Leons Headlines Oct 5: The second Canada Groceries & Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment of 2026 lands today, providing eligible low- and modest-income Canadians with a tax-free payment based on income & family size.
-MPI’s winter Driver Z program will offer about 3K seats provincewide, including 6 Westman courses, with first chance to review courses Oct. 9, invitations to a registration window go out Oct. 10.
-New MB rules limit when employers can require medical notes for short-term illness, allowing workers to recover without unnecessary doctor visits.
-Brandon-based Genesis Hospitality expanded into Calgary with its September acquisition of two Marriott-branded hotels near the airport; now owns, operates or manages 14 hotels in 4 provinces.
-Brandon’s CIBC Run for the Cure raised more than $28K over 200 participants.
-A 90-minute 911 outage across MB & 4 other provinces last month was caused by software failure at Bell, not a cyberattack or maintenance.
-Brandon’s Food Rescue Store opens the doors at its new location tomorrow in the former Prairie Oasis Centre at 241 Eighth St.
-Warmer, drier weather is finally giving Southwest Manitoba farmers a much-needed window to get harvest moving after weeks of rain.
-A nationwide recall has been issued for Smarter Snacks Vegan Protein Puff Chili & Lime snacks due to undeclared milk, posing a serious risk to people with milk allergies.
-Experts warn permanent daylight time could disrupt sleep, student learning and health, with researchers saying year-round standard time would be healthier.
-It’s Fire Prevention Week, promoted by the National Fire Protection Association to raise awareness about fire safety.
-Winnipeg firefighters were called to the scene of a serious blaze early Monday morning in North Point Douglas.
-CFL-Alouettes beat the Blue Bombers 37-10 to clinch East Division.
-Wheat Kings lost Friday in Prince George 3-1, then beat Victoria 6-2 Sunday.
-Jets edge the Red Wings 3-2, visit Pittsburgh tonight.
MISS the WHEATKINGS GAME? The Brandon WheatKings have moved to YOUTUBE and you can catch all the games HOME AND AWAY on the WHL Youtube Channel:
LAST NIGHT’S GAME is HERE:
Canada Groceries & Essentials Benefit. Cash top-ups are hitting Canadian bank accounts this morning through the Canada Groceries & Essentials Benefit. It’s welcome relief for Canadians feeling the pinch at the grocery store.
Sass Jordan dies at 65. Canada has lost rock icon Sass Jordan, died over the weekend at the age of 65. She was one of the country’s most recognizable rock voices, with hits including “High Road Easy” and “Make You a Believer.”
Thanksgiving Costs. Thanksgiving dinner is costing Canadians more this year, but the good news is it could be a whole lot worse. The price of the traditional turkey dinner is up, but not nearly as dramatically as some recent food-price increases.
https://www.moneylion.com/trending/money/how-much-will-thanksgiving-dinner-cost-2026
No PLUS ONE. No plus-one this weekend? There’s still time to rent one! Apparently, fake dates are now a thing — because apparently showing up alone is somehow no longer an option.
RentAFriend.com is a U.S. platonic companionship site launched in 2009, allowing people to hire someone by the hour for events, dinners or company, with Canada once being one of its biggest markets! Canadian alternatives include Dukes of Daisy and Rent A Companion, although there’s no single Canadian “rent a boyfriend” brand in every Canadian city……..YET.
Christmas Creep. Christmas creep is officially here, and holiday spending is expected to top $1 trillion. It’s barely Thanksgiving and retailers are already jingling the cash registers.
Giant Manitoba Pumpkin. Manitoba has produced another monster pumpkin, and this thing is HUGE. A grower in Roland has smashed the provincial record with a pumpkin weighing more than a small car.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/roland-manitoba-record-biggest-pumpkin-9.7368752
The “Ish” Trip. The perfect vacation is losing some of its appeal as travellers embrace the “ish” trip. Instead of planning every minute, people are leaving room for things to just… happen.
Marathon While Eating Taco Bell. And finally, someone has apparently decided running a marathon wasn’t difficult enough. A YouTuber attempted to run 26.2 miles while eating Taco Bell along the way — because apparently suffering needs a side of nachos.
