OP-ED – Forecasting 2026

How did Canadian agriculture fare in 2025? What trends will continue from 2025 into 2026 and what does that mean for export dependent farmers?

A year ago, I predicted that 2025 would be filled with global uncertainty that disrupted markets. I was hoping that this forecast would be proven wrong, but unfortunately it was not. Our neighbour to the south is focused on “America First”. U.S. policies are moving away from supporting free and open trade. Canadian agriculture faced a short period of tariffs but ultimately was protected by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). However, we don’t know if this will continue until the end of 2026 as CUSMA is up for review. This is the most important policy file for the 90 percent of farmers in Canada that depend on international markets. The agreement will either be extended to 2032, put into a cycle of annual reviews, or terminated. The outcome of the review will determine the fiscal sustainability of many farms across Canada, including Manitoba.

Tariffs are a threat, but they are not the only protectionist measures faced by farmers and food processors. The revival of country-of-origin labelling in the U.S. and individual state legislation that is fragmenting the North American market (e.g., Proposition 12 in California) are just two other examples of protectionist policies threatening Canadian agriculture and food exports, and the U.S. is not alone. China has targeted agriculture commodities in retaliation for Canadian tariffs on electric vehicles. The European Union continues to block Canadian agricultural and food exports using non-tariff trade barriers.

Uncertainty in world trade is costly for both Manitoba farmers and processors. Unfortunately, this uncertainty will remain throughout 2026 and will likely intensify during the review of CUSMA. Securing the North American market, offsetting the cost of trade uncertainty, and trade diversification need to be at the top of the policy list for all governments in 2026.

Penner seeks Steinbach PC nomination

A second City of Steinbach councillor has announced their intention to seek the PC nomination for Steinbach.

Susan Penner announced her candidacy in a news release issued Wednesday.

Fellow councillor, deputy mayor and teacher Michael Zwaagstra announced his candidacy in early January.

Penner said her decision to seek the PC nomination came from years of listening to residents, businesses and the conviction that the Steinbach constituency, held by Kelvin Goertzen since 2003, needs strong, relationships-driven leadership.

U of M partners with firm behind proposed sand mine to study Manitoba groundwater

University of Manitoba researchers will soon have a new, non-invasive tool to study the province’s vast groundwater resources after inking a partnership with Alberta-based mining company Sio Silica.

“If the technology works … it’s going to provide a mechanism to do real-time monitoring of changes in groundwater,” Ricardo Mantilla, an associate professor in the university’s civil engineering department and lead researcher for the project, said in an interview.

The emerging technology — called absolute quantum gravimetry — can measure changes in gravity caused by changes in groundwater levels, allowing researchers to better understand the flow and storage of underground water resources without the need for “expensive and disruptive” drilling, he said.

“That obviously has applications for (Sio Silica), but it can have very important implications for how we understand groundwater in aquifers in our province.”

Providence Pilots soar to championship on home court

System basketball at Providence College is here to stay.

The school clinched a Manitoba Colleges Athletic Association championship on their home court at the Niverville Resource and Rec Centre Feb. 15, defeating Canadian Mennonite University 69-58 to cap off an undefeated MCAC season.

Kendall Perpal, who took over for now-athletic director Joel Coursey has put his own twist on what the school calls system basketball, with the team cycling through hockey-style line changes every couple minutes.

With offense hard to come by in the final quarter, Perpall mixed up those lines, putting out a group of more veteran players who rose to the occasion to close out the victory. The Pilots didn’t hit a field goal until more than six minutes into the final frame, relying on a couple foul shots and their strong defense to close out a feisty CMU squad.

PHOTO GALLERY: Mennonite Heritage Village hosts winter carnival

The INN can’t apply for assisted living building permit: Steinbach mayor

City of Steinbach administration has blocked a Steinbach non-profit housing project from applying for an assisted living building permit, disappointing homeless advocates attempting to address transitional housing gaps.

The move marks the latest barrier for The INN (Initiative for Neighbourly Nights), following council passing a conditional use bylaw for emergency shelters in January.

The INN, which formed in July 2023, is an assisted-living transitional housing project that would house people in 12 rooms. It would also offer onsite nursing and addictions services. The roughly $1.75-million project, located on Main Street near Kroeker Avenue, is slated for construction in spring 2026, pending city approval of its permit application.

Troy Warkentin, Steinbach’s city manager, said the city is interpreting the assisted living bylaw definition to only apply to nursing homes and medical-based housing for seniors, despite the definition’s wording not limiting it to those facilities.

Racially motivated attack on 11-year-old boy at Hanover school leaves victim with serious injuries

The vicious assault of an 11-year-old Indigenous boy last week at a Steinbach school is being called a racially motivated attack and calls have been made for Hanover School Division to take Indigenous students’ safety more seriously.

Theo Osborne, who attends Stonybrook Middle School, was assaulted during lunch hour on Feb. 11 by two boys from his class. According to his mother, Melissa Johnson, the boys had been bullying him since December 2025. She said the boys would body shame Theo and make comments about how “disgusting” his hair was and how he “looked like a girl.” They also threatened to post racial comments on his social media. She said Theo would defend himself by asking the boys to leave him alone and to stop being racist.

On Feb. 11, the bullying became physical when one of the two boys came up to Theo and threatened to pull out his hair if he didn’t cut it. The two got into a shoving match which ended with the boy leaving. Later, the boy came back with another boy and the two started yelling racial insults at Theo about his hair and calling Indigenous people “gross,” “disgusting,” and saying their rituals were really “f-d up,” according to Johnson. Theo ended up on the ground and one of the boys got on top of him and started hitting him in the head.

“It wasn’t just a punch,” said Johnson. “This kid was sitting on top of my son and hammer fisting him right in the mouth and in the eye. So, I feel that something needs to be done with these boys. This is serious.”

Jake Epp Library board denies request to ban gender-affirming book

The Jake Epp Library board has blocked an attempt to remove a Christian gender-affirming book from its shelves in December.

During a Dec. 10 meeting, the board passed a motion to deny a request to remove Queerfully and Wonderfully Made: A Guide for LGBTQ+ Christian Teens by Leigh Finke.

The book lays out answers for queer teens and young adults who question how to balance their religious beliefs with their gender identity, according to publisher Beaming Books.

“We need to serve all segments of our society, whatever that looks like.” said Coun. Jac Siemens, Steinbach city council’s representative on the board.

Puck drops for playoffs across the region

Playoff hockey has kicked off across the region, with the Steinbach Regional Secondary School Sabres starting the marathon of games Feb. 11 when they started their first round series in the Winnipeg High School Hockey League

The first round of the Platinum Promotions division playoffs in the WHSHL was absolute chaos.

While fourth seed Steinbach Regional and fifth seed Collège Jeanne-Sauvé made quick work of their opponents, the three other preliminary round series saw the lower seed defeating the higher one.

The top three seeds got a first round bye, with Steinbach playing CJS in the quarterfinals. Game one was at the Southeast Event Centre after press time Feb. 18.

RSR wastewater project awards tender

The Red-Seine-Rat (RSR) Wastewater Co-operative just awarded tender for the first phase of the multiphase wastewater treatment plant construction project.

Toronto-based AECON, a construction firm with more than 100 years of experience in infrastructure and utility projects, was awarded tender for the first phase of the $235 million wastewater treatment plant, which will be built north of the Town of Niverville.

“We started it back in 2019, I believe, and finally, we are somewhere where we can start working and doing things. So, it’s great to hear that we have come to a point where we can go ahead and do something,” said co-operative chair Jim Funk.

Funk is reeve of the RM of Hanover, which is part of the six-member co-operative that includes the RMs of Tache, De Salaberry (Otterburne), La Broquerie, and Ritchot, and Niverville. The wastewater project will service 13 communities in those RMs once built.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback April 17, 1996 – Arborgate students treated to a lesson on Métis culture

Manitoba’s lieutenant-governor danced a jig with one of the students, joined the Manitoba Métis Federation president for a children’s song and delivered a lesson on Métis culture to an enthusiastic elementary school audience in La Broquerie.

Yvon Dumont commended the staff of Arborgate School for their efforts to showcase the variety of people that make up Canada, during Cultural Awareness Month activities at the school.

“Canada is made up of people from many different cultures from all over the world, determined to work together to make this the best country in the world.”

In Manitoba, more than anywhere else, the Métis identify with each other, separately from French, Indigenous and all other nationalities, Dumont explained. In the past 20 years, people have become more aware of the role Métis played in the history of Manitoba.

Carillon Sports 2nd Shots: Feb. 12th edition

Featuring Steinbach Pistons and SRSS Sabres games Feb. 4, Eastman Selects game Feb. 5, Providence Pilots basketball games Feb. 13, and an SEMHL game in Ile des Chenes Feb. 14.