Winnipeg Beach needs to replace two fire trucks, so it launched a lottery
A rural fire department is getting creative in its efforts to raise money to replace two fire trucks that have reached the end of the line – and it could mean a big win for one lucky Manitoba.
After decades of fighting fires in Winnipeg Beach, the rural fire department says it needs to retire its 1993 water pumper and 1979 water tanker.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters
“Everything has an expiry date,” said Dave Schellenberg, the department’s fire chief. “Fire apparatus is good for 20 years, maybe 25 years, but really, at that point, we should be looking at replacing it.”
But replacing the trucks comes with a hefty price tag – around $800,000 per truck. Each one is custom designed and built to meet a community's unique needs.
A Winnipeg Beach fire truck is pictured at the town's fire hall on Oct. 2, 2024. (Danton Unger/CTV News Winnipeg)
The department was able to secure a provincial grant that covers the cost of one truck, but the department is on the hook for the rest. It’s a cost that would typically be covered through a tax hike, Schellenberg said, but his crew wanted to avoid that.
“We don’t want to raise taxes – that’s the bottom line,” Schellenberg said. “So this is kind of our initiative to say, ‘hey, we don't want to raise taxes. We're going to try to do it ourselves and try to raise that money with support.’”
The department has launched a Manitoba-wide lottery to raise the funds. It’s called the Take-A-Year-Off Lottery. It comes with a grand prize of $52,000 or $1,000 a week for an entire year.
The lottery launched in mid-September, with the final draw set for Nov. 2.
More details about the lottery can be found on the Winnipeg Beach Fire Department Facebook page.
The department hopes to have the new trucks up and running by fall of 2026.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
First-ever human case of H5 avian influenza in Canada found in B.C.: officials
B.C. health officials say they have detected Canada's first-ever case of H5 avian influenza in a human.
Death confirmed at Ambassador Bridge after hours-long closure
More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.
After Trump’s win, some women are considering the 4B movement
Women are sharing information on social media about a feminist movement in which straight women refuse to marry, have children, date or have sex with men.
Woman killed after truck crashes through Fort McMurray Boston Pizza
A woman is dead after a driver crashed a truck through a Boston Pizza in Fort McMurray late Saturday morning.
Flower delivery leads to arrest for St. Thomas, Ont. resident
St. Thomas police say they arrested a 72-year-old St. Thomas resident after their ex-partner reported receiving flowers and a note left on the porch.
Cornwall, Ont. prepares for potential influx of asylum seekers following U.S. election
As the possibility of mass deportations looms following Donald Trump's re-election on Tuesday, border towns like the City of Cornwall are preparing for a potential influx of asylum seekers.
Here are new guidelines for preventing stroke
The majority of strokes could be prevented, according to new guidelines aimed at helping people and their doctors do just that.
Opinion Was music really better when you were younger? Or is your mind deceiving you?
As I see other generations of music lovers say music was so much better when they were younger, I wondered why. We can’t all be right — or maybe we are? I talked to experts in how music influences our brains to find out.
Actor Tony Todd, known for his role in the movie 'Candyman' and its sequel, dies at 69
Actor Tony Todd, known for his haunting portrayal of a killer in the horror film “Candyman” and roles in many other films and television shows, has died, his longtime manager confirmed. He was 69.