Cheaper milk, Crown Royal repartee with Doug Ford and strong words for U.S. President Donald Trump: There was no shortage of hot takes and social media moments from Premier Wab Kinew to kick off the new year.

Today, we catch up with the premier on some of the big issues and challenges impacting life in Manitoba:

Will interest from a potential investor in the Port of Churchill expansion project help take Kinew’s vision across the finish line?

With hundreds of Steinbach residents denied relief funds after flooding last fall, what’s the bar for accessing disaster financial assistance?

And could income tax offer a better way for cities to raise money?

Do you know how much your house is worth?

Over the last few weeks, the City of Winnipeg mailed out 200,000 proposed property assessment letters for the 2027 tax year.

Some residents say they’ve been caught off guard by big increases to the assessed value of their homes, saying they're concerned about potentially higher property taxes.

Today, we unpack the high valuations, how the calculation is made and the process for contesting a city assessment, and hear what Winnipeggers think.

Earlier this month, the Manitoba Progressive Conservatives distanced themselves from board member Patrick Allard over social media comments he made after a woman was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis.

PC Leader Obby Khan denounced Allard's post and said his statements don't reflect the values of the PC Party. He also said Allard will not be a PC candidate in the upcoming election, and the party's board decided to suspend Allard's party membership and his position on the board.

Allard condemned the move, saying the party is turning its back on its conservative base.

Today, we hear from three different PC voters across the province. They share their thoughts on whether the move to suspend Allard was reasonable, and whether the party reflects their values anymore.

Flooded streets, stranded motorists, boil water advisories and directions to conserve water — Calgarians saw another catastrophic water main break late last month, the second in less than two years.

Restrictions have now been lifted, but Calgary’s mayor says it’s a wake-up call, alerting the city that repairs to the aging infrastructure aren't adequate, and it’s time for a long-term solution.

But underneath the streets of Winnipeg, there are many pipes of the same age and material as the one that broke in Calgary. So should we be worried? CBC’s Cameron MacLean explains how vulnerable our water system really is.

A proposal to impose a time limit for school drop-off and pickup zones has crossed its first hurdle.

The plan came from Winnipeg city Coun. Markus Chambers, who says the "stop, drop and go" program will improve safety around elementary schools. The citywide standards would mean clearer signage, a one-minute time limit for parents and enforcement by the Winnipeg Police Service and Winnipeg Parking Authority.

The public reaction to the proposal has been divided, but Chambers' motion has moved on from the Riel community committee to the Winnipeg public works committee for consideration.

Today, we hear from parents, Chambers, the public and the principal of École Sage Creek Bonavista, which implemented its own pickup and drop-off plan to reduce traffic chaos before and after school.

In this special co-production episode, we're diving into life on the Manitoba-Saskatchewan border. While the two Prairie provinces have many things in common, there are differences. We speak with residents of Flin Flon about how living on the divide complicates everything from buying a vehicle to emergency response efforts. Then we hear from a woman in Creighton, Sask., who says inter-provincial gaps in health care failed her mother.

Manitoba’s health-care system has been strained for years. The median wait times at Winnipeg hospitals now regularly exceed 3.5 hours, according to data from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. Waits for diagnostic testing and several key surgeries, including hip and knee operations, also rose this year, provincial data shows.

But Premier Wab Kinew says he's confident a fix is just around the corner. In a year-end interview with CBC, Kinew was asked when his government will fix those long waits. He said that will happen in 2026.

Provincial affairs reporter Ian Froese joins the show to tell us more about the interview, unpack whether this latest timeline is feasible and explain why health-care professionals say they have their doubts.

It’s been nearly a decade since Sio Silica staked its first claims in southern Manitoba.

Initially, the Alberta-based company was searching for sand deposits as a source for the material used to facilitate oil extraction, which could then be sold to the oil and gas industry for fracking.

What’s followed has been a long and winding saga for residents of southeastern Manitoba, Sio Silica executives and stakeholders –– and a battleground of political intrigue.

CBC’s Bartley Kives joins the pod to take us through the evolution of Sio Silica’s plans, why residents are concerned, and the latest political turmoil that’s unfolded around the proposed resource-extraction project.