Latest news with #PrairieProvinces
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
High-performance cricket pitch outside Winnipeg 'a dream come true' for Manitoba players
Cricket players from across the Prairie provinces gathered for a tournament during the grand opening of a cricket pitch at La Barrière Park just south of Winnipeg on Saturday. "This was kind of a dream for every cricketer in Manitoba," said Paramjit Shahi, president of the Manitoba Cricket Association. Shahi said cricket players have been gathering at the La Barrière Park ever since construction started on a high-performance pitch in 2018. The grounds have now grown to include two more high-performance pitches, four practice nets and a batting cage, the city said in a news release on Saturday. Shahi said the project would not have been possible without support from the city, province and non-profit organizations like Cricket Canada. The project has received more than $1.1 million in funding from the city for installation, ongoing maintenance and new signage. The new fields were built on public land that is leased by the Manitoba Cricket Association. Waverley West Coun. Janice Lukes, whose ward contributed nearly $950,000 to the project, said the park is set to become the "epicentre of cricket in Manitoba." La Barrière Park is owned by the city, but since it is located on the southern outskirts of the city, it is not under the jurisdiction of any specific ward councillor. The project also involved funding from St. Norbert-Seine River Coun. Markus Chambers, St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes, Old Kildonan Coun. Devi Sharma, and St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard. "Cricket is far more than just a game," Lukes said during the grand opening ceremony on Saturday. "It brings people together, it brings countries together. And we play, we have fun and in a very positive way." Milan Dave was playing in the tournament, which included teams from across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, on Saturday. He said he has been playing cricket since he was a child and is driven by a passion for the game. Dave moved from India to Toronto in 2016, eventually settling in Winnipeg a few years ago. He's been playing cricket at La Barrière Park ever since. "I have played with different provinces, and what I can say is these fields are amazing …" Dave said. "As a player, I would say it only elevates your game," he said of the high-performance pitch. Manoj Chaudhari, a past board member with the Manitoba Cricket Association, said the newly-opened grounds will serve as the association's main venue while the cricket pitch at Assiniboine Park remains under construction. "It's been a long time coming, it's taken a lot of hard work," Chaudhari said. "We do appreciate all levels of government helping us with this." Chaudhari said he has seen the sport's popularity bloom from just a handful of teams in the province to nearly 70 in 2025. He said the association has plans to build three more pitches in Manitoba. Shahi said it was wonderful to see so many players on the park's pitches on Saturday. "It's a beautiful grounds. A lot of players are playing here from other provinces, they appreciate how good [the] grounds are here," he said, adding cricket groups across Canada have been asking his 1,600-member association for advice on expanding the sport in other provinces. "We are very excited. This is a dream come true for the Manitoba Cricket Association."
CBC
03-08-2025
- Sport
- CBC
High-performance cricket pitch outside Winnipeg 'a dream come true' for Manitoba players
Social Sharing Cricket players from across the Prairie provinces gathered for a tournament during the grand opening of a cricket pitch at La Barrière Park just south of Winnipeg on Saturday. "This was kind of a dream for every cricketer in Manitoba," said Paramjit Shahi, president of the Manitoba Cricket Association. Shahi said cricket players have been gathering at the La Barrière Park ever since construction started on a high-performance pitch in 2018. The grounds have now grown to include two more high-performance pitches, four practice nets and a batting cage, the city said in a news release on Saturday. Shahi said the project would not have been possible without support from the city, province and non-profit organizations like Cricket Canada. The project has received more than $1.1 million in funding from the city for installation, ongoing maintenance and new signage. The new fields were built on public land that is leased by the Manitoba Cricket Association. Waverley West Coun. Janice Lukes, whose ward contributed nearly $950,000 to the project, said the park is set to become the "epicentre of cricket in Manitoba." La Barrière Park is owned by the city, but since it is located on the southern outskirts of the city, it is not under the jurisdiction of any specific ward councillor. The project also involved funding from St. Norbert-Seine River Coun. Markus Chambers, St. Vital Coun. Brian Mayes, Old Kildonan Coun. Devi Sharma, and St. Boniface Coun. Matt Allard. "Cricket is far more than just a game," Lukes said during the grand opening ceremony on Saturday. "It brings people together, it brings countries together. And we play, we have fun and in a very positive way." Milan Dave was playing in the tournament, which included teams from across Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, on Saturday. He said he has been playing cricket since he was a child and is driven by a passion for the game. Dave moved from India to Toronto in 2016, eventually settling in Winnipeg a few years ago. He's been playing cricket at La Barrière Park ever since. "I have played with different provinces, and what I can say is these fields are amazing …" Dave said. "As a player, I would say it only elevates your game," he said of the high-performance pitch. Manoj Chaudhari, a past board member with the Manitoba Cricket Association, said the newly-opened grounds will serve as the association's main venue while the cricket pitch at Assiniboine Park remains under construction. "It's been a long time coming, it's taken a lot of hard work," Chaudhari said. "We do appreciate all levels of government helping us with this." Chaudhari said he has seen the sport's popularity bloom from just a handful of teams in the province to nearly 70 in 2025. He said the association has plans to build three more pitches in Manitoba. Shahi said it was wonderful to see so many players on the park's pitches on Saturday. "It's a beautiful grounds. A lot of players are playing here from other provinces, they appreciate how good [the] grounds are here," he said, adding cricket groups across Canada have been asking his 1,600-member association for advice on expanding the sport in other provinces. "We are very excited. This is a dream come true for the Manitoba Cricket Association."
CTV News
25-06-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
MPI requesting 2 per cent rate increase
Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is requesting a 2.07 per cent increase to basic rates for the 2026/27 insurance year. On Wednesday, the Crown corporation announced it filed its general rate application and is asking for approval from the Public Utilities Board (PUB). If the hike is approved, Manitobans would see an annual increase of $21 for the average private passenger vehicle policy, which comes to about $1.75 a month. In a news release, MPI explained the rate hike is attributed to the fact that it's facing higher claim costs because modern cars are 'more complex, contain advanced technologies and are more expensive to repair.' MPI added it's also applying to the PUB to expand its Driver Safety Rating scale to include a level 20. If approved, level 20 drivers would save 53 per cent of the cost of their automobile and driver insurance. The 2026/27 insurance year begins on April 1, 2026.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘Could not meet that need': Province rejects Saskatoon police chief's plan to train officers in-house
The province has denied a request from Saskatoon's police chief to internally train new officers amid a staffing crunch. The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is down 32 officers, according to Chief Cameron McBride. 'Our staffing isn't where I believe it needs to be,' McBride told the Saskatoon Board of Police Commissioners on Thursday. McBride attributes the shortage to a wave of recent retirements. The chief said the ability to get new officers on Saskatoon streets is 'slowed by the Saskatchewan Police College.' 'We had hoped for 17 seats in the fall class at the college, and we received eight,' McBride told journalists after the meeting. McBride praised the college's ability to train, but said its current capacity isn't meeting Saskatoon's demand. To fill the training gap, McBride wrote a letter to the Ministry of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety with a potential solution. 'I asked, can we train in-house? One time?' McBride explained. 'We have the capacity, we have the subject matter experts, we have the facility, and I believe wholeheartedly that we could do that in fall.' His request was denied. In a statement to CTV News, the Saskatchewan Police Commission said it considered the SPS's request but decided it 'could not meet that need while maintaining the standards of a centralized training program.' 'I understand it. I respect it. But it certainly affects our ability to grow,' McBride said, noting the challenge of keeping police staffing proportionate to Saskatoon's population growth. The commission said it recognizes the pressure and is planning to expand training capacity by 50 per cent — up to 96 recruits — by 2026. McBride said the police college's strategy for next year is 'very good and encouraging, but that future plan doesn't address today's need.' 'I need to reiterate, we do have enough staff,' he said. 'We just don't have enough staff to give our members the cushion and the ability to do proactive policing.' The challenge in getting new police recruits job-ready comes as the City of Saskatoon pores over its budget plans for the next two years, looking to lower an anticipated property tax increase of nearly 10 per cent in 2026. Saskatoon police are expected to account for approximately four per cent of that property tax increase, following a new collective agreement with the local police association that included a 'higher than anticipated' salary increase for its members.
CTV News
02-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Cool temperatures, chance of rain as crews battle wildfires near Flin Flon, Man.
This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows wildfires in Flin Flon, Man., on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Manitoba government via AP) FLIN FLON — Cooler temperatures and a chance of rain this week is forecast in a northwestern Manitoba city that's had to evacuate thousands due to wildfire. As of Sunday night, Environment Canada was projecting temperatures in the mid teens to mid 20s over the next week, with a good chance of rain coming Saturday in Flin Flon. Crews have been trying to keep a nearby blaze at bay, and have said the fire has been contained to outside its perimeter highway. At this time, crews say there have been no structures lost. To date, more than 17,000 people have been displaced by wildfires in Manitoba, including 5,000 from Flin Flon. Thousands have been affected by wildfires across the Prairie provinces, with Saskatchewan issuing a evacuation alert Sunday morning for dozens of residents in the small northern community of Timber Bay, located about 260 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 2, 2025. The Canadian Press
