Manitoba’s 43rd speech from the throne is putting a big focus on some major infrastructure, health care, and measures to combat crime.
That includes a commitment to build an overpass at highways 1 and 5 near Carberry, Man., at the intersection that was the site of a fatal crash in 2023 that killed 17 seniors.
Premier Wab Kinew says the commitment comes after significant pushback from Carberry area residents over previous plans for an r-cut design.
“This is not the time, given the sensitivity and the history, to overrule a community’s wishes,” the premier told reporters during a press conference Tuesday.
The premier noted while there is no set cost for the overpass yet, it will be upwards of $100 million.
The throne speech also included plans to start work on twinning the Trans-Canada Highway from the Ontario border to West Hawk Lake next year.
It also pledges to ‘Trump-proof the economy, with a $3 billion project to build three dual-fuel combustion turbines in the Westman area, creating 750 megawatts of power to help heat Manitoba homes during power shortages.
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“We had a peak last January that was a historic record in Manitoba, and as our economy grows, as we build more housing, as we try to bring in more business, we need this capacity,” Kinew said.
After introducing plastic health cards, Manitobans will also be able to have digital health cards, starting in January.
The province is also axing sick notes, getting rid of mandatory overtime for health care workers, and legislating staff-to-patient ratios and a patient safety charter.
“Patient safety, patient advocacy is really important to the health coalition,” Manitoba Health Coalition provincial director Noah Schulz said. “We believe that workers and patients, their conditions are tied together.”
The province’s supervised safe consumption site is also slated to open in January. Few details are available on the exact location, following pushback from residents over potential plans to have the site in the Point Douglas area.
“It is west of Main. So, we’ve listened and we want to ensure people are getting the support they need in and around where people are using,” Housing, Addictions, and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith said.
The province is also introducing legislation to ban weapons like machetes in public places, and the province will partner with Manitoba RCMP and the Winnipeg Police Service to conduct a sweep focusing on cracking down on meth dealers.
The province will also be conducting a study on finding ways to reduce grocery prices for Manitobans, as well as a comprehensive review of the worst wildfire season the province has seen.
A bridge in the Lac du Bonnet area is also set to be renamed in honour of the two Manitobans who lost their lives in the Lac du Bonnet wildfire in May.
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