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The Bank of Canada announced yesterday that they're holding the Key Interest Rate at 2.25%. This is the 4th consecutive decision where they've held the rate steady.
Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada, said if the bank's projections for the economy ring true, future changes to the rate are expected to be small.
Closer to home, Tere Stykalo with MNP Accounting said the steady interest rate is a pretty good thing looking at local businesses and owners.
"I think [the Bank of Canada] holding the line on the interest rate is probably a middle of the road move, and it's a wait and see...when interest rates are very volatile, it's very hard to plan for how you're going to deal with your business and business decisions, with interest rates sort of holding fast, I think businesses can be confident if they need to go and make some investments, they know the rates are what they are, they can make some decisions," said Stykalo.
The Bank of Canada said they're closely monitoring the impacts of the war in Iran, which has been a concern for many Canadians with the recent spike in gas prices. Though the Bank of Canada's decision isn't saying for sure that inflation isn't an issue, it gives people a little bit more certainty when it comes to borrowing.
"Could there be uncertainty, for sure, but I think it gives businesses some level of optimism to say, ok well if we're going to borrow some money, it's pretty stable," said Stykalo.
Stykalo said the Bank of Canada's decision to hold the Key Interest Rate for a 4th consecutive decision gives something Canadians to be proud about. Looking back at Canada's economy over the years, Stykalo said there's one thing that stands out: stability.
"Showcases that Canada's banking system, I think we're very stable. I think that's something Canadians should be actually proud of, and should rely on, because when we look back, historically our Canadian economy has been resilient," said Stykalo.
The last time the Bank of Canada changed the Key Interest Rate was October 2025, when they lowered the rate from 2.5% to 2.25%.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
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- Contributed by Jeff Henson
It's National Immunization Awareness Week in Canada. A statement from Health Canada says vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles continue to cause outbreaks globally, and gaps in routine immunization can allow these infections to re-emerge in Canada.
Mari Ingram, Public Health Services Manager with Prairie Mountain Health, said immunizations don't only protect you, but those around you.
"Immunizations reduce the chance of spreading diseases to others, and help protect those who are too young to be immunized, those who are unable to be immunized for medical reasons, as well as those with weakened immune systems," said Ingram.
She said people often ask PMH a wide variety of questions about immunizations.
"Many questions we get are, where can I get immunizations, and which immunizations am I eligble for," said Ingram.
Ingram said that PMH offers a variety of immunizations, both routine and as required.
"Through PMH, all vaccinations that are available on the Manitoba Health routine immunization list can be provided to people. Those include childhood immunization, school-age immunizations, as well as vaccines for adults," said Ingram.
One of the most important benefits of immunizations is protecting those who can't get immunized themselves. Ingram said the population that can't get immunized is very diverse.
"Lots of time it is those folks that are going through cancer treatment and they're immune-suppressed, or due to some medications that they need to take. Also there are vaccines that some babies are too young to receive, for instance the measles vaccine can only be given to children age 6 months and up, so those that are under 6 months are considered at risk for that," said Ingram.
Routine immunization is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of disease. According to Health Canada, the 5 year average for the number of Measles cases in the pre-vaccine era was 53,584. The same average from 2018 to 2022 was 29 cases.
Click here to view Manitoba Health's list of routine immunizations.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
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Students at the Swan Valley Regional Secondary School were evacuated on Wednesday morning when the fire alarm was activated.
The Fire Department responded to the scene.
"No damage at all, there was no fire," said Rob Tomlinson, superintendent. "It was a faulty sensor that triggered the alarm."
The school is about 60 years old. Tomlinson says the fire alarms are tested annually.
"Anything mechanical or electronic is going to fail over time," ended Tomlinson. "We don't have a lot of these. We had a similar situation at that building a year ago. It's not frequent. We test the alarms every summer. There is a maintenance cycle in place. We test and replace as we go."
About 30 minutes later, students made their way back into the school.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
Community spirit at its best.
It's what Grandview and the surrounding area are all about, and it's happened again.
The Grandview Kinsmen have donated $35,000 to the Ice Plant project.
Grandview Municipality councillor Jim Winfield is grateful.
"Oh, that was a fantastic boost. The Kinsmen have always been great supporters of the community and Grandview," said Winfield. "They've done so much. This fits in with their mandate."
Once installed, the new ice plant will serve the GACC and neighbouring curling rink, keeping recreational activities at both facilities alive and well for decades to come.
While fundraising continues, efforts have already raised north of $500,000.
"Yeah, that's incredible when you think about it for a small community," continued Winfield. "The fundraising efforts of our ice plant fundraising committee, on top of the corporate donations and individual donations, that's a huge amount of money for a small town to raise."
The old plant has already been decommissioned, and they're currently in the demolition stage. Construction is expected to begin later this summer.
It's safe to say that the buzz is building in Grandview.
"Oh, absolutely, absolutely," ended Winfield. "We've been dreaming about this for a long time."
Special things happen in the Parkland, and thanks to the Grandview Kinsmen's $35,000 donation, you can add another to the list.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
A 23-year-old from the Ebb and Flow First Nation has been charged with 17 offences after evading arrest earlier this week.
On Monday, Blair James Racette did not stop when officers tried to pull him over at about 3:45 p.m. Spike belts were deployed, and Blair managed to avoid multiple of them.
The pursuit continued into Alonsa, with the driver turning onto Church Road North. He then stopped the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot into the bush.
Police Dog Marook took down the suspect, who suffered minor injuries. At 4:55, Racette was charged and treated for his injuries.
A full blanket of charges includes assaulting a police officer, arson, assault causing bodily harm, and dangerous operation of a vehicle, among many others.
Racette remains in custody.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The Gilbert Plains Legion will host the Gilbert Plains homecoming open house and volunteer signup on Wednesday.
It'll run from 6:30 to 7:30, says co-chair Tori Dykun.
"Honestly, what this is, it's a volunteer drive," said Dykun. "We are going to have all of our events, and we're looking for volunteers. It's a good way to come out and have people register for certain times they want to help."
They'll also be selling homecoming merchandise. They'll have hoodies, hats, and more.
Dykun says there is a ton of small-town pride in Gilbert Plains and expects many people to volunteer.
"I think it's good for people to come out, even if it's for just one shift," said Dykun. "Volunteering in a small community is what makes this community thrive."
Homecoming takes place from July 8 to 12 and runs in conjunction with the Gilbert Plains/Grandview fair and rodeo.
"The campsites down at the golf course all sold out within 10 minutes of opening," commented Dykun. "People are definitely excited to be coming out. We hear people are coming from Calgary and out east as well. It should be a great celebration."
It's all about getting together, meeting up with old friends, and celebrating all the great things in life.
"We're having a street dance on Friday night. We have some class reunions, there will be a car show, and a golf tournament," ended Dykun. "Of course, the fair and rodeo, so we're looking at doing chuckwagon events. There is something for everyone."
It's set to be a special summer in Gilbert Plains, and you can be a part of the magic.
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- Contributed by Darnell Duff
The City of Dauphin announced their Financial Plan Public Hearing is set for next Monday at City Hall.
City Manager Sharla Griffiths said they've got most of the details down, and the budget will be available to the public very soon.
"City staff are just putting the final touches on the spreadsheets and whatnot, that's a provincial template of what we have to submit our budget to the province in, that information should be public late morning or about noon on Friday, May 1st," said Griffiths.
Griffiths also said there aren't any major changes this year, but outlined this budget's priorities.
"3 main priorities this year are active transportation trails, the Craft District, which is a rejuvinization of 1 block of 2nd Ave. NW between Main St. and 1st St. NW, as well as community safety," said Griffiths.
The hearing is public, meaning residents of Dauphin are more than welcome to attend. Griffiths said it's actually encouraged. The City of Dauphin said in a Facebook post that the city council will hear any person who wishes to make a representation, ask questions, or register an objection to the financial plan.
"We always like to engage our residents. We are using taxpayer's dollars in conjuction with grants to deliver our budgets and our services, so we like to see people informed," said Griffiths.
The City of Dauphin will have their 2026 Financial Plan posted on their website for public review on Friday. Click here to see where it will be posted.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
Prescribed burn operations have begun at Lake Audy in Riding Mountain National Park.
Prescribed fires are an important tool that helps renew vegetation, reduce wildfire risk, and support healthy ecosystems. In a few weeks, fresh green growth will begin to return.
If you're travelling through RMNP, keep in mind that closures may be in effect at any time. Follow all posted signage and directions.
Smoke may be visible in and around the area. RMNP officials thank you for your patience during this time.
UPDATE: This morning, Parks Canada has officially CLOSED the Lake Audy area during the operations. Specific closures include Lake Audy Road, Lake Audy Dam Road, the bison enclosure and facilities, and several walking trails in the area. The closure is in effect until further notice. The detailed closure area is pictured below.
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Over this past week, the RM of Swan Valley West has seen unusual flooding, needing to cut roads to let water flow through.
RM of Swan Valley West Reeve Bill Gade said the RM hopefully shouldn't have to cut any more roads, as he thinks the RM is through the worst of it.
"We're up to about 30 or so [roads] that are closed, but it's been melting slowly the last few days which has helped a lot...for the most part, we think even with the faster melt on the weekend, we'll probably not see to much else. We think everything that's going to flood really bad probably has already," said Gade.
With 30 roads being destroyed to help deal with the flooding, Gade said RM already has a loose plan for road repairs once flooding has subsided. He said their priorities are major roads that people don't have an alternative to.
"We'll start off with the really big problems and just keep working at it, ideally it'll be less than 3 week, but I think being realistic it could be maybe 3 to 4 weeks," said Gade.
This year's flooding in Swan Valley West was fairly unusual. Gade said in previous years, flooding had been focused in entirely different areas of the RM.
"It's a very different year for us. Usually we see some damage in the south end of the municipality, and this year there's almost none there, whereas in the north end there's extensive damage, and typically we don't see much up that way," said Gade.
The RM of Swan Valley West does have measures in place for anyone who might need help dealing with flooding, including sandbags and emergency equipment.
"Best thing is to call the RM office. That phone is there 24 hours a day so you can call it any time. If you call after hours, just push the button for an emergency and someone answers anyway...mostly what we do is we show up with heavy equipment, if it's just an issue of ice or snow blocking something, we can move the water along rather than sandbagging a house, we prefer to do that," said Gade.
The RM of Swan Valley West Office can be reached at 204-734-3344 if needed.
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- Contributed by Ian Gillingham
