News briefs for Wednesday, July 15, 2026

Fire crews battle two blazes on Wednesday

8:57 PM

Nobody was hurt as city fire crews responded to two separate blazes on Wednesday. 

At 2:48 p.m. firefighters were called to a three-storey apartment building on the 300 block of Sutton Avenue, said a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service news release.

When they arrived, they found smoke coming from the building and WFPS said they used an exterior attack to bring the fire under control in less than 20 minutes. 

At 7:18, firefighters were called to the 100 block of Mayfair Avenue for reports of a fire at a four-storey apartment building, said the release. Crews arrived and found smoke coming from the building. 

Firefighters went to work and the fire was declared under control at about 7:45 p.m. 

Both remain under investigation. 

Oversight agency probes drowning of man evading police

3:34 PM

The province’s police oversight agency is investigating after an intoxicated man drowned in a creek while evading officers who had come to arrest him.

The Manitoba First Nation Police Service reported the incident, which occurred Tuesday evening, to the Independent Investigation Unit on Wednesday.

Officers were called over an assault involving the man trying to get into the Fisher River Cree Nation home of a family member at about 9:30 p.m., the IIU was told.

Officers found the man on a road and advised him was under arrest, the IIU said, but he ran toward Goldeye Creek. The police, who found the man near the shore, told him to return to the bank but he instead continued deeper into the water, the IIU said.

The man got distressed and began to yell for help, the IIU said. By the time officers managed to pull him to shore, he was unconscious and not breathing.

Police, who began first aid, called for paramedics, but the man was pronounced dead.

The oversight agency has asked anyone with potentially relevant information, or video footage, to call their office toll-free at 1-844-667-6060.

Jets, Perfetti agree to extension

3:19 PM

The Winnipeg Jets and Cole Perfetti have avoided arbitration, agreeing to terms on a five-year deal that carries an AAV of US $6 million.

Perfetti was a restricted free agent and the deal represents a commitment from both sides, as the Jets get cost certainty on a player they view as part of the core and the versatile forward gets long-term security, a healthy raise and the opportunity to hit the open market at the age of 29, unless another extension is signed before that.

The 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft suffered a high ankle sprain during an exhibition game against the Calgary Flames that limited his mobility and hampered his production (as he dipped to 32 points), but Perfetti is one season removed from a career-high 50 points and is someone who can be counted on to supply secondary scoring.

The 24-year-old from Whitby, Ont., has 59 goals and 157 points in 290 NHL games and delivered one of the most exciting goals in franchise history, sending the Jets to overtime with his late goal in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues during the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Woman missing from Thompson may be in Winnipeg: RCMP

2:52 PM

RCMP believe a woman from Thompson, who has been missing since June, may be in Winnipeg.

Hannah Sigurdson, 21, was reported missing from a home on Deerwood Drive in Thompson on June 26. RCMP were told she had been staying in Winnipeg but was expected to return to Thompson by bus on June 24, but did not show up.

RCMP said on Wednesday they suspect she’s in Winnipeg. Sigurdson is 5-6 tall, 140 lbs with brown hair and green eyes.

Mounties ask anyone with information on her whereabouts to call to the Thompson detachment at 204-677-6909, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.

Crews battle four blazes

2:18 PM

Winnipeg firefighters raced to four blazes between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews were first called to a burning vacant house on the 800 block of Stella Avenue just before 5:20 p.m. Tuesday.

As they worked on it, they noticed another building on fire on the same block. Crews had the fires out by just after 7 p.m.

Then just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters were called to a house on the 800 block of Alverstone Street, where heavy black smoke was coming from the home.

Crews got the fire under control within 45 minutes. The residents were displaced. The three blazes are under investigation.

At about 11 a.m., crews raced to Renfrew Street, where they found light smoke coming from a home. It took about an hour to get it under control. The fire started in the stove.

Woman pulled off plane, charged with drug trafficking

2:10 PM

A woman removed from an airplane at Oxford House Airport was found with a large amount of cocaine on her, police say.

Bunibonibee Cree Nation First Nation safety officers informed Oxford House RCMP on Monday that people aboard an incoming aircraft may have illicit drugs on them, a Wednesday news release stated.

After the plane landed, police boarded the aircraft and removed two female passengers.

One passenger, a 23-year-old woman from Bunibonibee Cree Nation, was concealing cocaine and crack cocaine worth about $75,000.

The woman was charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking. She remains in custody.

Broken cooling system shutters hospital in southern Manitoba

1:33 PM

The Ste. Anne hospital has been closed since Monday as the facility’s cooling system is down. 

Southern Health reports the system at Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital malfunctioned and work is now underway to fix it, a news release said Wednesday. The repairs are necessary to “maintain a safe environment for patients, staff and physicians,” especially with high temperatures reported. 

People with appointments at the hospital will be called about any changes, said the release, and the health region is asking for the public’s patience, saying they’re trying to fix things as quickly as possible.

Inpatient and outpatient services like diagnostics, same day procedures and emergency services, are all unavailable during the closure.

Anyone experiencing a medical emergency should call 911 or go to the nearest hospital, while people requiring non-urgent care should contact their doctors or visit a local clinic. 

Updates will be provided when available.

Rural collision at uncontrolled intersection leaves man dead

1:25 PM

One man is dead after a collision at an uncontrolled intersection in the Rural Municipality of Westlake-Gladstone.

An SUV travelling southbound on Road 51 West collided with a pickup driving west on Road 94 North on Tuesday at about 8:20 p.m., an RCMP news release Wednesday stated.

Officers from the Amaranth detachment arrived to find the truck in a ditch with a hydro pole leaning against it. The SUV was on its side about 4.5 metres away. Both vehicles had extensive front-end damage.

The SUV’s driver, a 25-year-old man from the RM, died in hospital. The driver of the truck, a 72-year-old man, sustained minor injuries.

RCMP continue to investigate.

Cyclist struck on Salter Street and Dufferin Avenue remains in critical condition: police

12:03 PM

Winnipeg police say a cyclist struck in a collision near the intersection of Salter Street and Dufferin Avenue on Monday remains in hospital in critical condition.

Police were called to the collision scene just after 6 p.m. on Monday, where officers found Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service personnel providing care to the cyclist, a 42-year-old man. He was rushed to hospital.

Police say the driver remained at the scene and spoke with officers.

Traffic investigators are looking into the collision and ask anyone with information, or potentially relevant footage from dash cameras, to call their office at 204-986-7085 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS).

Jets open season versus Original Six opponent

9:39 AM

The Winnipeg Jets will open the 2026-27 NHL season at home on Oct. 2 against the Boston Bruins.

The NHL revealed the home openers for all 32 teams on Wednesday morning and the full 84-game schedule will be released on Thursday.

Paper cups now recyclable in blue bins

9:03 AM

Manitobans can now recycle paper cups, including coffee and fountain drink cups, in blue bins.

Paper cups had previously been difficult to integrate into recycling programs because of liquid-resistant coatings and dyes sometimes used on the cups. After a review of Manitoba’s recycling system by Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba, along with the City of Winnipeg and other groups, it was determined the province’s recycling system can now handle the cups, according to a press release from MMSM Wednesday.

The cups will be sorted with mixed paper materials after being recycled. Coffee-cup lids are still not accepted in the province’s recycling system and need to be discarded separately.