The annual Jimmy Jackfish Ice Fishing Derby was a resounding success drawing more than 400 participants from across Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and even as far as Ontario and Alberta.
“We were excited to host such a great turnout,” said Johanna McLauchlan, chairperson of the derby. “It’s amazing to see so many people come together for this event.”

The Pas and Area Animal Shelter (TPAAS) is still operating on an intake freeze, due to reaching maximum capacity at the shelter and through the fosters available. All of these animals are looking to be adopted into their forever home or even fostered until a home becomes available for them.
“The shelter usually has a cap of 30 cats, but we currently have 38,” said TPAAS Shelter Manager Tina Donaldson.

The closure of The Pas Association for Human Development (TPAHD) has been a tough one for not only the tri-community but the board, staff and clients who were directly involved with the organization. What many may not realize is that program funding for people with disabilities hasn’t been increased in a very long time.
It wasn’t that long ago that wages for support workers and staff that worked with people with disabilities were amongst the lowest paid jobs in Manitoba, yet held some of the highest responsibilities. This was a challenge that TPAHD faced.
“We’ve been looking for an increase in funding for at least 15 years,” said former TPAHD Board Member Darryl Shotton.

Many who have spent time growing up in the tri-community area and then moved on, got their initial start in life through some of the things the area had to offer. For former resident, D’Arcy Lussier, this was no different. His family was well-known in the area for their roles in education, and it was no surprise that Lussier, himself, would become passionate about knowledge, but on a different level.
“My parents met in The Pas when they both taught at MBCI in the early 1970s,” said Lussier. “We moved back in 1985, when my Dad took a position as a Dean of Keewatin Community College, now known as UCN. In 1987, he became the president of the college for four years and then was a vice principal at Joe A. Ross school from 1991 to 1993. In the summer of 1993, we moved to Winnipeg.”
Lussier’s interest in technology started at an early age when his family was living in The Pas. Over the years, that grew into a need to learn more at a post-secondary level.
“I didn't think of a career in IT until I started looking into career choices a few years after being done with high school,” said Lussier.

Spring is underway and many are eager to get out and about after what has felt like a long, cold winter. The Opasquia Trails has been undergoing some maintenance and upgrade work to accommodate more trail users and become an accessible trail for all people to use. The work started this winter and is continuing, with quite a fair bit accomplished so far.
“A winter ice road needed to be constructed to haul gravel to the wooded trail area,” said Opasquia Trails Board Member Marilyn Meyer. “The earlier mild winter temperatures and heavy snowfall did not allow the ice to naturally thicken enough to support heavy gravel loads to be safely hauled across the ice. Snow needed to be cleared from the lake surface and through a continual cycle of pumping water and allowing it to freeze, the desired ice thickness was created.

An event that aims to bring people together is coming to the tri-community. Beatrice Wilson Health is hosting a 2-Spirit Gala next week as a way to create a safe and more inclusive community.
“This came about from some harm reduction funding and there have been a multitude of things that Beatrice Wilson Health has been doing to work on harm reduction,” said Opaskwayak Health Authority Healthcare Consultant Derrick Sanderson. “This is just one of many things. Because we know that the 2SLGBTQIA+ group is a marginalized area, we took a positive spin on this and made it a gala.

Manitoba’s Progressive Conservative Party is getting ready to elect a new leader for the party. PC leadership candidate Obby Khan has been getting out to rural communities with plans to come to northern Manitoba to engage with PC party members and Manitobans alike.
“Travelling all over Manitoba, grassroots party and new members are talking about bringing the party together and having a strong positive voice going forward, that representing strong conservative values, while representing all of Manitoba,” said PC MLA and Leadership Candidate Obby Khan. “Across the board, people are excited for what I’m doing with my big tent party, staying positive, working with everyone, and that is the only way we will win back government and people understand that. It’s been going very well and positive.”

The tax bill for those living within the boundaries of Mountain View School Division will have a different look for a variety of reasons.

Presenting a draft 2025-26 budget at a public forum, Mar. 6,  MVSD secretary-treasurer Lori Slepicka indicated the division has increased its budget requirements by approximately $2.6 million from $50,816,934 last year to $53,487,961 in 2025-26.

The increase is driven mainly by increases of $2.25 million in the area of salaries and benefits, $83,000 more in nutrition grant costs, $171,434 in the area of supplies and services, a $67,991 rise in insurance costs along with $34,010 more in utility requirements and $96,237 in additional transfers.

The final budget was also impacted by a $30,883 drop in technology costs and a trustee budget decrease of $96,237.

On the revenue side of the ledger, that final budget number will be realized through provincial funding of $38,942,955, federal revenue of $19,715, municipal revenue of $12,036,950, First Nations revenue of $1,283,311, school division income of $448,580, income from private organizations of $536,450 and revenue from other sources of $220,000.

The big changes from last year involve provincial funding, which increased 31.6 per cent from last year, and the municipal portion, which is down 35.6 per cent from 2024-25.

The main reason, Slepicka said, is the introduction of the Homeowners Affordability Tax Credit (HATC) of up to $1,500, replacing the Manitoba School Tax Rebate of 50 per cent and Education Property Tax credit previously provided.

“So it shifts our revenue from our municipal revenue to our provincial revenue,” she said.

An assessment increase across the division of 16.1 per cent, to slightly more than $1.5 billion, was also highlighted with the value of farmland increasing by 23.9 per cent, residential properties by 10.9 per cent and commercial properties by 7.2 per cent.

Those increases allowed the division to lower its mill rate from 13.8697 mills in 2024 to 13.2603 mills this year.

When looking at the effect of taxation, Slepicka said, if your residential assessment increased by more than the 16.1 per cent you will see a higher tax increase and if it increased by less than 16.1 per cent, you wil see a lower tax rate.

Using an example of  a home assessed at $270,538 in 2024 and rising to $300,000 in 2025, Slepicka highlighted what those changes might mean for a homeowner.

In 2024, that homeowner would have owed school taxes totalling $1,688.59. After applying rebates and tax credits the net tax bill would have been $494.29.

This year, assuming an assessed value of $300,000, that property would have total school taxes of $1,790.14. When the HATC is applied that bill drops to $290.14, or 41.3 per cent less than the previous year.

“The only thing more complicated than the provincial funding formula is probably the calculation of municipal revenue,” Slepicka said, adding the calculation of the division’s Special Levy involves considering needs in two budget years.

Read the full story in this week’s edition of the Dauphin Herald.

When it comes to generosity and caring, the people in the Valley are top-notch in those two categories. There have been many charitable causes that people have raised funds for on a local level that have been a tremendous success. Bowsman School student Letti Zwarich, daughter of Darcy and Chelsea Zwarich, donated her hair in a braid to Angel Hair for Kids.
Angel Hair for Kids is a special program that provides wigs and hair loss solutions to financially disadvantaged children in Canada who lost their hair due to a medical condition or treatment. Letti felt that this was a good charity to support and help other kids.
“Letti was wanting a haircut, quite short, so I mentioned that maybe if she was cutting it all off she could donate it,” said Chelsea Zwarich. “ This opened the door for discussion. We did some research together and she knew instantly that was what she wanted to do.
“My friend’s daughters had donated their hair in the past, so I reached out to her to inquire which organization they had chosen and why. We decided to support this specific organization because it is for children, and each recipient gets a personal appointment at a salon specializing in wigs and hair loss to make it their own. Letti thought that was really fun and special!
“This is the first time she has done this,” said Chelsea. “She’s always had long hair. Letti donated a total of 13 inches; the required length for this organization is 12 inches. Her hair was about 24 inches long before the cut.”
“It feels good to know that I could help another kid get a wig and feel good about themselves,” said Letti.
Many of the staff and students at Bowsman School pooled donations for Loonies for Letti and a total of $387 was collected just at the school. Other community members also responded by giving donations to the worthy cause.
“A total of $1,500 was raised between friends, family, the school and community members,” said Chelsea. “ There were several online donations as well that were made, but we were not notified of the amount of those donations, just that they were given. The money sent along with the hair will go towards making a wig. It takes $2,500 to make just one.
“The support has been far more than anticipated. Friends, family, community members, staff and students from Bowsman School have made some really generous donations. We certainly didn’t expect it to reach this many people, but we’re always amazed at how the community, our family and friends come through!
“We mailed the hair and donations on Friday, March 7, that being the final day for donations,” said Chelsea.
This was such a wonderful experience for Letti and having the community support her in this cause has left an impact on her. She is planning on doing this again.
“Letti would absolutely do this again,” said Chelsea. “She’s already decided as soon as her hair is long enough, she wants to do it again.”

The Kinsmen Club of Swan River held their 9th Annual Poker Derby this past Saturday (March 8). It was a beautiful day for roughly 60 snowmobile enthusiasts to enjoy the marked trail starting at the Bowsman Hall, going north before returning back to the hall for dinner, prize draws and plenty of story telling.