LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Immigration

Jul 6: The federal Francophone Immigration Support Program announced an investment of approximately $1.3 million for a new project designed to increase Manitoba’s French-speaking population by, among other things, streamlining the immigration process for Francophone and bilingual candidates who meet labour market needs.

Action Point: Find out what companies and their HR directors need to know to navigate the immigration law maze.

New Laws

Jun 23: Manitoba launched the 2026 summer construction season with over $585 million in investments across 24 infrastructure projects designed to strengthen key trade corridors and improve driving safety. The largest project: construction of a new interchange at Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 100 and PTH 3 (McGillivray Boulevard), with an investment of more than $235 million to help ease congestion and improve traffic flow.

New Laws

Jun 22: The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency announced that it’s providing over $96.8 million in funding to bring high-speed Internet access to up to 7,875 households in Manitoba through a Valler Fiber Ltd. project. Currently, 94.1% of Manitoba households have access to high-speed Internet of at least 50 megabits per second download and 10 megabits per second upload (50/10 Mbps+). That number is expected to increase to 97.1% by the end 2026.

New Laws

Jun 22: The federal government announced that it’s investing $21.6 million in projects that will transform how electricity is generated and managed in Sayisi Dene First Nation, located in the community of Tadoule Lake in northern Manitoba. This is the first phase of a First Nation–led initiative to develop Manitoba’s first integrated renewable energy microgrid, combining bifacial solar photovoltaic (PV) power and battery storage with a microgrid controller, to generate clean electricity. Once commissioned in fall 2026, the microgrid will reduce emissions by an estimated 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year while reducing community power costs over time.

New Laws

Jul 7: Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) announced awards of more than $10.2 million in federal funding to help six Manitoba businesses expand their use of AI and digital technology The funding announced will support the creation of more than 170 jobs in Manitoba while assisting 35 SMEs across multiple industries, including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, advertising, and support services.

Action Point: Find out how to guard against AI legal and liability risks by implementing a legally sound workplace artificial intelligence use policy.

Health & Safety

Jun 15: Manitoba WSH cautioned employers to be “proactive” about protecting workers from heat‑related risks. Rather than setting a maximum temperature at which work must stop, The Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSH Act) and regulations require employers to assess heat exposure considering both the work performed and environmental conditions, using American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) screening criteria.

Action Point: Find out how to implement a legally sound Heat Stress Compliance Game Plan at your workplace.

Health & Safety

Jun 25: Public health officials in Manitoba called on residents to take precautions against Lyme disease and West Nile virus (WNV). Lyme disease is transmitted by blacklegged ticks, aka deer ticks. WNV is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause severe illness including encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and, in some cases, long-term complications or death. Infection can occur from a single bite by an infected mosquito.

Action Point: Go to the HR Insider website for a Tick Safety Awareness Infographic you can post at your workplace.

CASES

Health & Safety: Failure to Guard Table Saw Blade Results in Thumb Injury, $45,000 Fine

A school worker suffered a thumb injury as a result of coming into contact with an unguarded table saw blade. The school division was fined $45,000 after pleading guilty to failing to ensure that a machine was equipped with safeguards to prevent a worker from coming into contact with a point of operation [Frontier School Division].