On February 27, 2026, Premier Wab Kinew told a youth summit that violent crime across Manitoba dropped by 4 per cent during 2024, as the province puts more money into sports and after-school activities. This announcement is important for Sandy Bay, Manitoba, where local leaders are looking for ways to keep young people active and safe. The Premier explained that providing more activities for youth helps prevent crime before it starts.
The province is using a program called From the Ground Up to pay for 104 different recreation programs and more than 130 building projects, including 58 hockey rinks and eight pools. Premier Kinew said these investments give young people a “hand up” instead of a path toward jail. This work is part of a larger safety strategy designed to improve neighbourhoods by focusing on the needs of young residents.
While the government recently gave $700,000 specifically to community centres in Winnipeg, Brandon, and Thompson for weekend programs, the broader From the Ground Up funding is also intended to reach rural and Indigenous areas. In Sandy Bay, where the Manitoba First Nations Police Service handles local safety, residents have been concerned about youth crime following property theft reports in April 2025. Local organizations can apply for these provincial grants to support mentorship and cultural programs.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe and Education Minister Tracy Schmidt are also focusing on school-based supports to reach children early. For the Sandy Bay community, which has a large youth population, these provincial programs offer a way to expand existing cultural and family services. The goal of the new funding is to ensure that the drop in crime rates seen across the province is also felt in smaller communities along Lake Manitoba.
