Rural Roundup — Sept. 25, 2025

DAUPHIN

A pilot program aimed at cleansing Dauphin properties of unsightly graffiti has not had the uptake city administration was hoping for.

To date, a total of 15 of the 120 free graffiti removal kits available have been claimed. Deputy city manager Lisa Gaudet said the idea was to make cleanup easier and more affordable.

We were hoping to get better uptake on it because the bylaw enforcement officer did an inventory of all the graffiti tags in Dauphin and there were quite a few,” Gaudet said, adding some of the tags are very old.

The success of the program is being tracked by the city’s bylaw enforcement officer by following up with people who have claimed kits and checking in on the before and after of the graffiti tags.

The city may do another advertising campaign for the kits to push for more uptake. She said it is good to see residents get involved.

» Dauphin Herald

NEEPAWA

The Town of Neepawa has found a new tenant to take over the Mill Street Training Centre.

Starting in 2026, a one-year medical administration certificate program operated by Assiniboine College will fill a portion of the training space. The medical administration course prepares graduates to perform administrative duties in doctors’ offices, hospitals, medical clinics and other medical settings.

The program will run from January through to December, Neepawa CAO Colleen Synchyshyn told council this month. It is a 10-month program, with the summer off. The course will use one classroom, so work is underway to furnish the space and get a lease for the space, she said.

» Neepawa Banner & Press

PIPESTONE

A carbon capture company pitched an infrastructure project for the southwest Manitoba at a recent event in Pipestone.

The company, Deep Sky, hosted an information session in the Pipestone Community Hall this month. It proposed to install a system where huge fans draw in air where carbon dioxide is, then separate it out, compress it and force it into a shaft two kilometres below ground.

The business is meant to reduce carbon levels. Companies that emit carbon will be sold credits. Carbon is captured and stored on their behalf, helping them achieve net-zero levels.

The location of the installation is planned for one of two municipalities, Two Borders or the RM of Pipestone.

Two Borders Reeve Sandra Clark and RM of Pipestone Deputy Reeve Randy Henuset said their councils agree the project would be an economic advantage to the region.

Elected officials and staff from the town of Virden and the rural municipalities of Pipestone, Two Borders, Melita, Wallace-Woodworth, Sifton and Grasslands attended.

» Virden Empire Advance

VIRDEN

Council has accepted a proposal to replace a bridge on Cemetery Road at a cost of just over $996,000.

The proposal came from Samson Developments Inc., and includes the design and replacement of the bridge south of Virden. The approval came at council’s Aug. 26 meeting.

The accepted proposal was one of several for standard concrete girder bridges. The RM of Wallace-Woodworth weighed options that included variations in minor structural details, like wing walls, abutments and piles.

A hydrology study may recommend extending the bridge length by about 10 feet. Transportation superintendent Nicholas Zuck told council that, depending on what a hydrology study finds, there may be a 10 per cent increase in the bridge’s cost.

» Virden Empire Advance

WESTMAN

A perfect storm is threatening farmers in their profitability for both the current harvest and next year’s crop, a provincial agriculture specialist warns.

The combination of low grain prices and soaring fertilizer costs is applying pressure this year, Manitoba Agriculture farm management specialist Darren Bond said during a recent Crop Talk webinar. He noted specific examples, citing that the current harvest delivery prices have fallen to $7 per bushel for hard red spring wheat, $13.25 for canola, $11 for soybeans and $4 for oats, representing harvest pricing typically seen at the lows of a pricing cycle, whereas some costs are high.

Fertilizer costs have climbed significantly from the numbers used in Manitoba Ag’s 2025 crop cost of production guide, which was compiled last November, Bond said. Urea has jumped to $850 to $900 per metric tonne, about 30 per cent higher than was expected when calculating guides for the year.

“Fertilizer has been costly the last few years, but now fertilizer is really expensive again, (compared) to the price of grain,” Bond said.

It may all come down to the quality of the yield, he said. Farmers with above-average yields might still capture some profitability this year, but those with below-average yields from weather challenges will likely struggle.

» Manitoba Co-operator