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July 1st, 2026 is a day that Dauphin won't forget any time soon. Between damages to basements and properties, to severely disrupting agriculture in the region, and forcing the closure of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre, after what was arguably the worst flooding the region has ever seen. 

For residents of Dauphin and the immediate area, the closure of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre was very concerning, as the closest emergency departments are a thirty minute drive away. After months of constant work and collaboration with health partners, Treena Slate, Prairie Mountain Health CEO, reflected on the recovery process, saying it simply wouldn't have been possible to reopen the DRHC's Emergency Department this soon without those partners. 

"The main floor was not flooded and so there was no physical damage, however we [had lost] mechanical and electrical power, and so we were able to establish temporary power and mechanical services to the building, so a HVAC system to the main floor of the building...a tremendous amount of work has gone into getting where we are today in that short amount of time, I don't think anybody would have envisioned that we'd be actually here in the hospital today," said Slate. 

Within the first 48 hours of the DRHC's closure, there were a slew of challenges that Prairie Mountain Health and Shared Health had to deal with, on a scale they've never seen before. The DRHC's basement was almost completely ruined, and there had to be the complete evacuation of 54 patients from the hospital. Slate said in that effort, and repair efforts since, the Province has especially been a necessity. 

"There is no way that Prairie Mountain Health would have been able to achieve this by ourselves, and so we very much needed the power of the Province behind us, and so our Shared Health partners, in terms of their leadership that they've lended to support this project, and Craig Dirkson specifically for his leadership, has just been tremendous...we've all had a 'can-do' approach to achieving this, and involving our front-line staff has been key as well, because our front-line staff know best what's required to work in their clinical environment and provide the care that's required safely to patients," said Slate. 

The closure of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre has been especially hard on all of the healthcare professionals who work at the building. One of Prairie Mountain Health and Shared Health's immediate responses to the DRHC's closure was to enhance staffing and hours at both the Grandview and Ste. Rose emergency departments - a move which required DRHC employees to make the trip to those emergency departments each day for their work. Slate said that measure was especially tough on the staff, but is very grateful for their continued support. 

"We absolutely recognize and acknowledge the displacement that our staff have gone through over the last few months, and I don't think we can overestimate the impact of that, that's very distressing for people to have to endure that...what I'm hearing from our staff here today is that everyone is very happy to be home, and our front-line staff have been first-hand participating in this planning, and have helped us succeed in opening today on September 7th," said Slate. 

The DRHC is currently on external power, as repairs are still necessary in the basement of the facility. The immediate next steps will be restoring the requirements for the emergency department to be self-sufficient, then work will begin on returning other services to the Dauphin Regional Health Centre. 

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It's been a deadly week on Manitoba highways, as a total of five people were killed in two seperate collisions. 

Four young people are dead following a two-vehicle collision near Winnipeg Beach on Sunday night.

According to RCMP, a westbound vehicle on Highway 229 was struck while crossing Highway 8 by a southbound van. Both vehicles ended up in the southwest ditch, with one vehicle rolling onto its roof.

The four occupants of the westbound vehicle, all under the age of 19, died at the scene, while four people in the van, all from Winnipeg, suffered minor injuries and were taken by ambulance to Winnipeg.

The crash came on the heels another one last week near Oak Bluff , when a 25-year-old Winnipeg man died after his SUV crossed into the path of an oncoming semi-truck.
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If your gas tank is a little light on September 15th, consider stopping by one of Dauphin's Co-op Gas Bars. On that day, 10 cents per litre goes to this year's Fuel Good Day beneficiary: the Dauphin Friendship Centre's Food for Thought Program. 

Jarri Thompson, Events Coordinator at the Dauphin Friendship Centre, said she's very grateful to have been selected as this year's beneficiary. Over the past few years, the Food for Thought program has seen a noticeable increase in the number of students that use the program, so Thompson said the donation will go a long way. 

"It's gonna make a huge difference, because the food for thought program has been growing sizeably over the last, even the last four years since I've been working with food for thought. At $4 a plate, we're estimated to get 6 to 7 thousand dollars from the Fuel Good proceeds, and so that's gonna feed a couple hundred kids...when I started food for thought back in 2020, we were sitting at around 4 to 5 hundred kids. We now serve closer to a thousand, and we still use a similar base of volunteers, between 60 to 64 volunteers," said Thompson. 

Thompson said volunteers are something the program needs now more than ever. That steady growth in the number of students using the program means more volunteers will be needed, and that boom hasn't happened just yet. Whether it's preparing the meals on Mondays and Wednesdays or serving them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Thompson encourages anyone interested in volunteering with the Food for Thought program to reach out. 

"If there were a need, the need is definitely more volunteers, and the funding...we're always looking for servers, so Tuesdays and Thursdays they would come pick up the food from the Friendship Centre, take it to the schools, serve it, and bring everything back, and they're also served a meal, that whole process takes about an hour, but then on Mondays and Wednesdays we're looking for volunteers to help prepare the meal, so that's more of a time commitment, but definitely worth it," said Thompson. 

Last year's Fuel Good Day beneficiary was the Dauphin-Ochre Band Parents Organization, who received $6,361.74 through the purchase of fuel, BBQ purchases, and other fundraising. 

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As Manitoba's municipal election inches closer, there's an important deadline coming up. 

Across the province, the period for nominations for mayors or councillors is September 22nd, at 4:30 PM. If you intend on submitting a nomination for either role, you're encouraged to contact your local Municipality or governmental body to find when the start of their nomination period is - but make sure you get your nominations in before September 22nd. 

Additionally, September 22nd is the deadline for updating voter information. If you need to update your voter information, two pieces of government ID are required. For specifics on how to update your voter information, contact your local Municipality or governmental body - more often than not, those changes need to be made in-person. 

Manitoba's Municipal Elections are set for Wednesday, October 28th. 

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Earlier in the year, from June to July, Manitobans were able to vote on the design of a new Manitoba Parks license plate. 

In a video on social media, Premier Wab Kinew announced that the loon design had won the voting, and will soon be available to supporters of Manitoba Parks to purchase. 

During the survey period, 62,605 Manitobans voted, in a show of good engagement. Listening to community feedback, the plate will be Manitoba's first specialty license plate to be offered in both English and French. 

Part of the proceeds from each plate will go to the Manitoba Provincial Parks Endowment Funds, helping to improve Manitoba Parks' public safety, visitor experience, and enhancing accessibility. 

Since the start of the Specialty License Plate Program in 2011, more than 215,000 plates have been sold, providing more than $6.4 million to charities. The new Manitoba Parks plates are expected to be available for purchase starting in Spring of 2027. 

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With the reopening of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre's Emergency Department, Prairie Mountain Health wants to remind people about some important updates for services and the process of a visit. 

When you arrive, you'll enter the hospital through a security checkpoint, who will then direct you to the appropriate registration desk. While you're in the emergency department, you're allowed one family member or support person, to ensure there's enough space for patients and families as they require care. 

There is also a public washroom set up outside the Dauphin Regional Health Centre's main entrance for patients and visitors. It will remain locked, and a key will be available at both the ED and DI registration desks. 

Prairie Mountain Health reminds visitors to be patient with hospital staff, and is continuing work to make sure other parts of the Dauphin Regional Health Centre are undergoing repairs. 

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Over the summer, the City of Dauphin had a few summer students take on part-time roles with their Public Works team and Tourism Dauphin, through the Canada Summer Jobs Wage Subsidy Program. 

Lisa Gaudet, Deputy City Manager, said there were two student working with Public Works, and they both approached the job with a high level of enthusiasm. 

"They were responsible for cutting grass on city-owned properties, they were responsible for painting lines and pavement markings, and they cleaned debris from the catch basins, and they assisted with a variety of other public works tasks...much of this work happens behind the scenes, but it plays an important role in keeping city properties maintained and our community looking clean and cared for, and they did a fantastic job, and we're certainly hoping they're willing to consider coming back next year," said Gaudet. 

Especially in early July, the Public Works summer students had a lot on their plate with flood recovery. Gaudet said they approached that work with professionalism. 

There was also a summer student working with Tourism Dauphin, and if you've been on the City of Dauphin's Facebook page recently, you've definitely seen some of her work. 

"Our Tourism Dauphin summer student also made a significant contribution to both Tourism Dauphin and the city's communications work, she helped manage and create content for the City of Dauphin and Tourism Dauphin Facebook and Instagram pages, she was responsible for our summer campaign encouraging residents to recycle more, and she was also the creative force behind our 9:00 PM Routine social media campaign...she brought a lot of creativity and initiative to the position, and she did a fantastic job representing both the City and Tourism Dauphin online," said Gaudet. 

There was also a team of summer student working with Dauphin Recreation Services as part of their Bloom Crew, helping with grounds maintenance, and caring for flowers as part of the City's Adopt a Planter Program. 

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First Aid is a highly valuable skill to have. It looks great on a resume, and lets you help people in need, through a variety of different situations. 

Linnea Marohn, Instructor with Flatland First Aid, is hosting a blended Canadian Red Cross First Aid Course, with basic and intermediate levels available. 

"The students will take all of the theory online, in their own time, and then they come into the class setting for the hands-on skills portion of first aid...in the morning, those that want basic certification come from 8:30 to 12:30 and do the skills that pertain to basic first aid, and those that are going for their standard first aid, or intermediate first aid is what it's called now, they come from 8:30 right through to 4:30," said Mahron. 

The in-class sessions take place on Sunday, September 20th, at the Dauphin Firehall. Though the deadline to register for the course is September 19th, Mahron strongly recommends against waiting that long. The online theory portion of the course can take a while. 

"For the basic first aid it can be about 5 to 6 hours, and for the intermediate first aid, could be 7 to 8 hours," said Mahron. 

Mahron has been involved with first aid training for 20 years, teaching people from all walks of like how to use their first aid skills. She said one common misconception that people have is you'll only need to use your skills at your workplace. 

"An emergency situation can happen anywhere. A lot of people think they just need it for work, and that's the only place they're going to use their first aid, but an emergency can happen at the lake, at the home, at the rink," said Mahron. 

The basic first aid course is $110 per person, and the intermediate course is $140. Click here to visit the Flatland First Aid website to sign up. 

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Unused and unwanted items can take up a lot of space, so why not give them away? If you're in the Town of Swan River, you'll be able to do just that. 

The Town Giveaway Weekend returns on Saturday, September 12th and Sunday, September 13th. Place any unwanted or unused items on your curb, and someone might take it off your hands. The Town encourages residents to place "free" stickers on each item. 

Residents are invited to cruise the curbs, and look for items they might want. If your items are still on the curb by Sunday at dusk, the Town asks you bring them inside. 

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If you're driving through Riding Mountain National Park over the next few weeks, you'll have to pay a bit more attention to the roads. 

Tim Town, Ecologist Lead at Riding Mountain National Park, said there's a slimy amphibian you'll have to watch for this fall: the Western Tiger Salamander. 

"The adults will actually spend the majority of their life kind of in a terrestrial environment, so living basically underground in burrows from different burrowing animals, especially during the winter period...this fall period, and right around now, mid-August through September, you'll see all the juveniles basically taking adult form, and migrating back to those, trying to seek those burrows in that terrestrial habitat," said Town. 

During the Western Tiger Salamander's migration, they leave their aquatic breeding grounds where they spend the spring and summer, and search for places to spend the winter. That migration can sometimes be more than a kilometre, so Town recommends if you're driving through the park, pay extra close attention to anything crossing the road, no matter how small. 

"If you notice that you're driving alongside a wetland, maybe just be a little more cautious, drive a little slower. Obviously your safety comes first, so just keep that in mind, but drive a little slower, and have a little more situational awareness," said Town. 

According to Riding Mountain National Park, the fact the Park is a habitat for Western Tiger Salamanders is a sign that the environment is doing very well, and reflect how few toxins there are in the Park that can affect the salamanders. 

On the Parks Canada website, a few species of animals within the Park are listed as endangered, threatened, or species of special concern - the Western Tiger Salamander is a species of special concern. Town said the number of protected species in the Park goes to show how important National Parks are to preserving our environment and ecosystems. 

"Areas like Riding Mountain National Park, we actively try and monitor any species that come up on those lists, and really make sure that their habitat is protected. We'll create maps for all those species that are listed, including the Western Tiger Salamander, and try and figure out where exactly they are," said Town. 

Earlier in the year, Northgate Trails had in-depth discussions with Riding Mountain National Park around construction in an area of the park with a near threatened species, the Golden-winged Warbler. 

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Earlier this week, the Manitoba government announced the elimination of child-care fees for 3,000 low-income families across the province, as part of changes to the Child-Care Subsidy Program. 

Child-care has long been a subject of conversations, given the many challenges facing staff. Jamie Grouette, Executive Director of Magical Horizons Daycare in Dauphin, said the change is welcome, but doesn't address the most severe problems the child-care system is currently facing. 

"I think that any kind of family that can get supported for child-care so that they're able to return to work or school is a wonderful program, subsidy's always been sort of an integral part of how daycares function and how families are able to, some families are able to afford daycare, so I think the subsidy program is great...the only hurdle that I see is that we're so limited for daycare spaces in Dauphin that it's really hard for families to find child-care, so it's great that [the Province is] making it more affordable, but it's the actual spaces that are difficult to find," said Grouette. 

The construction of Dauphin's new child-care facility got started earlier in the year, after several years of constant delays. Even once that new space is complete, it'll only draw attention to another large problem facing child-care systems: low staffing, especially here in the Parkland. Grouette said Assiniboine College's Early Childhood Education program didn't run this year, because there weren't enough students. 

"Most daycares in town are already on provisional licenses because they're struggling to find trained staff to work in their centres," said Grouette. 

One contributing factor to why child-care isn't an appealing career for lots of post-secondary students is the wages. Many feel the pay doesn't reflect the work, even with the Province including an increase in child-care worker wages in this year's provincial budget in March. 

"The Government has made great strides, things have definitely improved for workers, but I think that in order to get more people to go into the early childhood education field so that staffing isn't an issue, they really need to start paying wages that are in line with what the staff are doing on a day-to-day basis," said Grouette. 

In the Province's news release announcing the subsidy changes, they say program eligibility is based on income, number and age of children, number of days required for care, and reason for care. 

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