Manitoba Minute: Issue 93

Manitoba Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Manitoba politics.

📅 This Week In Manitoba: 📅

• As of January 1st, Manitoba Hydro electricity rates increased by 4%, following an urgent interim order from the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba due to severe drought conditions. The board approved the maximum allowable annual increase, exceeding the 3.5% hike initially requested by Manitoba Hydro, citing sharply reduced water inflows and deteriorating financial projections. Hydro now expects a $409 million loss this fiscal year, a $625 million swing from earlier forecasts. The utility has argued higher rates are needed to address aging infrastructure, expand generating capacity, and manage climate-related risks, with long-term capital needs estimated at $31 billion over two decades. Consumer groups acknowledged the drought pressures but raised concerns about affordability and cost control. The increase follows a 2025 rate freeze, which critics say limited Hydro’s financial flexibility. The PUB may revisit rates in a final order expected in March 2026.
  
  
• The Manitoba Wildlife Federation warns that hunting, fishing, and public access to Crown land are under unprecedented threat, citing court battles, licence cuts, blockades, and expanding land claims. In response, the federation launched its “Access for All” campaign, holding 21 town halls and briefing municipal councils, which led to a resolution calling for local consultation on land-use restrictions. The MWF is also challenging federal firearms policies and advocating for conservation measures, including protecting moose populations and addressing illegal caribou killings. Despite these pressures, the organization continues outdoor education programs to teach hunting, fishing, and conservation skills to new generations. The Federation says that rural traditions and access to public lands are at a critical point, urging Manitobans to engage before these rights are quietly eroded.
  
  
• In the first year of Manitoba’s free birth control program, more than 53,000 residents accessed fully covered contraceptives, including pills, IUDs, implants, and injections, totaling around 190,000 prescriptions. Oral contraceptives accounted for nearly 90% of prescriptions. Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara described the uptake as a clear sign of real demand, noting the program is helping people who previously could not afford birth control. Pharmacists praised the initiative but highlighted access barriers, as prescriptions still require a doctor or nurse practitioner, and over 150,000 Manitobans lack a family doctor. The government has committed to expanding pharmacists’ prescribing powers, allowing people to obtain birth control directly from pharmacies, though this change has not yet been implemented. Advocates say this would further improve access, especially in communities with limited healthcare providers. Overall, the program has made a meaningful difference in reproductive care while prompting discussions on further expanding accessibility.
  
  
• Manitobans are now able to self-refer for breast cancer screening beginning at age 45, down from the previous age threshold. The provincial government says the change aims to detect cancers earlier and follows investments in staffing and equipment, including hiring seven new mammography technologists and upgrading screening sites with new machines by the end of 2026. CancerCare Manitoba has also expanded outreach to improve access for rural, remote, Indigenous, and newcomer communities. Advocacy groups have long pushed for earlier screening, noting that cancers in women in their 40s are often detected later. Health officials say the program plans to lower the screening age further to 40 by the end of next year to expand early detection and save more lives.
  
  
• New traffic safety rules are now in effect across Manitoba, requiring drivers to give more space to snowplows, cyclists, and roadside workers. Amendments to the Highway Traffic Act, introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor, took effect on January 1st and are intended to reduce collisions and improve safety during winter operations and everyday travel. Under the new rules, motorists must stay at least 100 metres back from snowplows on highways with speed limits above 80 km/h, and 30 metres on lower-speed roads, when blue warning lights are flashing. Passing a plow is prohibited if visibility is limited or if doing so could interfere with maintenance work. Drivers are also now required to leave a minimum of one metre when passing cyclists. In addition, tow truck operators are permitted to set up cones and signage to create safer work zones. Labour representatives, including the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union, welcomed the changes as improved protections for front-line workers.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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