Today is municipal election day in most of Manitoba.

Starting at 8 a.m., eligible voters can cast ballots for the offices of mayor (or reeve, as the head of council is known in many rural municipalities), councillor and school trustee in most of the province's 137 municipalities.

A general municipal election happens every four years and always on the third Wednesday in October. The only exceptions are in Winnipeg Beach, Dunnottar and Victoria Beach, where elections were held July 24.

Voting locations are open until 8 p.m., but don’t worry if you're still waiting to vote at the deadline. As long as you're in line, you'll be able to mark your choices.

The City of Winnipeg says the busiest times are typically right when the locations open and then again from 3 p.m. until close.

If you have the option, consider voting during the quieter period between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the process may be a little quicker, the city says.

Winnipeg voters must be Canadian citizens, at least 18 years old on Oct. 28 and Winnipeg residents or property owners for at least six months (since April 28), the city says.

Results for all of Manitoba will be updated on the 2026 Manitoba municipal elections website shortly after polls close at 8 p.m., as they are received from voting locations. CBC Manitoba will also have coverage of the election online and on radio and television.

More choice

More Manitobans are getting a choice of who leads their communities than in 2022.

There are fewer acclamations compared to four years ago, the Association of Manitoba Municipalities said. Uncontested races are down to 30 per cent from 37 per cent in 2022.

At the same time, the number of women candidates has increased to 340 this year from 289 in the previous election, the association said.

Incumbent mayors in several Manitoba communities, however, were acclaimed after no challengers registered to run. Those include Portage la Prairie, Winkler and Niverville.

Some places, like the Municipality of Cartwright-Roblin and the Rural Municipality of Argyle, saw their entire slate of council candidates acclaimed.

Rules about eligibility to vote in municipal and school board elections can by found on the provincial government website. This includes eligibility for non-resident voters in municipal elections.

For Winnipeggers, if you're not sure which ward you live in, you can check out a series of ward maps on the City of Winnipeg website. There's a set of school division ward boundary maps too.

Voters are required to provide proof of their name and current address by showing identification. A list of accepted ID is available on the city's website.

Don't know where to vote? The city's website has an address look up tool to help you find voting locations in your area.

By: CBC News

Published: Oct 28, 2026 5:00 AM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour ago

Related articles: - Winnipeg, Brandon set early vote record as advance polls close - More Manitobans get a choice of candidates in this year's municipal election

My personal pick is Noah Redden

The owners of Manitoba’s Port of Churchill say they’re working with Dubai-based DP World Inc. to potentially boost traffic at the arctic port.

Indigenous-owned Arctic Gateway Group says the memorandum of understanding it has signed with DP World focuses on port operations and possibly creating a transportation corridor linking Manitoba to global markets.

The supply chain memorandum also includes the CentrePort Canada inland shipping hub based beside the Winnipeg airport, as well as the Hudson Bay Railway that links it to the Port of Churchill.

No dollar investment commitments were announced with the memorandum.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew has championed a Port of Churchill expansion, which would include a liquefied natural gas export terminal that could cost more than $70 billion to build.

The port has done little traffic in recent years, but it has seen renewed interest as Canada looks to diversify trade routes and thinning sea ice expands the potential shipping season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 26, 2026.

Glen Murray is endorsing Winnipeg mayoral candidate Noah Redden in Wednesday’s civic election, a news release issued by Redden’s camp says.

Murray — who was the city’s mayor from 1998 to 2004 and came second in the 2022 mayoral race, narrowly losing to Scott Gillingham — endorsed the progressive 27-year-old on Tuesday morning, a day before voters go to the polls.

“While other candidates are busy tearing each other down, Noah Redden is focused on building our city up,” Murray said in a news release distributed by Redden’s team. “At a time when Winnipeg desperately needs fresh thinking, practical solutions and a renewed sense of possibility, Noah stands out as a candidate who understands how great cities work — and, more importantly, how to make them work better for everyone.”

Murray called Redden’s platform a “thoughtful and pragmatic plan” to restore city neighbourhoods, boost the economy and modernize infrastructure.

“Noah understands something fundamental: a city’s greatest asset isn’t its roads, buildings or balance sheet,” Murray said in the release. “It’s its people, its neighbourhoods and the extraordinary things they can accomplish together.”

Once a low-polling candidate, Redden is now in third place with 14 per cent support, tied with candidate Mike Vogiatzakis, an Abacus Data survey released Friday shows.

Incumbent Gillingham remains in the lead with the support of 36 per cent of decided voters — 19 percentage points lower than a September survey conducted by Abacus for the Free Press.

The new data placed former city councillor and Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Kevin Klein in second place with 19 per cent support — a drop of four percentage points since September.

The latest poll gave Redden, a software developer who rents in Osborne Village, the biggest jump (10 percentage points).

Redden, who’s run from the left of centre, has operated a grassroots campaign with a large focus on social media and few traditional media announcements.

Murray was deemed the front-runner in the 2022 mayoral race until former workplace allegations surfaced against him, which some political experts said hurt his campaign. He lost to Gillingham by a narrow margin.
fpcity@winnipegfreepress.com

I read that Quebec consumers are exempt from Rogers 1.6% charge to pay their bills by credit card. To be clear I don't do that but many do.

Its time that the Manitoba government looked to enact a consumer protection act like Quebec's.

I’m currently in a very rough situation; where I’ve had to flee my home due to domestic violence. I have a cat I need to hand over to temporary fostering. Until I can get back on my feet. This isn’t a permanent surrender. (I’d rather keep in touch with him if possible while fleeing my situation. Because I’m so attached to my little buddy and he only does well in my care 80% of the time.)

Downside, all the resources I’ve been given will either not take him due to his age. (He’s a 5-year old adult cat. He’s fixed, up to date on all his vaccines, and trained to graze his food/litter trained. He’s very low maintenance.) Or will not take him due to situation I’m feeling.

Does anyone in Winnipeg know pet services that might help me in this situation? He’s a pet I love dearly and surrendering him permanently would break my heart more than it already is, but it seems this is the only solution…

Halloween is coming up really fast and I'm pretty excited. I've loved Halloween for all my life and unfortunately, I'm an adult so it'd be pretty socially unacceptable for me to go door-to-door trick-or-treating alongside actual children.

I had an idea, maybe not a good one, but still an idea. I wanted to do something for the parents, adults, unhoused individuals, college students, and older teens of Winnipeg. The plan is to prepare some treat baggies, full sized candy bars, kind notes or messages, and maybe some hand warmers. Anything that money could buy, give out the goodstuff, y'know? Step two would involve me running around in my lovely-dovely costume handing the treats out to folks or going door-to-door roughly in the Central St. Boniface and St. Mary's Rd area.

Is this a yay or nay idea? If so, do you have any recommendations on what I should hand out or anything in my big genius plan to adjust? I just really love Halloween and want to do something more unique and spectacular than the regular old handing out candy.

Thanks a bunch, Winnipeg!!!!

^{p.s. if you manage to run into me, correctly identify me, and ask if i'm that smelly redditor handing stuff out, i'd love to slip you extra candy <3}

Hey everyone!

Some friends of mine started Kiln and Tell, a Manitoba-based project where they interview well-known Manitobans to get to know the real person behind the name. They’ve never done anything like this before (so gentle feedback is encouraged!), and it’s women- and Indigenous-owned and led.

Thought I’d share it here! Go check them out if you get a chance. I know they’d really appreciate the support!

I am closer to 60 vs 55 in years. I was a teenager during the dynasty in Edmonton where I have spent the majority of my life. The last time I was in Winnipeg was 1990. I remember feeling snobbish over the lack of skyscrapers and all the old buildings. I carried this prejudice until yesterday. I love the way your downtown looks. I noticed alot of brutlism architecture, like Edmonton. All the beautiful older buildings gave me such a sense of nostalgia that Edmonton Is honestly missing. It was build build build in Edmonton with no thought to preserving some beautiful buildings. I loved investigating the old buildings and how neat and well built everything was. Edmonton had pop. 500 000 when I got there. It's like 1.6 greater area now. And a mess in many ways. The traffic is no joke now it takes forever if you have to go downtown or home after work. On my commute which included 2 busses and a train cost me 3 and a half hours in valuable time. Also the terrible toll the drugs are taking and there are many people on the street and the transit.

So I moved to a small town in Eastern Saskatchewan and luckily I had to go to Winnipeg.

So I would like to apologize for rating your city all those years ago. You have a beautiful city, a cool city and everyone I interacted with was very nice.

Our cat went outside yesterday morning and has not returned. Located near the school in South Pointe area. We put out some food and dropped off missing posters to neighbors surrounding us. Also called the humane society (left a message) to report him missing but no response from them. He is microchipped. Appreciate if anyone has any sightings to report, as he isn’t normally out for more than an hour.
Thank you!

Wihuri and Saskatchewan. Red Nissan KZE 876, came from the military base. Would you report this? To who? WPS or military police?

Also, PAY THE FUCK ATTENTION.

Hello, can anyone recommend a physio with experience working with hEDS? Bonus points if they're within a half hour bus ride of downtown. TIA 🙂

I went to a friend's event in an old building on Main Street recently. I've probably walked past the place a hundred times and never paid it any attention.

Then I went inside.

Huge ceilings, marble, an absolutely ridiculous staircase. The kind of room where you suddenly feel like you should be wearing better shoes.

I spent an embarrassing amount of the evening looking around instead of paying attention to the event.

It got me thinking about how much of Winnipeg we only ever see from the sidewalk. We talk about the Exchange District's architecture all the time, but unless you work in those buildings or have a reason to visit, you might never see what's behind the doors.

So I'm curious: what's a building in Winnipeg that genuinely surprised you once you got inside?

Not necessarily the fanciest building or the most famous one. I'm particularly interested in places with fairly ordinary exteriors that are hiding something beautiful, strange or unexpectedly interesting.

Bonus points if it's somewhere regular people can actually get into without being invited to a wedding.

If you haven't already, please take some time to research the school trustee candidates in your wards and then vote on Wednesday. Democratically elected school boards are important for a strong public education system.

Information about ward boundaries can be found here.

Candidates for school board elections can be found here.

People for Public Education surveyed some school trustees in Winnipeg and collected some responses here: School Trustee Candidate Information

Winnipeg Teachers' Assocation collected answers for candidates in Winnipeg School Division.

River East Transcona Teachers' Association collected answers for candidates here.

Pembina Trails Teachers' Association collected answers for Pembina Trails candidates here.

Louis Riel Teachers' Association collected answers for Louis Riel School Division here.

Otherwise google your candidates and make sure you know where they stand. And vote on Wednesday, October 28!

Some First Nations people in Manitoba say they agree with Premier Wab Kinew that Canada should abolish the Indian Act — even if they believe it will take a long time to find a way forward.

As First Nations leaders and Canada's first ministers convened in Ottawa on Monday, Kinew called on the federal government to do away with the 1876 law, which initially controlled almost every aspect of First Nations people's lives. While it's changed, the law remains the overarching legal document for First Nations.

Minegoziibe Anishinabe Chief Derek Nepinak said it's "healthy" for the country to have that conversation, even if it can be polarizing.

"There's a deep history here," he said. It's "not always on the agenda, but nonetheless a very critical conversation that needs to be had."

Kinew made the comments during a meeting of federal, provincial and First Nations leaders to discuss Indigenous rights, saying his proposal received an "open-minded reception" from others at the summit.

But some were not enthused.

In Manitoba, Bunibonibee Cree Nation Chief Sheila North said Monday that chiefs she spoke to thought it was "inappropriate" for the premier to be calling for the abolition of the act given his position as leader of a province that's historically broken its promises to First Nations.

Frank Deer, an Indigenous education professor at the University of Manitoba, said the premier — who is Anishinaabe — is in a "unique position" to push the issue forward.

"I agree with him that it is time to consider moving on from this rather dated approach toward categorizing native people in Canada," Deer said.

"I think some of the history that's associated with the Indian Act should give Canadians pause to consider why it is time to be looking at transferring the focus towards something new."

The law dismantled traditional forms of governance and, at one point, outlawed ceremonial practices.

It even affects First Nations people after they die. The Indigenous Services minister is required to approve wills for people living on reserve and has the power to void them altogether.

The act has received many amendments over the years, but it remains in place.

In 1969, a proposal from Pierre Trudeau's government to abolish the law, in what's known as the White Paper, drew widespread criticism from First Nations leaders, who saw it as an attack on their rights and an attempt to assimilate Indigenous people.

The document, authored by Jean Chrétien while he was Indian affairs minister, called for an end to Indian status, the absorption of First Nations people as ordinary citizens, the termination of treaties and the privatization of reserve lands.

Carney open to reform

Prime Minister Mark Carney — who told reporters he was open to abolishing the act following Kinew's comments — said Tuesday that a process to review the legislation would not necessarily lead to it being terminated.

The federal government will work with First Nations and the provinces and territories to suggest possible replacements for it, Carney said.

Most First Nations chiefs agree the Indian Act is outdated and restrictive, but there is little consensus on what should replace it.

Mike Sutherland from Peguis First Nation said abolishing the law is a "big ask."

"It's one thing to say, the other thing to do it," Southerland said at an event marking the opening of an Indigenous-led business incubator in Winnipeg Tuesday.

"It's something that we would like to see, but you know, how long is it going to take us to get there?"

Nelson Nepinak from Skownan First Nation said after 150 years, it's time to get rid of the law altogether.

"It's time for First Nations to go into self-government and start governing themselves appropriately," he said.

"We have the young people that are highly educated. We have our staff in our First Nations communities that can do the same job [Indigenous Services Canada] is doing."

Activist warning

The main conversation about the Indian Act for the past year has been about how it determines status. Amendments proposed by the Senate would introduce a one-parent rule that would allow families to pass on Indian status as long as one parent has it.

Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has criticized the proposal a "one-solution blanket," saying more consulations are needed.

There are policies in place if a First Nation decides to opt out of the Indian Act, with several communities having negotiated self-government over their territories.

Gull-Masty's community, the Cree First Nation of Waswanipi, is one of those self-governing communities, under the 1975 James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement — in which Chrétien played a leading role.

Talk of reforming or abolishing the Indian Act comes as Carney works to speed up development of major projects alongside the provinces and Indigenous Peoples.

His government's Building Canada Act initially gave Ottawa the power to sidestep the Indian Act. That provision was removed in response to calls from the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois.

Janice Makokis, a lawyer and Idle No More organizer, said the current talk of abolishing the Indian Act is an echo of federal efforts decades earlier that triggered unrest among First Nations people and leaders.

"We must scrutinize whether the language of modernization and economic partnership is being used to shift power away from our nations, while opening our territories to development," she said in the foyer of the House of Commons.

"Our rights existed before the Indian Act; they do not depend on the Indian Act. But abolishing it without a process directed by First Nations themselves risks another era of paternalism, of Canada deciding what our freedom should look like then writing the rules for us."

WATCH | Carney open to abolishing Indian Act: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7397181

By: Arturo Chang · CBC News

With files from Meaghan Ketcheson, Radio-Canada's Catherine Moreau and The Canadian Press

Published: Oct 27, 2026 4:52 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

Related articles: - 'Time to abolish the Indian Act,' Manitoba premier tells PM in historic meeting with chiefs - A 'reset' or 'one and done'? First Nations and first ministers set to hold historic meeting - After 150 years, Canada still has an Indian Act. Why is it so hard to get rid of? - Carney government is stalling on Indian Act reform bill, advocates, lawmakers charge

38,000 people in the Angie De Poitrine presale?

*Update: It was sold out by the time I got through. Presale code was pointless.

For those of you arguing that it was just demand and not bots, there's already dozens of tickets listed on StubHub.

It's an assignment they can raise a glass to — students at Red River College Polytechnic in Winnipeg are working with a local beverage company to develop low-calorie mocktails and energy beverages they'll actually drink.

"It's science. It's food. It's art," said Jessica Freis, a student in the college's science laboratory technology program who is specializing in quality assurance and control.

On the day CBC visited, her team was preparing samples of an energy drink for a taste-test with their client, HealthySips — a Winnipeg-based company that makes no-alcohol, low-calorie drinks.

"This matcha energy drink we haven't quite finished yet, but the previous mojitos and mocktails and stuff, they're very tasty," said Freis.

It's a win-win situation. The students get an assignment with real-life applications, while the company gets access to a state-of-the-art research kitchen, along with help with ingredient sourcing, product testing, and research and development.

Mavis McRae is director of RRC's Prairie Research Kitchen, an applied research and training lab that works with outside partners. Students draw on food science and culinary arts to develop solutions for their clients.

The lab started with introducing culinary arts students at the college to product development, but has expanded over the years to include science laboratory technology students, said McRae.

Making products that are shelf-stable and take into account "changing consumer tastes, and looking at all the nutritional and safety [concerns] is a bit different," she said.

"There's lots of pressures on companies to develop new products, develop new markets, to be more efficient in what they do, and so we bring all of those resources to the research projects."

New mocktail already on the shelves

The lab's collaboration with HealthySips has already produced a mocktail that's on store shelves from Ontario to B.C.

It comes as the market for zero-proof, low-calorie beverages is experiencing a wave of innovation.

Driven by "sober-curious" consumers and a focus on wellness, product developers are using advanced formulation techniques to replace both the buzz of alcohol and the heavy sugars traditional mixers rely on.

HealthySips co-founder and CEO Arturo Orellana says the industry is moving past simple mocktails, which have traditionally been high in sugar, to engineered alternatives that are healthier.

His company found that most of the mocktails available in the Manitoba market were coming from the U.S., and had "really high calories and really high sugar," he said.

So they decided to create something healthier — and local.

"We really knew what we wanted, but we didn't know where to start," said Orellana. "So they [Prairie Research Kitchen] helped us from ingredient research to testing to prototyping to doing tons and tons of sampling."

Growing non-alcoholic market

A side benefit of working with the RRC lab is getting a bit of real-time market testing with the exact demographic zero-proof beverage makers like HealthySips are going after.

"The key demographics here are sort of Gen Z, people in their early 20s or around 20 to the mid-30s" — a particularly health-conscious group, said Rod Phillips, a history professor at Carleton University with a speciality in the history of alcohol.

"It's interesting that the people who are going to be actually developing and working on these beverages [at RRC] are the very people who are going to be consuming them."

According to a 2024 study by NielsenIQ, a consumer intelligence and market research company, Canadian sales in the non-alcoholic beverage market hit nearly $200 million between June 2023 and June 2024 — a 24 per cent increase over the previous year.

The company found Gen Z and Millennials (ages 20 to 35) are the primary force behind the zero-proof surge, prioritizing mental health, physical well-being and lower-anxiety socializing.

"I think this shift offers a lot of opportunities for businesses," Phillips said.

"The alcohol industry has adapted very quickly, and then there's a lot of opportunities for companies that never made alcoholic beverages … to make beverages that either mimic alcoholic beverages or completely different beverages."

Red River College student Freis said it's also gratifying for the people like her, who are involved in making the next generation of drinks.

"I really enjoy … the sort of immediate impact that I can see with these products that we're developing," she said.

"I go into the store, and I was, like, 'I helped make these things," said Freis. "It's really cool to see the full product come out on the other end."

During the lab's latest taste test, one formulation stood out — but the group preferred the colour of the other one.

"There's nothing stopping blending the two, so you could get the best of both," said Prairie Research Kitchen research technician Anna Hymers.

The goal is to launch the new energy drink early in the new year. The hope is that it will become a hit in the marketplace — and deliver high marks for the students.

WATCH | RRC Polytech students work to brew up new low-cal, zero-proof drinks: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.7398555

By: Karen Pauls · CBC News

Published: Oct 27, 2026 2:55 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours ago

Related articles: - Bye bye booze? Alcohol consumption hits 20 year low, as non-alc options soar - Why millennials and Gen Z are helping lead the zero-proof drink surge

I’m not a new voter … but a friend’s comment stymied me.

She only wants to vote for the mayor as she has no knowledge of the people running for trustees or councillors. But, she wont vote at all, because if she leaves the rest of the ballot blank, she says that her ballot would be voided/invalid.

Is this true?

And … connected to this … is there only one ballot covering all 3 positions, or are there 3 separate ballots (which is what I told her there would be)?

Thank you!

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone can put me in contact with Second World War veterans willing to be interviewed for the upcoming Remembrance Day. I know there are a dwindling amount in Winnipeg/MB and across Canada, and I'd like to preserve their memories before there are none left. Willing to travel outside the city as well.

I recently graduated from nursing school and got my RN license, but I’ve been finding it really difficult to land a job. I’ve applied to multiple positions and it’s been discouraging how few responses I’ve received.

For those who recently graduated and went through the same thing, how long did it take you to find your first nursing job? Is there anything you would recommend doing differently to improve my chances?

Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated!