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Front-line workers making minimum wage in a pandemic while risking their health deserve a raise.
That was the agreement among all of Canada’s first ministers, according to the Prime Minister.
Today Trudeau announced $4 billion in federal funding to boost the wages of essential workers, including those in long-term care facilities.
Each province and territory will have to determine who's eligible for the wage top-up.
He says the federal government will cover 75% of the cost of the program, leaving other levels of government to pay for the rest.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
The province has announced an additional $500 million to help restart Manitoba’s economy.
The money is part of the Manitoba Restart Program, an addition to the $3 billion over the next 2 years towards infrastructure investments.
The Manitoba Restart Program will include new:
- Water and sewage projects through the Municipal Water Services Board
- Road and highway resurfacing and repairs
- Bridge repairs
- Municipal infrastructure priorities
- Potential new cost-sharing construction projects with other levels of government if agreements can be reached
This investment is one of many measures undertaken by the province through the Manitoba Protection Program.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
The Keystone Agricultural Producers have launched the Growing Manitoba Together campaign to thank all the Manitobans in the supply chain that are working to make sure food makes its way to homes around the province and the world during the COVID situation.
Growing Manitoba Together stickers will be given out across the province encouraging people to share their story, using the hashtag #mbgrow, on social media about how they, or someone they know, are helping to grow Manitoba.
KAP encourages children to draw, paint, and colour posters to celebrate food and where it comes from to share on social media as well.
Over the coming weeks, KAP will be thanking groups like truck drivers, grocery store employees, railway workers, restaurants owners and their staff, meat and food processors, farm suppliers, and individual commodity groups who have stepped up to support Manitobans.
As well, KAP will be applauding the front-line workers who are keeping Manitobans safe during this unprecedented time.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
On Tuesday, PMH reported a cluster of coronavirus cases at a workplace in the region.
The cluster has been linked to the Brandon terminal of Paul's Hauling.
There are 7 confirmed and probable cases in the cluster according to public health officials.
Affected staff and their close contacts are self-isolating, and public health officials are continuing with detailed contact tracing.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
The province has introduced a new measure to provide more support to students and post-secondary institutions during the pandemic.
Premier Brian Pallister announced Wednesday that the province will be matching funding for the Manitoba Scholarship and Bursary Initiative (MSBI) for the upcoming academic year.
That means the Manitoba government will be matching every dollar universities and colleges contribute under the MSBI.
“As students and the post-secondary institutions they attend deal with challenges created by COVID-19, the Manitoba government is committed to providing the funding they need during these uncertain times,” said Pallister. “We are facing the obstacles in front of us together, and it is imperative that we rely on our strong partnership with post-secondary institutions and our shared vision for access to education.”
The province is also committing $5 million to the MSBI program on top of the $10 million announced in Budget 2020. This year students will have approximately $30 million in scholarships and bursaries up for grabs.
Today’s announcement adds to existing provincial supports in place for students — a $120-million Summer Student Recovery Plan – a $7-per-hour wage subsidy for employers to hire them – and a deferral of repayments of student loans to help those affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has been given the approval to return $110 million to customers.
MPI is offering financial relief to Manitobans through rebates around 11 percent.
These rebates were made available partly by lower claims during the COVID-19 period.
Rebates will be based on what policyholders paid last year and are expected to be around 11 percent, or around $140 to $160, per average policyholder.
Manitobans can expect a rebate cheque at the end of May to early June.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
A lobbyist group in Manitoba is drawing attention to some issues facing the commercial fishing industry.
Einar Sveinson is the president of Pioneer Commercial Fishers of Manitoba, which represents 300 commercial fishermen and families on Lake Winnipeg.
He says the problem here in Manitoba and across the Prairies is that our freezers are full of fish.
“They’re bursting at the seams,” he says, adding “to let us go ahead and fish, would actually negatively affect our industry for the next 3 to 4 years.”
As a result of the COVID pandemic, Sveinson tells CKDM that sales are down 98% across Canada and the United States.
On top of that, Sveinson explains Freshwater Fish isn’t accepting any pickerel.
He worries that the $62.5 million in federal funding — announced late last month for the fish and seafood sector — won’t help Manitoba fishermen and women who mainly fish for pickerel.
“They’re going to accept carp, suckers, pike, and a little bit of whitefish. I don’t know what all these other fishermen are going to do, if they’re targeting the secondary fish, and their nets are plugged full of pickerel."
"We’re in a pretty bad situation here.”
Going forward, Sveinson would like to see the federal government support a “pay-not-to-fish” program for the next year. He says this would “save our industry for the next 3 to 4 years — not only on Lake Winnipeg — but right across Canada.”
The president of Pioneer Commercial Fishers of Manitoba says he looks forward to both the federal and provincial government stepping up to address this problem.
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- Contributed by Matt Hamel
Like many summer events here in the Parkland, the Gilbert Plains-Grandview Ag Society Fair and Rodeo has been cancelled.
It would’ve been the 121st annual fair, and the 30th year for the rodeo.
Despite the cancellation, Ag Society president, Kevin Boese says there may be an event in the fall.
“We talked last night and if everything settles down, it might even be late in fall, we might do some sort of event there. Maybe a community barbecue of some kind just to show the appreciation for the community, volunteers, and our supporters.”
Boese adds that they are looking forward to continuing the fair and rodeo next year.
For more information, you can visit the Gilbert Plains Ag Society Facebook page, or check out their website.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
Public Health Officials have announced 2 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba today, and the total number of cases is 284.
Right now there are 35 active cases and 242 people have recovered.
The number of deaths remains at 7.
Public health officials have increased the number of cases associated with a workplace cluster in the Prairie Mountain Health region to seven, up from yesterday's 5.
Dr. Brent Roussin has confirmed the workplace in question is not a healthcare setting.
Affected staff and their close contacts are self-isolating, and public health officials are continuing with detailed contact tracing.
For the most up-to-date information about the virus, visit Manitoba.ca/covid19.
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
This morning around 10:45 a.m., emergency crews were called out to a semi rollover.
The incident is on Road 119W, approximately half a mile south of Hwy 5 west of Dauphin.
Reports are that a semi hauling anhydrous ammonia hit the ditch and rolled onto its side.
No injuries were reported and the tank is not believed to have been damaged.
The officers along with the Fire Dept. remain on scene.
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- Contributed by Isaac Wihak
Next Tuesday is Manitoba Day, and there are some new ways to celebrate our province.
Manitobans are encouraged to take part in celebrations online this year because of social distancing orders.
There are many ways to get involved, with online visits to museums, heritage sites, cultural centres, and Manitoba attractions.
More online Manitoba Day attractions include:
- A colouring page of the Manitoba flag, posted on the provincial website for families to print, colour, and post in their windows. You can share a photo of you, your family, and your coloured flag on social media using #ManitobaDay. You can find the colouring page at https://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/manitoba_day.html
- Manitoba Archives is posting digitized films from its holding online. The first uploads feature Manitoba’s history, including a film about the 1926 opening of the downtown Winnipeg Hudson’s Bay store, a 1959 film about a public health issue in the province, and a 1968 film about Manitoba in the winter. To access these films, visit http://www.manitoba.ca/yourarchives/events.html
- Manitoba Archive is also offering ‘Your Archives: The Histories We Share’, a yearlong initiative where Manitobans can choose an archival record and explain why that record matters. There are also commemorative videos to watch. For more information, visit https://www.gov.mb.ca/yourarchives/
- The Association of Manitoba Museums highlighting artifacts from its online exhibit ‘A Museum Called Manitoba.’ They will feature a new artifact every day in May on Instagram and Twitter. For more details, visit http://www.museumsmanitoba.com/150/
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- Contributed by Tess Kovach
