The Manitoba government will save Manitobans $24 million by removing provincial sales tax (PST) from all grocery food items, Premier Wab Kinew announced today. “Manitobans are feeling the cost of groceries every week,” said Kinew. “Budget 2026 offers real relief for Manitoba families on the items you pick up when you are in a rush to feed the family before hockey practice and swimming lessons.” Starting July 1, the Manitoba government will remove PST from all grocery food items, including previously taxed items like rotisserie chicken, sandwiches and samosas. Other items exempt from tax include: self-serve, ready-to-eat prepared foods such as sandwiches, soups, rotisserie chickens, prepared fruits and vegetables and platters; beverages such as carbonated drinks, fruit juices, dealcoholized beer and wine; baked goods, including single-serving items previously subject to tax; and snack foods such as candy, chips, salted nuts and granola. “Any savings at the checkout can make a real difference for families living on the margins,” said Vince Barletta, president and CEO of Harvest Manitoba. “For someone already stretching every dollar, saving $100 a year on groceries can mean a few more meals on the table or one less impossible choice between food and other essentials. We’re currently seeing record levels of need, with up to 60,000 Manitobans accessing food banks each month. Any measure that helps ease the cost of food is a step in the right direction.” Budget 2026 builds on the Manitoba government’s recent actions including freezing the price of one litre of milk, introducing legislation to address predatory pricing and bringing in legislation that requires stores to clearly show how property controls contribute to the public interest. More information on Budget 2026 can be found at https://gov.mb.ca/budget2026.

Arrest Warrants In the past 24 hours two individuals were arrested on the strength of their Warrants for Arrest. One was held for court and the other was released via Appearance Notice with a future court date. Fraudulently Obtain Food On March 24th a BPS police officer conducted a persons check in the 200 block of 10th Street due to recognizing the female as being a suspect in a fraudulently obtain food incident at a local Brandon business on March 17th, 2026. The female was arrested, processed at Brandon Police Service (BPS), and released via Undertaking with a future court date of June 1st, 2026. Protective Detention + Care of Intoxicated Persons Act On March 24th, police were dispatched to a residence in the 2000 block of McDonald Avenue following reports of an intoxicated female banging on a back door. Upon arrival, officers located the female, who was found to be highly intoxicated and without anyone available to care for her. For her safety and to prevent further incidents, she was taken into custody and held in BPS detention cells. She was released once sober.  Failure to Comply Probation On March 24th, police attended a business in the 700 block of 10th Street following reports of a male harassing staff and customers. The suspect, a 33-year-old male, was found to be on probation with a condition prohibiting him from attending that business. He was arrested for breaching his probation and held in BPS detention cells to prevent further issues. He will be released in the morning on an Appearance Notice, with a court date scheduled for June 4th, 2026.

(file photo) With the lowest deficit-to-gross domestic product ratio in Canada, the Manitoba government’s Budget 2026 makes responsible investments that aligns with Manitobans’ priorities while making progress on the path to balance the budget within four years, Finance Minister Adrien Sala announced today. “Budget 2026 reflects the priorities we heard from Manitobans every day, strengthening health care, lowering costs and creating good jobs,” said Sala. “We’re delivering real progress with relief at the grocery store, more front-line staff in our health-care system and new opportunities for workers. This budget is about building a healthier, more affordable Manitoba for families.” Budget 2026 continues to invest more in health care for the third consecutive year, adding 4,054 net new health-care staff added to the front lines and focuses on new initiatives to reduce the number of emergency rooms (ER) wait times. This budget also includes a significant investment in cardiac care with $22.1 million to re-establish the Cardiac Centre of Excellence at the St. Boniface Hospital, now called Heart Care Manitoba, and provides additional funding to perform 200 more hip and knee surgeries at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre, along with 3,250 more MRIs. Manitoba is leading the country in tackling rising grocery prices through new legislation that would ban predatory pricing and restrict property controls. Budget 2026 goes further by removing the provincial sales tax from all food sold in grocery stores starting July 1. Additional measures to lower costs for Manitobans include an increase to $1,700 to the Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit, increased rent relief delivered sooner, and free transit for children and youth. Manitoba’s economy is strong with wages outpacing inflation, continued private-sector growth and a steady increase in the number of Manitobans working. Budget 2026 builds on this growth with a historic commitment to train 40 per cent more apprentices in the skilled trades and a new $10-million Churchill Catalyst Fund to attract more private-sector interest in an energy corridor that will create good jobs for generations. With $118 million to build four new schools, $71.8 million to build personal care homes in Lac du Bonnet, Arborg and Transcona, $36.1 million to build new ERs at the Victoria and Eriksdale hospitals, the Manitoba Jobs Agreement is ensuring those jobs go to Manitoba workers. Budget 2026 reflects the values of everyday Manitobans who want to see everyone succeed with progressive policies that give families with the lowest incomes the most help. This includes a change to the Homeowners Affordability Tax credit to help Manitobans with the most give back to those with the least, new investments in free child care for low-income families, and a $2.5-million investment in adult literacy programs to help more Manitobans graduate and find a good job.  

A sexual assault occurred in the early morning hours of March 21st, 2026, in the area of 20th Street (500–700 block) north of Victoria Avenue in Brandon. An unidentified male suspect, described as tall and wearing all black clothing along with a black ski mask, approached a female victim from behind, forced her against a wall, and assaulted her. The victim resisted and was able to escape without physical injury. The suspect fled the area immediately afterward. Investigators are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying the individual or providing information that may aid the investigation. Police are particularly interested in speaking with anyone who: Was in the 500–700 block of 20th Street between approximately 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on March 21, 2026 Observed or heard anything suspicious or unusual in the area Has information about an individual matching the suspect description May have relevant video footage, including home security or doorbell camera recordings Any information, no matter how minor it may seem, could be valuable to the investigation. If you have information on this, please contact Crime Stoppers 204-727-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous, and you WILL be rewarded with cash.

At about 12:35 PM Friday afternoon, a Brandon woman reported that her ex-partner, a 36 year-old male, had stolen her vehicle and was intoxicated. She witnessed him hit a fence, causing damage to both the vehicle and fence, then drive away. Just before 1:00 PM, a second call was received of a possible impaired driver who had abandoned the vehicle in the 200 block Franklin Street, toss the keys, and walk away. The male suspect was located nearby and taken into custody. He was returned to BPS where he provided breath samples with results over three times the legal limit. He was held in custody to be released this morning. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 26th facing impaired driving charges, theft of motor vehicle, and tickets under the Highway Traffic Act relating to leaving the scene of an accident and driving without holding a valid license.