These types of investigations are complex in nature and require a great deal of time and resources to complete,” the police service said. “The investigation is in the early stages and no determination of responsibility has been determined at this point.”

Police have asked anyone with information to call the Birdtail Sioux detachment at 204-569-4261 or to the service’s anonymous tip line at 1-833-978-0048.

Man, school division official arrested for sharing intimate photos of woman without consent

1:58 PM

A Winnipeg man allegedly shared intimate photos of an ex-girlfriend without her consent with an official at the school division where she worked — who then reportedly forwarded the images to others.

A woman contacted Winnipeg Police Service domestic violence investigators in January about the alleged sharing of the images, which the man had made while they were in a relationship.

The images were sent to an official at the school division where she worked on Jan. 9, police said, and the official allegedly forwarded the images to others in an attempt to determine what to do about the situation.

The man was charged in January with voyeurism, administering a noxious thing, two counts of assault, one count of assault by choking, uttering threats, unlawfully being in a dwelling house and disobeying a court order, as well as distributing intimate images without consent. He was detained. His name and age have not been released.

The school division official, whose sex, age and name were not released, was arrested on Thursday and is to be be charged with distributing an intimate image without consent. They were released on an undertaking.

Rebate offered for Manitobans to switch from oil heating to heat pump

1:03 PM

The federal and provincial governments are offering incentives for Manitoba homeowners to transition to energy-efficient home heating systems.

Federal Energy and National Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson announced a $7.9 million investment Friday in the oil to heat pump affordability program in Manitoba. Provincial Environment and Climate

Change Minister Mike Moyes said Manitoba would contribute up to $2.6 million toward the program.

Homeowners with a household income at or below the median after-tax threshold can receive an up-front payment of as much as $20,000 toward the purchase and installation of a high-efficiency heat pump in homes currently heated by oil. A $250 bonus payment is also being offered.

More information about the program, including who is eligible and how to apply is available at: wfp.to/heatpump

Woman dies after falling through ice on Lake Winnipegosis

12:39 PM

A 70-year-old woman has died after falling through the ice on Lake Winnipegosis Thursday.

Winnipegosis RCMP were called at around 1 p.m., after the woman did not return home from her usual walk with her two dogs.

RCMP say a family member went to the area she walked and found one of her dogs sitting on the ice.

RCMP and the local fire department searched the area and open water. Responders found her under the ice and took her to the hospital in Dauphin, where she was pronounced dead.