New fire trucks coming to St. Laurent, Winnipeg Beach
By Government of Manitoba
News Department NewsApr. 21, 2025, Winnipeg Beach, Man. – The provincial government of Manitoba is investing more than $500,000 to help two Interlake municipalities upgrade their crucial fire protection services and safeguard rapid response during emergencies, Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard announced.
“We want to make sure that our first responders have the equipment they need to protect Manitoba families in communities across the province,” said Simard. “We’re proud to support municipalities to purchase new fire trucks and equipment that will keep you safe.”
The Rural Municipality of St. Laurent will be receiving $472,500 for the purchase of a new 2026 fire truck and the Town of Winnipeg Beach will be receiving $40,000 for the purchase of a specialized fire truck with the capacity to tow its 16-ft. boat, improving response times for water rescues and other water-related events, noted the minister.
“Our council has been working diligently to improve services for the residents of the RM of St. Laurent including finding a replacement for our aging fire engine,” said Richard Chartrand, reeve, RM of St. Laurent. “We are so grateful to Premier Kinew and Minister Simard for approving our Manitoba GRO grant application and for helping us ensure that our dedicated volunteer fire department is able to continue to provide crucial fire services to the people of our community.”
The funding announced is part of the $42-million Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunity (GRO) program, which funds critical infrastructure projects to support growing and sustainable communities. In total, the province is contributing $424.3 million in funding for municipalities and Northern Affairs communities. Budget 2025 builds on the two per cent increase in municipal funding started in 2024 with another two per cent increase in 2025, plus four per cent of the gas tax through the new One Manitoba Growth Revenue Fund.