News briefs for Thursday, July 3, 2025

Second Lynn Lake wildfire evacuation could come as early as tomorrow

3:03 PM

Lynn Lake could be evacuated for a second time this wildfire season if the northwestern Manitoba town’s power supply is cut off.

The Town of Lynn Lake said Thursday that a mandatory evacuation order could be declared Friday if the anticipated power outage occurs.

“Wildfire activity may impact the main Manitoba Hydro transmission lines supplying power to Lynn Lake as early as tomorrow,” the town wrote in a social media post Thursday afternoon.

“If this occurs, the community could experience a power outage anticipated to last at least one month while infrastructure is repaired.”

Without power, the town cannot maintain essential services such as water treatment, food refrigeration, communication and emergency supports, the post said.

If the order is issued, evacuees will be offered hotel rooms in Winnipeg, about 800 kilometres away, the town said.

Residents who can leave on their own should do so as soon as possible to avoid being cut off, because two fires that are burning in the area could cross Provincial Road 391 on Thursday, the town said.

Manitoba pledges $4.8M to upgrade Neepawa roads

1:57 PM

The Town of Neepawa is receiving $4.8 million in provincial funding to expand its highway network to reduce congestion and improve access to the community’s newly-expanded health-care facility.

Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor and Municipal Relations Minister Glen Simard announced the province’s commitment to help upgrade Provincial Trunk Highway 16 — the Trans-Canada Highway Yellowhead section — in a news release on Thursday.

A total of $2.8 million has been earmarked to complete the connectivity to PTH 16 where the province is working on a new traffic safety improvement project including a dedicated right-turn lane into the Neepawa Health Centre and a right-turn cutoff to exit the site. Construction is anticipated to be complete this fall.

The remaining funds will extend Hamilton Street from Broadway Avenue running east along the southern boundary of the new regional hospital. This initiative, led by the town, which secured $2 million from the province via its new growth and renewal fund for municipalities, includes a north-south access to PTH 16.

“This funding will not only improve traffic flow and mitigate congestion, but it will greatly enhance and support economic development in rural Manitoba and enhance trade routes,” Neepawa Mayor Brian Hedley said in the provincial news release.

Firefighters battle Maryland Street fire

1:31 PM

Firefighters extinguished a Maryland Street house fire Wednesday.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release crews were called to the fire on the 500 block of Maryland at 7:45 p.m.

Residents got out of the house before crews arrived and no injuries were reported. The fire was deemed under control at 8:15 p.m.

The City of Winnipeg’s emergency social services team was sent in to help the displaced residents.

Motorcyclist killed in Pembina Highway crash

11:55 AM

A 29-year-old man was killed in a collision while riding his motorcycle on Pembina Highway near McGillivray Boulevard on Wednesday.

The Winnipeg Police Service said the motorcyclist was travelling south on Pembina Highway when he collided with an SUV exiting a parking lot on the west side of the roadway.

The man was rushed to hospital in critical condition, where he later died.

The SUV’s driver remained at the scene and spoke with police. Police spokeswoman Const. Dani McKinnon said charges have not been laid at this point.

Winnipeg Police Service officers, including a forensics crew, were working at the scene into Wednesday night. Traffic investigators are still looking into the collision and have asked anyone with information, including dashboard camera footage that could be relevant, to call their office at 204-986-7085, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477.

Third person dead after highway crash with Royal Canoe bass player, his partner

9:21 AM

A third person involved in a highway collision that killed a Winnipeg musician and his partner has died in hospital, Manitoba RCMP say.

The 29-year-old man was a passenger in a southbound vehicle that collided head-on with another vehicle carrying Brendan Berg, 42, and Olivia Michalczuk, 31, around 3:30 p.m. on Canada Day, just north of Bowsman.

Berg was a bass player for Winnipeg indie pop band Royal Canoe.

RCMP previously said the 36-year-old man driving the southbound vehicle and his passenger, both from Swan River, were transported to hospital with critical injuries. Police announced the second man’s fatality in news release Thursday.

The southbound driver, now the only person to have survived the collision, remains in hospital in stable condition, police said.

An investigation is ongoing.