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WFP: Man hit by e-scooter faces long recovery (Aug25'26)
by Beth McKechnie 25 Aug '26

25 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Bomber volunteer’s friend urges NDP to enact new law Man hit by e-scooter faces long recovery https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/24/blue-bombers-volu… A LONGTIME Winnipeg Blue Bombers volunteer was rushed to hospital and now faces months of recovery after being hit by an e-scooter while directing football fans after a home game last month. The volunteer, a regular face on game days, was “seriously injured” when a person driving an e-scooter struck him on the sidewalk outside Princess Auto Stadium after the July 24 loss to the Calgary Stampeders, team president and CEO Wade Miller confirmed. “He is receiving care and our thoughts are with him and his family. We are in close contact with them and offering whatever support we can during a very difficult time,” Miller said in an email. “We’re grateful to the first responders and stadium staff who acted quickly at the scene and we ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as he recovers.” The Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service confirmed they were called to the stadium after the game and one person was hospitalized in stable condition. The victim’s family declined to speak on the record, but a family friend told the Free Press his injuries will have lasting impacts: she said he needed emergency neck surgery, had titanium rods inserted in his spine and suffered five compressed vertebrae. “While the full recovery prognosis is unknown today, he cannot walk unassisted and is having difficulty using his arms and hands. He is looking at two to three months in hospital for spinal cord rehabilitation, with an unknown future for him and his family,” she wrote to the Free Press, requesting anonymity. She said her friend’s experience had inspired her to “urge our elected officials to enact the needed regulations as quickly as possible.” The Winnipeg Police Service does not keep statistics on reports involving e-scooters or other personal electric vehicles, but they expect to see the number of reports increase as their popularity continues to grow, a spokesperson said. Police are waiting on legislation from the province on e-scooters to be put into effect to inform future best practices, said traffic division Insp. Helen Peters. “The WPS traffic division is aware of growing community concerns regarding the use of all types of electric vehicles, including e-scooters…. Police agencies and road-safety partners across the province are working together to develop communication and enforcement strategies to help educate everyone on the safety concerns and the new laws that will govern their use,” Peters said in a statement. On June 1, provincial legislation was passed that would impose bans on operating personal electric vehicles on sidewalks, require drivers to be 16 or older and wear a helmet and restrict speed to a maximum of 25 km/h. But those rules have yet to be put into practice and possible penalties have yet to be laid out. While there isn’t a set date for when enforcement will begin, Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor said the work to hammer out fine amounts and other details is underway now. “(I) hoped that we could get this done within the year, and I think we’re on track, so we’ll have more news in the next few months, probably,” she said. Now is a good time to practise following the incoming rules to avoid a future fine, Naylor said. “Until this legislation fully comes into effect, I would hope that Manitobans were starting to kind of follow the letter of the law,” she said. While at least one city in Manitoba has implemented its own bylaws ahead of the province — in Morden, not wearing a helmet, having more than one rider on a single-person electric device, or riding on sidewalks or on the opposite direction of traffic can now get you a $50 fine or have your scooter impounded — Winnipeg will need to figure out a way to enforce e-scooter laws within a larger population, said Coun. Janice Lukes, city council’s public works chairwoman. “This is the other part that really worries me — let’s say we come out with a whole bunch of rules, how do we enforce them? The cops, I think, they’ve got five e-bikes… how are five e-bikes going to enforce thousands of these (personal electric vehicles)?” said Lukes (Waverley West). She called it a “huge, top priority” for the city, and civic staff are constantly getting emails from residents with concerns about e-scooters and e-bikes. Lukes said she’s seen a large number of young children on e-scooters in her ward, calling it “terrifying” to watch, as a parent. She’d like to see any rules banning young people from operating the vehicles be properly enforced. Volodymyr Ishchenko bought an e-scooter this summer. He said the city is lacking in safe, accessible infrastructure for bikes, whether they’re powered by pedals or motors. “There is not much (of) a road for bicycles, for scooters for any stuff like that people can drive on, so that I’m not bothering just regular walkers, pedestrians,” he said. He tries his best to be a responsible rider — he was walking his scooter along a Provencher Boulevard sidewalk Monday — and, as popularity around personal electric vehicles increases, he’d like to see a public education campaign on safe operation. “Some people, they don’t understand, especially kids, the responsibility when they’re driving these things,” he said. Ashley Esquega, who was riding her e-scooter to an appointment downtown Monday, called calls to ban personal electric vehicles “ridiculous.” ‘I think (their) reputation is kind of crappy, but they are so much fun, and you just gotta have fun with life,” she said. Mike McKenna knows first-hand how quickly an e-scooter collision can change a pedestrian’s sense of safety. He was struck by an e-scooter in July as he stepped off a Winnipeg Transit bus at Main Street and Broadway. The impact threw him onto the pavement and left his left arm badly scraped and cut. McKenna has physically recovered from the collision, but he said the psychological impact of the incident has not gone away. “I have anxiety getting off the bus every single time,” he said. “I try to poke my head out and look, and it can hold up people behind me as they’re trying to get off. So, it just hasn’t gone away yet.” McKenna said he was fortunate to walk away from his collision but worries another pedestrian won’t be as lucky. “We need to take back our sidewalks,” he said. — With files from Morgan Modjeski malak.abas(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Free youth Transit passes set for staggered rollout (Aug21'26)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Aug '26

21 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Free youth Transit passes set for staggered rollout https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/20/wsd-official-expe… A PROGRAM allowing youths to ride Winnipeg Transit buses fare-free is on track to start next month, though some will wait longer than others to get their passes. The provincially funded Free Youth Transit Pass Pilot program will provide no-cost rides to youths between the ages of 11 and 17 and high school students between the ages of 18 and 21. On Thursday, Premier Wab Kinew revealed not all students will be eligible when school resumes next month, as passes will be available based on grade levels. “It’s going to happen week by week, more and more students will be getting the bus passes. So, this is just at the request of the people who run Transit, so that they can accommodate this new program. As you go back to school, you’ll find out how the bus passes are going to be distributed,” said Kinew. The premier indicated accommodations to address “urgent” transportation needs could also be considered on a case-by-case basis. Matt Henderson, superintendent of the Winnipeg School Division, said he expects to provide passes to students in grades 11 and 12 during the week of Sept. 9. That’s expected to be followed by students in grades 9 and 10 during the week of Sept. 21, and students in grades 7 and 8 during the week of Sept. 28. “The City of Winnipeg is asking that there’s a staggered approach so their drivers and system aren’t overwhelmed and they’re able to adjust and plan throughout the month of September,” said Henderson. While those dates will generally apply in most cases, divisional schools that draw students from a wide area, such as Tec-Voc high school, will receive passes at the same time, he said. “Each division in the City of Winnipeg will be sending communication to parents… in the coming weeks just to explain what that rollout looks like,” said Henderson. Transit said the details could vary between schools. Henderson said he believes the program will remove a financial roadblock to education for some. “We know when we speak to families, transportation is the No. 1 barrier to regular and healthy school attendance. It’s not inexpensive for a child to ride the bus every day. We’re really excited about this (free bus pass),” he said. In June, Winnipeg Transit estimated there were 65,000 youths in the eligible age group, including about 60,000 who attend school, but noted it plans to initially cap the program at just 30,000 passes, assuming a 50 per cent uptake. Henderson said he believes a pass can be given to every student who wants one. “There is no cap. According to our provincial partners, if a child needs a bus pass, they will get that,” he said. At Winnipeg School Division, schools will be able to distribute the passes directly to students. However, city council’s public works chairwoman said additional passes will be printed only if there’s enough demand and the province provides more money for the program. Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) said she fears that even with a staggered introduction, adding the free passes in September could overload the system and lead more riders to wait longer as buses filled to capacity pass them by. “I personally think it’s going to be chaos come fall, regardless of whether it’s staggered or not. I hope it isn’t… I really think it’s a great idea. I just really think it was ill-conceived that we could pull this together for September when it was announced in March,” said Lukes. September and October are already very busy months for Transit, as many riders return to school. She said she’s also concerned that details are still to come for parents and students with classes beginning in about three weeks. In June, Winnipeg Transit said $10 million that the province provided to fund the program for a year would cover its cost for seven months. Lukes said that would lead the pilot project to end in March, unless additional money comes through. Winnipeg Transit declined an interview request Thursday. In a written statement, spokeswoman Megan Benedictson said the pilot should last the full school year but did not provide details on how that could be funded. “We are meeting regularly with the province to discuss the pass-distribution steps and any capacity challenges identified over the course of the rollout,” she wrote. Students who don’t plan to use the bus are urged not to take a free pass. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Residents call for speed bumps after child hit by vehicle (Aug17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Aug '26

17 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Residents call for speed bumps after child hit by vehicle Man, 29, arrested following hit-and-run https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/15/west-kildonan-ind… RESIDENTS in the West Kildonan Industrial neighbourhood are calling on the city to install speed bumps in their area after a child was hit and dragged by a vehicle Thursday. Katelyn Bemister lives near the area where the child — who was hospitalized as a result of the incident and has been upgraded to stable condition — was struck. She says people frequently speed in the area. “They’re going really fast, and they’re not really paying attention at all to the pedestrians in the area,” says Bemister. In video supplied to the Free Press by a resident, the child can be seen riding a bike down a sidewalk along the 500 block of North Point Boulevard. As the child crosses a back alley that intersects with the street, a truck hits them and drags them several feet. The truck stops briefly, but as bystanders approach it, the driver speeds off with its squealing tires captured in the video. North Point Boulevard, which was crawling with kids Friday, is close to a park and playground. Bemister, who is also a parent, says adding speed bumps would make her feel safer. Area resident Ailea Kathleen Palomar also says speeding is an issue in the neighbourhood, but noted the combination of tall fences and uncontrolled intersections are creating risks for pedestrians and motorists. “It’s not safe because you can’t see,” said Palomar. Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said the city has been installing traffic- calming measures in the area and additional changes are coming. Sharma says the speed limit on Murray Avenue has already been reduced to 60 km/h from 70 km/h and a four-way stop sign at Mira Gate is now in place. A stop sign on Ferrier Street and Murray Avenue has recently been added. Other changes, like speed bumps and the implementation of additional stop signs are “on the table,” says Sharma, while a traffic-calming review is underway for North Point Boulevard between Lyra Gate and Mira Gate. “It’s a horrible incident that unfolded this week and when there’s issues that emerge around road safety, we need to find solutions.” Winnipeg police arrested a 29-year-old man in connection to the hit-and-run. He is facing charges of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm and failure to stop at the scene of an accident. He was released on an appearance notice with a court date. morgan.modjeski(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Trustees call for e-scooter safety education (Aug17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Aug '26

17 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Trustees call for e-scooter safety education https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/17/trustees-call-for… SCHOOL trustees are calling on the province to bolster public education around e-bike and e-scooter safety ahead of back-to-school season. The Manitoba School Boards Association brought members’ concerns about a growing number of students using electronic devices to get to and from classes to the education minister’s office this month. “There’s a concerning lack of safety knowledge on the part of Manitoba youth,” executive director Alan Campbell said. Campbell, a long-time trustee in the Interlake School Division, resigned from elected office this summer to run the association that mobilizes school boards and provides them with labour relations support. While noting trustees are not curriculum developers, he said they make policies related to local transportation issues and have a responsibility to ensure health lessons, among others, are up to date. Campbell said teaching students about the importance of wearing a helmet on e-scooters, using “prescribed bike lanes,” and following the Highway Traffic Act is critical for all community members’ safety. Manitoba curriculum needs to be upgraded so all kids learn that riding an e-scooter on a sidewalk can put both them and pedestrians in danger, he noted. New research on “powered personal micromobility devices,” undertaken by a group of Canadian pediatricians, shows at least 10 kids died from using an e-bike, e-scooter or related technology in 2025. “Children may be at increased risk due to inexperience operating motorized vehicles, less caution/more risk-taking behaviour, and anatomic differences including skeletal immaturity and larger head size-to-body ratios,” states a summary of the findings. Dr. Daniel Rosenfield was among the team who surveyed 800 colleagues across the country to find out the prevalence of these injuries and fatalities. A total of 57 incidents involving e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards, e-unicycles, hoverboards and motorized mobility aids were reported. Head injuries, accounting for nearly half of all cases, were the most common. Boys between the ages of 10 and 15 were the most likely to be injured. The findings show there were 26 hospitalizations lasting over 48 hours and 12 admissions to intensive care units. “Given recent trends, this is likely an underrepresentation of true cases,” Rosenfield said in a news release Thursday. Although a summary did not break down incidents by province, it did acknowledge there were incident reports from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. A government spokesperson said in a statement the Kinew government is taking seriously concerns raised by pediatricians and parents. They described student safety as a “top priority” for Premier Wab Kinew’s team and indicated the province is actively looking for ways to increase awareness about “the safe use of e-bikes and e-scooters.” Asked last week about when an updated health curriculum will be released, Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said details will be released “shortly.” Multiple transportation-related resolutions were brought forward at the school boards association’s annual general meeting in March. Dozens of trustees voted to petition the province to “further emphasize bike safety and the safe use of power-assisted bicycles and e-scooters.” Campbell said school leaders in urban areas and rural communities are concerned about unsafe operating habits on these increasingly popular devices. “In 2026, public education is no longer about reading, writing and math, sitting in rows,” said the father of two and former school division transportation director. Given school boards are grappling with high busing costs and interested in promoting healthy habits, such as walking to school, Campbell said trustees should be playing a bigger role in active transportation planning. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: ‘You vote with your bike’ (Aug17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Aug '26

17 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. ‘You vote with your bike’ Fancy Women Bike ride urges cyclists to lobby candidates for improved safety https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/16/you-vote-with-you… PATTY Wiens got dressed up in her sparkly, hot pink cowboy boots to pedal and talk politics with more than 100 other people on Sunday. The founder of Winnipeg’s Fancy Women Bike Ride called on attendees of the 2026 event to ask candidates in the upcoming civic election — a half-dozen of whom were in attendance — about their active transportation platforms. “We’re here today, in an election year, to remind you that you vote with your bike,” Wiens told a crowd of nearly 120 cyclists gathered on the legislature grounds for the group ride. “When (city council) candidates come to your door and ask what’s important to you, you’re going to say, ‘I want to ride my bike safely in the city. What are you going to do about it?’” Daughters, mothers and grandmothers erupted into cheers as Wiens, the city’s inaugural bike mayor, spoke about the critical role bicycles have played in women’s suffrage and liberation movements across the world. The Fancy Women Bike Ride, a now-international movement that has led to parades taking place in more than 250 different cities in 30 countries, was born in 2013 in Turkey. It was held to encourage women to be more visible in public spaces and celebrate the freedom their bikes have given them. Inspired by the message, Wiens invited other active cyclists to wear their favourite formal attire and join her for a local iteration in 2023. It’s since become an annual tradition. Participants decorated their bikes with flowers and donned summer dresses, as well as tutus and fascinators made out of their helmets in celebration of the third local event. (Last year’s ride was cancelled due to thunderstorms and wildfire smoke.) Ballads by Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and other female popstars blasted from a boombox throughout the roughly 90-minute ride throughout West Broadway, Wolseley and River Heights. The Taylor Swift-filled playlist — interrupted on occasion by a chorus of women and girls shouting “pothole” to warn others about the craters along their route — was a hit for 11-year-old cyclist Sophie Campbell. Lynn Campbell said it’s powerful for her daughters, including Sophie and Lucy, 8, to witness other women get together to exercise and socialize in their hometown. “We bike as soon as the snow and ice is gone until it comes back,” the mother of two said. Campbell didn’t spend a penny on gas in May or June because of the solid active transportation network in their neighbourhood. The Oct. 28 election has her thinking about “the absolute fortune” that taxpayers spend on patching potholes every year, she said. The City of Winnipeg is estimated to spend $157 million on local and regional street repairs this year. While noting bike lanes and other protective infrastructure may be costly upfront, Campbell said they encourage healthy habits and reduce weight and related wear-and-tear on roads that contribute to potholes. There are no women currently vying for Mayor Scott Gillingham’s seat, but there are 16 female candidates running for Winnipeg City Council. Wiens, co-host off the Ballot Babes podcast, gave a callout on Sunday to all of the registrants who attended the Fancy Women Bike Ride. Steps from the Famous Five Monument, which depicts Nellie McClung and other prominent suffragists located on the west lawn of 450 Broadway, Wiens spoke about how transformative bikes have been for women throughout history. “The suffragettes got around on bikes because they didn’t have to ask their husbands to get the horses ready,” she said, calling these tools “the first vehicle that women could independently operate.” She noted bikes sparked outrage across society — “because, you know, the patriarchy” — as well as a new fashion trend because women started wearing bloomers instead of heavy skirts in order to pedal. Sarah Gravelle-MacKenzie, 71, said she’s spent a lot of time biking in retirement because of the “freedom” it provides her and how it makes her feel “like a kid again.” The senior cyclist founded Cycling with Sarah, the first senior women’s cycling club in Manitoba that began about three years ago. There are now 70 women aged 55 and older who regularly participate in group rides and fundraising initiatives under her banner. The women rely on volunteers to lead, trail and keep an eye out for traffic on their routes, especially if there’s a gap in bike lanes. “Safe and connected cities and promoting different modes of active transportation, be it cycling, walking, busing — these are all important things for a healthy city,” said Sara MacArthur, a city planner who is mounting a campaign for River Heights-Fort Garry. The aspiring city councillor said improving “connectivity” in Winnipeg’s active transportation network is a key part of her platform. Orvie Dingwall, a candidate who is running to represent residents of North Kildonan, showed up to the event in a pink fringe shirt with matching earrings. “I’m a fancy lady who loves to bike so it’s great to be here with my people,” the university librarian said during a mid-ride interview. Dingwall and her two teenagers often rely on modes of active transportation, as well as Winnipeg Transit, to get around. Her commute to work by bus nearly doubled — from 40 minutes to 75 minutes — when routes underwent an overhaul last summer. If she is elected in the fall she said she will advocate for more frequent buses and protecting city parks. Women were eligible to vote in civic elections in Manitoba as early as 1887, but they could not hold office until 1916. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: West Kildonan Industrial residents call for speed bumps after child hit by truck (Aug15'26)
by Beth McKechnie 16 Aug '26

16 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. West Kildonan Industrial residents call for speed bumps after child hit by truck https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/15/west-kildonan-ind… Residents in the West Kildonan Industrial neighbourhood are calling on the city to install speed bumps in their area after a child was hit and dragged by a vehicle Thursday. Katelyn Bemister lives near the area where the child — who was hospitalized as a result of the incident and has been upgraded to stable condition — was struck. She says people frequently speed in the area. “They’re going really fast, and they’re not really paying attention at all to the pedestrians in the area,” says Bemister. In video supplied to the Free Press by a resident, the child can be seen riding a bike down a sidewalk along the 500 block of North Point Boulevard. As the child crosses a back alley that intersects with the street, a truck hits them and drags them several feet. The truck stops briefly, but as bystanders approach it, the driver speeds off with its squealing tires captured in the video. North Point Boulevard, which was crawling with kids Friday, is close to a park and playground. Bemister, who is also a parent, says adding speed bumps would make her feel safer. Area resident Ailea Kathleen Palomar also says speeding is an issue in the neighbourhood, but noted the combination of tall fences and uncontrolled intersections are creating risks for pedestrians and motorists. “It’s not safe because you can’t see,” said Palomar. Coun. Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said the city has been installing traffic-calming measures in the area and additional changes are coming. Sharma says the speed limit on Murray Avenue has already been reduced to 60 km/h from 70 km/h and a four-way stop sign at Mira Gate is now in place. A stop sign on Ferrier Street and Murray Avenue has recently been added. Other changes, like speed bumps and the implementation of additional stop signs are “on the table,” says Sharma, while a traffic-calming review is underway for North Point Boulevard between Lyra Gate and Mira Gate. “It’s a horrible incident that unfolded this week and when there’s issues that emerge around road safety, we need to find solutions.” Winnipeg police arrested a 29-year-old man in connection to the hit-and-run. He is facing charges of dangerous operation of a conveyance causing bodily harm and failure to stop at the scene of an accident. He was released on an appearance notice with a court date. morgan.modjeski(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:morgan.modjeski@freepress.mb.ca>

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CBC: Doug Ford wins big battle in his war against Toronto bike lanes (Aug15'26)
by Beth McKechnie 15 Aug '26

15 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Yikes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJh3VeqNHvY

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WFP: Drunk driver who killed cycling couple, orphaned their infant daughter, sentenced to eight years (Aug4'26)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Aug '26

05 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Drunk driver who killed cycling couple, orphaned their infant daughter, sentenced to eight years https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/04/drunk-driver-who-… A Winnipeg man responsible for a drunk-driving crash that killed two cyclists last summer and left their infant child an orphan has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Kuldeep Singh Gill was arrested Sept. 13 after fleeing from a high-speed collision on Kenaston Boulevard that killed 31-year-old Egor Popov and his 25-year-old common-law partner Kerry Ashley Bonner. Gill, 46, pleaded guilty earlier this year to two counts of impaired driving causing death and two counts of failing to stop at the scene of a collision. [SUPPLIED A memorial was set up on Kenaston Boulevard, close to where Kerry Ashley Bonner and Egor Popov were killed by a drunk driver.]<https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/445067…> SUPPLIED A memorial was set up on Kenaston Boulevard, close to where Kerry Ashley Bonner and Egor Popov were killed by a drunk driver. Gill, who has a prior conviction for impaired driving, made a conscious decision to drive drunk, knowing it made him a danger on the road, provincial court Judge David Ireland said at a sentencing hearing Tuesday. “His behaviour was morally repugnant,” Ireland said. “(Gill’s) driving record reflects someone who has flouted the law…. This was not an accident. A family has been destroyed and their child has been orphaned.” Gill, who has permanent resident status in Canada, faces likely deportation upon completing his sentence, which was jointly recommended by lawyers for the Crown and defence. According to an agreed statement of facts provided to court, Gill had consumed an “unknown amount” of alcohol while driving a Dodge Ram pickup truck along Kenaston Boulevard. Witnesses had already called police to report the vehicle driving erratically when Gill veered around slower moving traffic and onto the paved shoulder at the intersection of Enterprise Drive. Gill was still driving on the paved shoulder when he crashed into Bonner and Popov on their bicycles at approximately 9:15 p.m. Popov was pronounced dead at the scene while Bonner died in hospital a short time later. Truck driving 131 km/h at impact Gill, who had abandoned his vehicle and ran away, was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. as he walked in the area of Kenaston Boulevard and Scurfield Boulevard. Gill provided a breath sample and his blood-alcohol level was estimated to be as high as .137 at the time of the collision. Criminal charges are triggered for drivers with a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher. Police analyzed location data on Gill’s phone, which showed he had been in the vicinity of a Keewatin Street Liquor Mart earlier that afternoon. A review of security video at the store confirmed Gill had bought a bottle of 5-Star whisky at the store. Police found a partially consumed bottle of the same whisky in the centre console of Gill’s truck. An analysis of the truck’s crash data revealed Gill had been driving 131 km/h at the point of impact, 51 kilometres over the posted speed limit. [https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/445067…]<https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/445067…> Lifetime prohibition from driving In July 2016, Gill was driving a Jeep Wrangler at a high speed in a residential area when he drove onto a boulevard, struck a school zone sign and crashed into a tree before coming to a stop on a resident’s front lawn. He tried to run away, but was followed by witnesses until police arrived and arrested him. He later pleaded guilty to driving over .08 and was fined $1,500 and prohibited from driving for one year. In 2020, Gill was convicted of failing to comply with licence restrictions after driving without a licence and driving while suspended. Ireland on Tuesday prohibited Gill from driving in Canada for life. “He has not got the message in the past,” Ireland said. “The public deserves to be protected.” Orphaned daughter in foster care Popov’s death has been “soul crushing,” his sister Mariia Mirau wrote in a victim impact statement provided to court. Popov — who immigrated to Canada from Kyrgyzstan — and Bonner were parents to a nine-month-old girl at the time of their deaths. The girl is now in foster care. Popov’s mother, who lives in Montreal, quit her job following his death and has made repeated trips to Winnipeg seeking a court order granting her custody of his daughter. “The loss of her son is extremely painful for her… even more so having to go through a custody battle for her granddaughter while grieving,” Mirau wrote. dean.pritchard(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:dean.pritchard@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP OpEd: Keep free youth transit simple (Jul31'26)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Jul '26

31 Jul '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Keep free youth transit simple CORDELLA FRIESEN AND NOËLLE DEPAPE https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/07/31/keep-free-you… FOR too many young Winnipeggers, the cost of a bus pass is a barrier. It can mean missing a class, turning down a job opportunity or staying home from a program that could change their future. Free transit for youth in Winnipeg is a transformational policy that will pay dividends for decades to come — advancing key environmental, educational and poverty reduction goals in our communities. As champions for young people across our city, BGC Winnipeg and the YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg commend Premier Wab Kinew and Mayor Scott Gillingham for recognizing that investing in young people is investing in Winnipeg’s future. By uniting to make transit free for youth across Winnipeg, both levels of government are delivering a forward-thinking policy that has the potential to have generational impact. At a time when families are stretched to their limits by inflation, free transportation for youth offers real, immediate relief. Saving money on monthly bus passes means parents can reallocate hard-earned dollars toward non-negotiable basic needs — rent, groceries and utility bills. Beyond the immediate household savings, free youth transit is an investment in our city’s future. First, it fosters a lifelong habit of public transit use, which is essential to shrinking our collective carbon footprint and building a greener Winnipeg. Second, and just as critically, it removes a significant barrier for our most vulnerable young people. This past June, Winnipeg School Division reported that chronic absenteeism is a significant concern, affecting approximately nine per cent of its student population. The division identified systemic barriers including housing instability, food insecurity and transportation as key factors that require coordinated community and government action. Consider the impact of one in every 10 students regularly missing school because of circumstances beyond their control. These are not simply attendance challenges — they are barriers to learning, social connection and long-term success. Although not the only solution required, addressing transportation is one practical, tangible step that can help remove one of those barriers and ensure more young people have consistent access to education and opportunity. Transportation shouldn’t dictate whether a teenager can thrive. Manitoba’s 2023 Poverty & Education Task Force report recommended free transit for youth, recognizing the barriers for youth living in poverty. Free transit also gives youth the ability to travel to part-time jobs, medical appointments, community and youth programs, and stay active at the local gym. It gives young Winnipeggers autonomy and opportunity. And as we know in the youth-serving sector, opportunity changes everything. However, as those of us who have spent years working on social policy and community change know, the devil is always in the details. A program is only as good as its delivery. If the rollout is burdened with complicated application forms, endless administrative hurdles, or separate card distribution systems, youth who need this program most will be the ones left standing at the curb. We have already seen how low-income Winnipeggers struggle to navigate the onerous process required to access programs such as the WINNpass. We cannot afford to repeat those mistakes here. We urge the province and the city: keep it simple. The most effective system is one that uses existing infrastructure. Every high school student in Winnipeg is already issued a student card. Rather than inventing a new registration process, managing separate distribution channels or adding administrative strain to schools and community organizations, let youth simply show their student IDs to board the bus. For the minority of youth not connected to a school setting, the city can partner with youth-serving agencies to ensure these young people don’t miss out. No extra paperwork. No unnecessary delays. No digital or physical barriers to entry. The city and province have taken a visionary step forward for Winnipeg’s youth. Now, we must ensure that vision becomes a frictionless reality for every young person who needs it. A free transit program should be easy to understand, easy to access and designed with young people and families in mind. The simpler and more accessible we make this rollout, the more successful, equitable and greater the impact will be. Cordella Friesen is CEO of YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg, and Noëlle DePape is CEO of BGC Winnipeg.

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WFP: Rivers train station to become bicycle museum (Jul30'26)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Jul '26

30 Jul '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Rivers train station restoration projects get funding boost https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2026/07/29/rivers-restoration-proje… RIVERS — The provincial government is providing $98,000 to help restore the Rivers train station, develop a bicycle museum on the site and expand bike trails in the community. The train station is an important part of the province’s history, said Municipal Relations Minister Glen Simard, who was in Rivers on Wednesday. “This project preserves a key piece of Manitoba’s heritage, and it creates new opportunities for tourism, culture and local economic and recreational development,” Simard, the MLA for Brandon East, told a gathering of about 25 people. The funding, which is coming from the provincial program From the Ground Up — Safe Healthy Communities for All, is also being used toward researching and producing the Sekine bicycle story with Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan, for the planned museum. Rivers hosted a Sekine bicycle factory for the Japanese company from 1973 to 1981, shipping parts by rail across North America via the town’s train station. Simard said the train station and former bicycle factory — which is still commemorated with a mural along Main Street — are symbols of the strength, resilience, culture and history of the municipality. He said the restoration of the station, which will include a virtual and physical museum and more amenities for riders, is an important way to honour the past. The station’s main building remained shuttered Wednesday, with concrete crumbling from its base. Donna Morken, chair of the Rivers train station restoration and heritage committee, couldn’t say how much the restoration of the facility will cost, or give a timeline for repairs. “You have no idea how excited we are,” Morken told Simard. “Our committee is absolutely thrilled to receive such good news for our community.” She said officials will now need to determine how to allocate the funds. Some of the money will go toward a research project to determine how best to develop rural communities in other parts of the province. The director of the Rural Development Institute at Brandon University, Wayne Kelly, who is leading the research project, said the funding will aid researchers on the ground in Rivers. “As we work with community groups that are doing this type of work on the ground, we’re going to be developing the training and some of those techniques to sort of train other community groups around research skills on the ground, so that they don’t necessarily need a PhD to come in and do community research,” Kelly said. Other Westman, Interlake and francophone communities could be part of the pilot project as it expands, he said. “What do they need both in terms of resources and supports from places like Brandon University, like the Rural Development Institute?” Kelly said. “And how we can all help our rural communities in Manitoba sort of continue to grow and develop as they want to direct it?” — Brandon Sun

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