The City of Thompson says work continues on the community’s planned sobering centre.

Mayor Colleen Smook says renovations have been moving ahead through MKO while the project awaited access to previously announced provincial funding.

 

Mayor Colleen Smook says the funding can now be used as needed as the project progresses.
 

 

The city says MKO is overseeing the renovations in partnership with the provincial government as work on the sobering centre continues.

On May 25, the ongoing investigation into the homicide of the 21-year-old male, from Leaf Rapids, led RCMP Major Crime Services to issue Warrants of Arrest out for 19-year-old Eternity Chastelaine, for Manslaughter, and a 17-year-old male, for Second degree murder.

On May 26, a Warrant of Arrest was also issued for 24-year-old Marshall Merasty, who has also been charged with Second degree murder.

The three accused have yet to be located and RCMP are asking anyone with information on their whereabouts to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

The Northern Health Region is hosting its annual pre-kindergarten health fair in Thompson tomorrow.

 

The free event runs from 2 to 6 p.m. at the NRHA administration building, located at 867 Thompson Drive South, beside the hospital.

 

Stephanie Hysart, Prevention and Education Consultant with the Northern Health Region, says families do not need an appointment to take part.

 

 

The event is for children who are four years old, or entering kindergarten in the fall.

Anyone looking for more information can call Thompson Public Health at 204-778-1530.

The City of Thompson is remembering former mayor Tim Johnston, who has passed away.

Flags at City Hall were lowered to half-mast yesterday in his honour.

 

Johnston served three terms on Thompson City Council, including his final two terms as mayor from 2006 to 2014.

 

During his time as mayor, Johnston helped represent Thompson through years of growth and community change, and was the city’s signatory on the original Thompson Aboriginal Accord in 2009.

 

Outside of elected office, he was also involved with groups including the Thompson Community Foundation, Thompson Regional Airport Authority, Thompson Rotary Club, and Thompson Chamber of Commerce.

 

A community walk in support of mental health is taking place in Thompson tomorrow.

 

Defeat Depression Day started in Thompson back in 2013, and this year’s event is being hosted by Vale.

 

Stephanie Hysart, Prevention and Education Consultant with the Northern Health Region, says the walk has a full route planned through the city.

 

 

The event will also include activities and a free barbecue.

 

Hizert says everyone is welcome to take part, whether they walk, run, bike, bring a stroller, or bring a pet on a leash.

 

Organizers are also looking for volunteers. Anyone interested can call Jennifer Whalen with the Northern Health Region at 204-778-1589.

A 15-year-old male is in custody after a shooting in Mathias Colomb Cree Nation sent two people to hospital.

 

Pukatawagan RCMP say officers were called just after midnight Tuesday after two males, ages 21 and 17, were shot while travelling on an all-terrain vehicle.

 

Both victims were suffering from gunshot wounds and were later flown to Winnipeg for further treatment.

 

RCMP issued an emergency alert early Tuesday morning asking residents to stay indoors and report suspicious activity.

 

Police say the continued search led officers to a home in the community Tuesday evening, where the youth was taken into custody without incident.

 

The 15-year-old remains in police custody and is expected to be remanded on several charges, including aggravated assault and firearm-related offences.

 

Pukatawagan RCMP continue to investigate.

University and high school students alike are competing for summer jobs in a market that’s currently struggling.

Molly MacCormack, a Policy Analyst with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, has more.

 

MacCormack stated that there is a disconnect between employers and students looking for work.

She added there are jobs available, but that many young workers are rejecting certain types of employment if there is shift work, manual labour,  or outdoor work.

Learn more about the challenges faced by small businesses and youth by listening to Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10 this afternoon.

On May 23, 2026, at 11:00 pm, Thompson RCMP received a report of a missing 26-year-old female from an address located on McGill Place in Thompson.

Shyanne Dorion was last seen earlier in the day and failed to return home that evening.

She’s 5’2”, 100lbs with black hair & brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a black hoodie, white shorts and black leggings.

RCMP are concerned for her wellbeing.

If you’ve seen Shyanne Dorion or have any information on her whereabouts, please call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

City of Thompson flags are flying at half-mast today to mark the passing of Tim Johnston, who spent three terms on Council, the last two as Mayor, from 2002 to 2014.

City of Thompson Mayor and Council, administration and staff extend their condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Tim Johnston as they and the entire community mourn the passing of this proud, passionate, lifelong Northerner and Thompsonite.

The governments of Canada and Manitoba have launched the new Building Up Manitoba Program to support small and medium-sized businesses and their workers.

 

The province says the program is funded by $4 million through the Canada-Manitoba Labour Market Transfer Agreements, and will help streamline support through the Canada-Manitoba Job Grant and Workforce Development Program.

 

Eligible businesses can receive up to $100,000 to support employee training, workforce upskilling, and human resources planning.

 

The province says small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 500 employees make up 99 per cent of Manitoba businesses.

Charlie’s Thrift Store in Thompson continues to offer affordable clothing while also helping people gain work experience.

 

Iris Chan, Education and Training Coordinator with CMHA Thompson, says the store is open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at 43 Fox Bay.

 

Chan says people can pick up clothing for men, women and children by donation, while those in need can access items for free.
 

 

Chan says donations and purchases also help support transitional employees who are building employment experience.

On May 26, 2026, at 12:10 am, Pukatawagan RCMP received a report that two males, a 21-year-old and a 17-year-old, had been travelling on an ORV (quad), when they were shot at by an unknown person.

 

Both were suffering from gunshot wounds.

At 1:45 am, RCMP issued an Emergency Alert to community residents requesting to stay indoors and report any suspicious activity to police.

A suspect has been identified yet remains at large. No further injuries have been reported.

Both victims were later flown to Winnipeg for further treatment.

The RCMP’s Emergency Response Team has flown into the community and, along with First Nation Safety Officers, are assisting in the search efforts for the suspect.

Pukatawagan RCMP continue to investigate. 

 

Thompson RCMP continue to investigate a fatal single-vehicle crash that also caused a power outage in part of the city over the weekend.

 

Police say officers were called Saturday night after a vehicle collided with a hydro pole on Thompson Drive North.

RCMP say they also received reports that the same vehicle had been seen driving erratically in a nearby parking lot before the crash.

 

Manitoba Hydro media relations officer Peter Chura says the outage was reported Sunday morning.

 

 

The driver, a 56-year-old man from Thompson, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A 53-year-old female passenger, also from Thompson, was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

 

RCMP say the vehicle had extensive damage and came to a stop in the westbound lane.

Thompson RCMP and RCMP Traffic Services continue to investigate.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says Manitoba’s new Jobs Agreement could create challenges for small and mid-sized contractors.

 

The agreement applies to major public infrastructure projects worth more than 15-million dollars, and sets standardized employment terms around wages, benefits and safety conditions.

 

Brianna Solberg, Director for the Prairies and Northern Canada with CFIB, says some contractors are worried about what the policy could mean for public work.

 

 

Solberg says CFIB supports workforce development, but wants the province to reduce unnecessary red tape and make sure all qualified contractors can compete fairly.

 

For more on the Manitoba Jobs Agreement, tune into Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.

 

 

On May 23, 2026, at 10:05 pm, Thompson RCMP received a report of a vehicle having collided with a hydro pole on Thompson Drive North.

Additional calls began to come in that this same vehicle had been observed driving erratically in a nearby parking lot prior to the collision.

Officers attended to the scene and located the vehicle, with two occupants, which had sustained extensive damage after coming to a stop in the westbound lane.

The driver, a 56-year-old male from Thompson, was taken to hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The 53-year-old female passenger, also from Thompson, was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Thompson RCMP, with assistance of RCMP Traffic Services, continue to investigate.

Thompson Fire and Emergency Services is still seeing a high number of ambulance calls where no patient ends up being transported.

 

Looking at the April fire and emergency services report, City of Thompson Communications Officer Ian Graham says false alarms and no-patient calls continue to put pressure on local emergency resources.

 

 

The April report shows TFES handled 195 ambulance calls last month, including 39 substance-related calls.

 

Graham says the concern is not just the number of calls, but how much time crews spend responding when emergency care may not actually be needed.

 

 He says reducing those calls could help keep ambulances available for situations where someone needs urgent medical attention.

Nearly 50-million dollars is going toward high-speed internet connectivity for several northern Manitoba First Nations.

 

The federal announcement includes the Island Lake region, with Wasagamack First Nation, Garden Hill, St. Theresa Point, and Red Sucker Lake all named in the project.

 

Minister of Northern and Arctic Affairs Rebecca Chartrand says for many remote communities, broadband is about much more than faster internet.

 

 

Chartrand says reliable internet can affect everything from health care and education to banking, employment, and keeping in touch with family.

 

The new broadband service is expected to be live by March 2029.

 

For more on what the investment could mean for northern Manitoba communities, tune into Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.

M-K-O is commending police after a major two-year drug trafficking investigation led to dozens of arrests and the seizure of more than 37-million dollars in illegal drugs, firearms, cash and contraband.

 

Project Puma involved the Winnipeg Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, the R-C-M-P and other partner agencies.

 

M-K-O says the operation resulted in 33 arrests and 174 charges, disrupting organized crime groups linked to methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and weapons trafficking.

 

Grand Chief Garrison Setee says every shipment intercepted means fewer families harmed and fewer lives lost.

 

The Manitoba government is expanding breast cancer screening services in southern Manitoba.

 

New screening and diagnostic mammography services are being added at the new Portage Regional Health Centre, which is scheduled to open in spring 2027.

 

Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara says the move will improve access to breast screening in the region, reduce travel, and help more Manitobans get earlier detection and care closer to home.

 

CancerCare Manitoba will provide screening services at the new Portage la Prairie location, while diagnostic mammograms for patients with symptoms will also be available once services begin.

 

The Portage District General Hospital Foundation has approved 725-thousand dollars to support the expansion, including new mammography equipment, operating room breast equipment and training for a mammography technologist.

 

Manitoba lowered the breast cancer screening age for self-referral to 45 in January, and plans to lower it again to 40 by the end of this year.

The Manitoba RCMP has launched a new community notification system in Thompson and several other detachments.

 

The pilot project uses Rave Mobile Safety, a voluntary platform that lets local RCMP send targeted alerts directly to residents by text, email, or automated phone call.

 

The system is meant for important public safety information, including missing person updates, requests for public assistance, road condition alerts, crime prevention messaging, and other urgent need-to-know notices.

 

RCMP says it is meant to add to existing communication tools, including local detachment social media pages, not replace Alert Ready or emergency services.

 

The pilot project is expected to run for about three months while Manitoba RCMP gathers feedback and evaluates the program.

 

Residents interested in subscribing are encouraged to follow their local RCMP detachment’s social media pages for registration and launch details.

The City of Thompson says there are some encouraging signs in the latest RCMP policing report.

 

City of Thompson Communications Head Officer Ian Graham says crimes against persons — including assaults — are significantly down compared to this point last year, and so are death-related offences.

 

He says fewer people are also being lodged under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act, though Thompson is still seeing hundreds of people per month being held for intoxication.

 

 

Graham says the report also shows some areas where there is still work to do, including road safety.

 

Impaired operation offences and traffic accidents are both up compared to last year, and he says drivers need to follow the rules and plan a safe way home.

The City of Thompson is inviting residents to learn more about emergency preparedness this weekend in a family-friendly way.

 

A community barbecue and Emergency Preparedness Day is happening May 23rd from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the TRCC south parking lot.

 

The event includes free food, family activities, raffle prizes, equipment displays, and presentations from FireSmart Manitoba, Manitoba EMO, Manitoba Wildfire Service, and the City of Thompson.

 

Lawrence McDonald, Municipal Emergency Coordinator for the City of Thompson, says the goal is to make emergency planning feel practical and approachable.

 

 

McDonald says residents are asked to register for the morning presentations by contacting Thompson Fire and Emergency Services at 204-677-7916 or emailing TFES@thompson.ca.

 

For more on the Community Barbecue and Emergency Preparedness Day, tune into Thompson Today at 12:40 and 5:10.

On May 9, 2026, Chemawawin RCMP received information that two male individuals, believed to be affiliated with a known street gang, were in the community attempting to recruit future prospects.

The two suspects, who were believed to be armed, were both wanted by police.

With the information provided, multiple warrants to enter a dwelling were drafted for residences within the community.

Chemawawin RCMP, with the assistance of officers from Grand Rapids, Police Dog Services and the Emergency Response Team, executed the warrants at a number of residences where one of the suspects was apprehended.

Arnold Edward Bourassa, 42, of Chemawawin Cree Nation, was arrested without incident and was remanded into custody on his outstanding warrant of arrest.

The second suspect, Douglas Johnsen, 45, from Winnipeg, was not located. His wanted information can be found here… https://www.winnipeg.ca/media/6806

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Douglas Johnsen, can contact the Chemawawin RCMP at 204-329-2000, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com..

The Manitoba RCMP is introducing a new community notification system aimed at improving how important public safety information is shared with residents.

 

Beginning May 21, 2026, the Manitoba RCMP will launch a pilot project using Rave Mobile Safety, a voluntary mass notification platform that allows local RCMP detachments to send timely and targeted alerts directly to community members by text message, email, or automated phone call.

 

The pilot program will be introduced in the following detachments:

• Thompson  
• Norway House  
• Dauphin  
• Winnipegosis  
• Oakbank / Beausejour  
• Morris / Emerson  

 

The system will be used to share important community-focused information such as public safety advisories, missing person information, requests for public assistance, traffic or road condition alerts, crime prevention messaging, and other urgent “need-to-know” notifications.

Rave Mobile Safety will complement existing RCMP communication channels, including local detachment social media pages, by providing a more direct and accessible way for residents to receive timely updates.

 

“Strong communication is an important part of community safety,” said Cpl Terry Sundell, RCMP Community Engagement Services. “This new system will help us share important information quickly and directly with residents so they can stay informed and take appropriate action when needed.”

 

The platform is voluntary and designed with privacy and accessibility in mind. Residents can choose how they receive alerts and can update or remove their subscriptions at any time. Notifications will initially be available in English and French.

 

The Manitoba RCMP emphasizes that Rave Mobile Safety is not intended to replace the provincial Alert Ready system or emergency services. In an emergency, residents should still call 911 or their local police emergency line.

 

The pilot project is expected to run for approximately three months while the Manitoba RCMP gathers feedback and evaluates the program.

 

Residents interested in subscribing or learning more about the program are encouraged to follow their local RCMP detachment social media pages for upcoming registration information and launch details.

On May 20, 2026, at 2:20 am, Thompson RCMP were called to the report of a stabbing in an open area located off of Princeton Drive in Thompson.

The male victim was transported to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Thompson RCMP, along with RCMP Major Crime Services and RCMP Forensic Identification Services, continue to investigate.

Anyone with information in relation to this homicide is asked to call the Thompson RCMP at 204-677-6909/6911, call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.