Manitoba delivers throne speech, promising safe consumption site

CTV’s Jeff Keele breaks down the details of Manitoba’s latest throne speech and the priorities for the provincial government.

Manitoba’s throne speech is promising a safe consumption site, an overpass for Carberry, and a patient safety charter.

The speech, delivered Tuesday, says a supervised drug consumption site will open in Winnipeg in January. The last plan in Point Douglas was abandoned after public backlash to the location on the Disraeli Freeway.

Premier Wab Kinew said this new site will be west of that location.

The province says it will also add new detox beds at Main Street Project for people leaving the new protective care centre—the facility that will detain people high on drugs for up to 72 hours.

The speech says next year the design phase will start for a Carberry overpass at Highways 1 and 5, the intersection where a bus crash killed 17 people in June 2023. Carberry residents rejected a proposal for an R-Cut design.

“You’re looking north of $100 million dollars,” Kinew said of the project.

The province says work will also begin next year on twinning Highway 1 to Ontario. The first portion will focus on the border to West Hawk.

Kinew said this will include clearing of trees.

The speech also outlines a plan to conduct a targeted meth sweep focusing on those who produce and distribute the drug. The Winnipeg Police Service and RCMP will be involved. A task force will also be established that reports directly to the justice minister.

On health care, the speech is pledging new laws for a patient safety charter, to end mandatory overtime for health care workers starting with nurses and legislation requiring specific staff-to-patient ratios.

The province is also introducing a digital health card option, eliminating sick notes, and allowing pharmacists to provide birth control and UTI prescriptions.

The speech is also promising a new law to ban dangerous weapons like machetes in public spaces like parks and transit buses.

There is also a plan to build three dual-fuel combustion turbines in Westman to produce 750 megawatts of power.

“We might go bigger in the future,” said Kinew. “We need this capacity.”

The province says it will pay for a new scoreboard and bleachers at Sisler High School to honour 17-year-old football player Darius Hartshorne, who died after he was seriously injured in a game.

Other highlights from the Throne Speech include:

• A study to “try and find new ways” to save people money on grocery prices;
• A Crown-Indigenous corporation;
• A potential Churchill trade corridor project with Indigenous nations;
• Funding to study a marine protected area in Churchill;
• A patient portal for lab results;
• New rules to stop “unfair” rent increases;
• A livestock inspection program;
• A Manitoba company will take over the park pass contract;
• A northern airport scanner;
• A wildfire review;
• Four new schools and 402 daycare spots; and
• A program to improve school attendance;

At a news conference before the release of the speech, Kinew recommitted his pledge to balance the books by the end of the first term, saying there is a “narrow path” to get there.

He also promised there would be no new tax increases in the spring budget.

• With files from The Canadian Press