News briefs for Tuesday, April 15, 2025

Thompson woman, 30, missing

7:24 PM

RCMP are looking for a 30-year-old woman from Thompson.

Susie Spence is described as being 5-7, 120 pounds with long brown hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a magenta/pink jacket with a red hoodie and pink plaid pajama pants.

Mounties were advised on Sunday afternoon that she was missing.

RCMP and her family are concerned for her well-being.

Anyone who has seen Spence or has information on her whereabouts, is asked to call Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Private prosecution over Lemay Forest ends 

4:07 PM

A private prosecution launched against the developers of a hotly contested building project ended in a stay of proceedings Tuesday.

The Crown is directing a stay because “there is no reasonable likelihood of conviction, nor is it in the public interest to proceed,” Crown attorney Sean Sass told provincial court Judge David Ireland.

The stay came one day after Premier Wab Kinew announced plans to expropriate Lemay Forest and turn it into a provincial park.

The expropriation plan comes after months of protests at the St. Norbert site, where Tochal Development Group has proposed construction of a 5,000-bed, 2,500-unit assisted living facility.

Protestors filed a private prosecution in January against landowner Mazyar Yahyapour and project planner John Wintrup, alleging removal of trees on the land — where a graveyard once stood — violated provincial cemetery legislation.  

Private prosecutions involve individuals with evidence of reasonable and probable grounds asking the court to lay a charge against a person they believe committed an offence. Crown attorneys must assess private prosecutions to determine whether there’s a reasonable likelihood of conviction.

No charges against officer who shot man on Arlington Street

2:19 PM

The province’s police watchdog says an officer will not be charged for shooting a knife-wielding man on Arlington Street near Notre Dame Avenue in June.

The Winnipeg Police Service said at the time that the man had tried to set fire to a truck’s fuel tank on the late afternoon of June 11. He was running into traffic on Notre Dame Avenue, confronting people and yelling at them.

The WPS said police tried to use a Taser on the man twice, but it failed to subdue him, and an officer shot him.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba said Tuesday that a report will not be released until charges against the man in connection with the incident have been dealt with in court.

Burt Block Party announces lineup

2:18 PM

The Burt Block Party celebrates its fifth year with a lineup that includes country, modern rock, throwback acts and more. The annual event, which takes place outdoors in front of the Burton Cummings Theatre, runs Aug. 14-17, and welcomes up to 4,000 fans each night.

Thursday, Aug. 14 – Dean Brody, Owen Riegling, Haily Benedict, and Brandi Vezina

Friday, Aug. 15 – Marianas Trench, Down with Webster, Fefe Dobson, and guests

Saturday, Aug. 16 – The Glorious Sons, Everclear, JJ Wilde, and guests

Sunday, Aug. 17 – Kim Mitchell, Chilliwack, Harlequin, and guests

Festival goers will enjoy a fully licensed site, food trucks and vendors.

Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 18, at 10 a.m., and start at $59.50 (plus fees) for the first 500 tickets sold. VIP tickets are available and include a VIP laminate, access to the VIP viewing deck to watch the show, exclusive bar service and washrooms, two complimentary beverages, and popcorn. Regular and VIP full-festival four-day passes are also available.

All tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster.ca

Police in dish-belief after Victor Street break-in

1:47 PM

A man is facing charges after a break-in where thieves tried to steal a dishwasher.

Police were sent to a home on the 600 block of Victor Street at about 3 a.m. Tuesday and saw two people exiting with the machine.

The pair put the dishwasher down and ran away, and police tracked a man to a home on the 600 block of Toronto Street and made an arrest at about 3:10 a.m.

Police seized break-in tools, a pocket knife, a .22-calibre round of ammunition, 25 pills — believed to be fentanyl — with an estimated street value of $750 and about $125 worth of what is thought to be methamphetamine.

A 23-year-old man faces charges and was detained in custody. Police are still searching for the other person involved.

Teens face charges after gun incident

11:56 AM

Two teens are facing charges after a woman was threatened with a gun in Dauphin on Sunday.

RCMP were sent to Ida Street at about 2:45 p.m. and were told a teen had fled after pointing a gun at a 23-year-old woman. Police arrested a 17-year-old male shortly after.

The investigation also led to the arrest of a 16-year-old female. After searching both teens, officers found 130.3 grams of meth with an estimated street value of more than $26,000, 8.2 grams of cocaine and 5.5 grams of crack cocaine worth a combined $900, and 17 zopiclone pills worth an estimated $350, RCMP said Tuesday.

Police could not find the gun involved.

The male, from Ebb and Flow First Nation, faces weapons and drug-trafficking charges. He was remanded into custody.

The female, from Dauphin, faces a drug-trafficking charge and was released.

Human-smuggling charge stayed

11:24 AM

A Calgary man arrested after he allegedly picked up seven men who had walked into Canada near Emerson in January 2024 is no longer facing criminal prosecution.

Court records show 50-year-old Saleh Youssouf had a charge of human smuggling stayed on Feb. 27. Court records do not detail reasons for the stay.

RCMP said at the time that its integrated border enforcement team had been alerted by U.S. agents that seven men were walking along a rail line towards Emerson, about 100 kilometres south of Winnipeg, at about 3:45 a.m. on Jan. 27.

Police later picked up the men — asylum seekers from Chad — near Dominion City in a rental vehicle allegedly driven by Youssouf.

He had been on bail since shortly after his arrest.

Province to provide $1.5M for Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre

10:37 AM

The Manitoba government is providing $1.5 million to help build and fund the Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre.

Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine, who is also the minister responsible for women and gender equity, made the announcement at a news conference Tuesday morning.

The Bruce and Anne Oake Memorial Foundation has launched a capital campaign to raise $25 million dollars to build the centre. As of September, $13 million had been raised.

“The Anne Oake Family Recovery Centre will offer hope and healing for women with addictions,” Fontaine said. “By giving women a supportive space where they can focus on healing, we are building healthier communities for women and their children as part of our Mino’Ayaawag Ikwewag strategy.”

Fontaine said $1 million will support capital construction costs for the 75,000-square-foot building, which will include 50 to 70 treatment beds. The facility will include a licensed child-care facility. The province is also providing $500,000 in startup funding, following through on a commitment to expand detox beds and other treatment options.

Companies give $2M for building of NCTR facility 

10:27 AM

Canada Life and its parent company will provide $2 million to help the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation build its permanent home in Winnipeg.

The insurance and financial services company, a member of the Power Corporation of Canada group of companies, made the announcement at a news conference outside its Osborne Street offices Tuesday morning.

Construction of the NCTR’s facility will begin in 2026 and is slated to open in 2029.

Two sent to hospital after Panet Road fire

9:51 AM

Two people were taken to hospital after a fire at an industrial facility early Tuesday.

Crews were sent to the site in the first 100 block of Panet Road after being told of a fire and a medical emergency at 3:28 a.m.

They extinguished a small fire.

Two people working there were taken to hospital. One was transported in unstable condition, while the other was stable.

“The fire is under investigation but believed to be accidental,” the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release.

Earlier, at 11:32 p.m., crews were sent to a house fire on the 400 block of Sherbrook Street. They declared the fire under control at 11:50 p.m.

No one was in the house at the time of the fire.

City to begin controlled burns this week

9:40 AM

Controlled burns of natural areas will start this week, the City of Winnipeg said Tuesday.

Weather permitting, the city expects to conduct burns until about June 14.

The city said it has been conducting controlled burns on tall grass prairie spaces since 1986.

“Fire plays an important role in the preservation and restoration of prairies. Lack of fire allows weeds to invade these endangered plant communities,” a news release said.