The Manitoba government announced on January 29, 2026, that it is investing $11.4 million to support 22 municipal fire service capital projects in communities across the province outside Winnipeg.
The investment, delivered through the Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunities (Manitoba GRO) program, will fund 22 approved projects that strengthen fire protection infrastructure and emergency response capacity. Fourteen of the approved projects focus on the replacement or acquisition of fire trucks and other critical apparatus; six projects support expansion, renovation or additions to fire halls; and two projects strengthen community preparedness and emergency-response capabilities. Examples named in the announcement include $1.7 million for the RM of Ste. Anne, $725,000 for the RM of MacDonald, $1 million for the City of Thompson (design work), $1.5 million for the Town of Virden, and $600,000 for the Town of Teulon.
The province says the funding comes through Manitoba GRO, which can fund up to 50% of eligible project costs; municipalities are responsible for the remainder. The announcement follows a period of heightened focus on first-responder capacity in the Carberry and North Cypress–Langford region after the June 2023 bus crash near Carberry, which highlighted the role of rural volunteer fire departments on major highways.
“Our government is committed to ensuring every community in Manitoba has the tools and infrastructure needed to protect residents when it matters most,” said Glen Simard, Minister of Municipal and Northern Relations, in the provincial news release. The province and industry reporting note that many rural departments operate apparatus that are more than 20 years old, and the approved projects are intended to help replace aging equipment and improve emergency response capacity.
Local chiefs and municipal officials have long said that replacing frontline fire apparatus is costly; by sharing up to half of eligible capital costs, the province says the investment will ease some of that financial pressure on smaller communities. The Town of Carberry and the surrounding North Cypress–Langford area remain focused on ensuring reliable emergency services along major routes, though Carberry itself was not listed among the 22 projects approved in this announcement.
For details, see the Manitoba government news release (Jan. 29, 2026) and Manitoba GRO program information.
