News briefs for Wednesday, October 8, 2025

Police notify public of sex offender’s statutory release 

4:36 PM

Police are alerting the public about a sex offender who was given statutory release and is considered a high risk to reoffend.

William Lee Perswain, 41, was to be transferred to Winnipeg on Wednesday and is expected to live in the city after serving a portion of his sentence for sexual interference in custody, the Manitoba Integrated High Risk Sex Offender Unit said in a news release. The joint unit is composed of Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP officers.

Perswain has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for multiple sexual offences, and for multiple breaches of probation and recognizance orders.

“Any form of vigilante activity or other unreasonable conduct directed at Mr. Perswain will not be tolerated,” the release said.

Three schools placed under ‘hold and secure’ due to person behaving erratically

4:36 PM

Three schools in the Louis Riel School Division were placed on a brief “hold and secure,” which shuts down external doors and prevents entry into the building, Wednesday afternoon after a person outside was “behaving in a threatening manner.”

Glenlawn Collegiate, Glenwood School and École Varennes was under a hold and secure from around 1:15 p.m. until 2:20 p.m. after the person was spotted near École Varennes school grounds. The other two schools were placed under a hold and secure as they are in close proximity.

A letter sent to parents said the decision was made as a precautionary measure and in consultation with the Winnipeg Police Service.

The person was not on school grounds and left shortly after being spotted. Police confirmed they canvassed the area and there was no immediate threat to the public.

Victim in critical condition after assault in Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation

2:55 PM

A man remained in critical condition Wednesday after he was assaulted in Wuskwi Sipihk First Nation last week.

Swan River RCMP were sent to a property at about 2 a.m. on Oct. 2 and found the 53-year-old victim on a nearby roadway.

Officers took him to the local hospital, and he was later transferred to Winnipeg.

Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Swan River RCMP at 204-734-4686, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.

$2.1M for pathway between Winkler, Morden

1:46 PM

Ottawa is contributing $2.1 million to a new 10-kilometre pathway connecting Winkler and Morden.

The pathway will also provide improved access to Boundary Trails Health Centre, the federal government said in a news release Wednesday. The cities of Winkler and Morden and the Rural Municipality of Stanley are contributing $2.25 million, split three ways. More funds — nearly $1.8 million — was raised through local efforts.

The federal money will come through the active transportation fund.

Man charged in Dauphin road-rage incident 

1:35 PM

A man allegedly brandishing a knife confronted another driver in a road-rage incident in Dauphin early Wednesday.

The incident began in the parking lot of a business, where the incident involving a knife happened, Manitoba RCMP said in a news release.

The victim drove away, and the suspect continued to follow him in a truck at a high rate of speed, RCMP said.

Officers first saw the 22-year-old victim’s vehicle on Mountain Avenue at about 12:45 a.m. Police stopped the truck at the intersection of Railway and Buchanon avenues shortly after.

The victim and the suspect did not know each other, RCMP said.

Officers seized a knife and a small amount of cocaine when searching the truck.

A 29-year-old Valley River man faces several charges, including driving over the legal limit. Two women in the truck were released without being charged.

Hydro seeking Indigenous-owned wind farms

11:41 AM

Manitoba Hydro is seeking Indigenous-owned wind farms for future projects.

The utility has issued a request for qualified suppliers for wind farms as large as 200 megawatts that are majority-owned by one or multiple Indigenous nations in Manitoba. Qualified applicants will be able to submit projects to Manitoba Hydro in the future.

“The new wind-energy projects selected in this process will be an important component of Manitoba’s energy future and another step on the path to reconciliation with Indigenous Nations,” Manitoba Hydro President and CEO Allan Danroth said in a news release Wednesday.

Hydro plans to buy up to 600 megawatts of new wind power in Manitoba through the provincial government’s Affordable Energy Plan. To qualify, wind farms will have to be able to connect to Hydro’s 14 existing substations in southern Manitoba.

The request for suppliers closes Jan. 23. Hydro plans to release its first request for proposals for qualified applicants in March 2026.

Security rebate program reopens to applications

11:37 AM

The provincial government has reopened applications for a security rebate program, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe announced Wednesday.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home and community, and added security measures can help with that,” he said in a news release. “There was a huge response from Manitobans when we launched this program last year, which is why we are continuing to offer this rebate so that more families can purchase security equipment at a lower cost.”

The program, which launched in June 2024, offers a $300 rebate to homeowners and tenants for buying security equipment. Eligible upgrades include security cameras, locks, doorbell cameras, alarm systems, motion detectors, reinforced doors or windows, anti-graffiti film and paints, security gates, pull-down protection shutters and permanent security fencing.

The rebate program applies to qualifying security equipment or enhancements bought and installed by homeowners or tenants on or after Aug. 23, 2024. The program will be closed when it reaches $2 million in applications.

A separate rebate tailored to small businesses will be launched later this year, the release said.

Man arrested after Corydon Avenue bank robbery

11:27 AM

A man has been charged after a Corydon Avenue bank was robbed Monday evening.

Police were contacted shortly after 6:30 p.m. after a man passed a note to the teller at the front counter and then got in a vehicle after getting cash.

No weapon was used, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Wednesday.

Officers found the getaway vehicle in a parking lot on the 1100 block of Grant Avenue. Their investigation led them to a home in the south River Heights area, and officers arrested a 29-year-old man at 1:40 a.m. Tuesday. He has been charged with robbery and was detained in custody.

The only financial institution on the 1100 block of Corydon is the TD bank at 1114 Corydon.

Driver Z booking begins Oct. 15

11:10 AM

Registration for Manitoba Public Insurance’s Driver Z winter courses will open next week.

The high school driver education program includes a mix of online, virtual and in-car learning.

There will be 2,900 seats available for the session, which will run from December through February. About 1,300 of the seats will be in communities outside of Winnipeg.

The Crown corporation encouraged parents and guardians to complete two steps before registration begins at 8 a.m. on Oct. 15. They should go to an Autopac broker or MPI service centre with the young driver to set them up as an MPI customer, and “purchase” the program at the same time.

On Oct. 15, new drivers can register at Autopac broker and MPI service centres, or by calling 204-985-7000 or 204-985-7199, 1-800-665-2410 or 1-800-261-9928.

Mountie charged with assault causing bodily harm in 2024 Portage la Prairie incident

10:46 AM

An RCMP officer has been charged with assault causing bodily harm after a male arrested for shoplifting in Portage la Prairie in 2024 suffered a punctured lung.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba announced the charge against Const. Ryan MacDonald on Wednesday.

“As this matter is now before the courts, the IIU will not comment further,” the police watchdog said in a news release.

The IIU previously said RCMP officers responding to a shoplifting call at a business shortly after 3:10 p.m. on July 21 saw a suspect on a bicycle near Fisher Avenue and 3rd Street Northwest. The male fled but was arrested.

The male complained of having difficulty breathing and chest pains while in custody and was taken to Portage District General Hospital.