‘That’s Canada,’: Manitobans stepping up to help those in need after devastating Parklands flooding

A look at the overland flooding on Kevin Boese’s driveway at his cattle farm near the village of Ethelbert on June 30, 2026. (Kevin Boese)

Amidst rushing water levels and washed away roads, dozens of Manitobans are stepping up to help those in need in the Parklands.

“I don’t feel I’m a hero; I feel I’m just a community member doing what needs to be done,” said Rachel Schindler, owner of Swan River’s Home Hardware location.

As floodwaters hit the town this week, people raced against time to sandbag. After helping a few neighbours and friends evacuate, Schindler said she decided her store needed to stay open.

“I had made the decision that I was going to open for Canada Day, and I was going to be available all night,” she said.

Hundreds of people rushed in at all hours of the day on July 1. Business and gratitude from the community have not been forgotten by the owner.

“We went through probably three to four hundred pumps in the last few days; we went through 300 sump pump hoses,” she said.

“All of the people who have come in here to shake my hand, to give me a hug, I just appreciate every one of them.”

Schindler told CTV News a truck with hundreds of fans and dehumidifiers is expected to arrive at her store sometime early next week.

As water rushed down the slopes of Duck Mountain Provincial Park, residents near Ethelbert pitched in to save nearby livestock. Kevin Boese farms cattle west of the village.

Boese said a neighbour’s cattle herd and his dog were in trouble as rainfall washed away portions of their pasture.

“A couple of dozen calves were stranded on a sandbar in the middle of the Pine River,” Boese said on Friday.

“We were able to navigate across the river and get that dog a bag of dog food and get those yearlings some feed because there was nothing for them there.”

In Roblin, resident Kris Paul saw the aftermath from above, flying his drone over the community on Canada Day.

Since then, he’s been helping neighbours sandbag and deliver supplies to those in need.

“Folks are pulling up to yards and helping pump out basements,” Paul said.

“That’s what Canada is, I like to think. It’s neighbours helping neighbours; you see it out there. That’s Canada. Across the street, my neighbour helping his parents and this stranger helping my parents and so on and so on.”

Mounties were in Duck Mountain Provincial Park Friday. The RCMP was helping Manitoba Hydro and the Office of the Fire Commissioner map a route to Singush Lake. According to a statement from RCMP, officers also checked in on people who were stranded in the area and did damage assessments.

The Municipality of Deloraine-Winchester, in a social media post Friday, showed no change in its situation.

Portions of rural roads 137W, 9N, and 134W remain closed, with the municipality continuing to advise caution on its other roads.

It said the community’s lift station continues to work overtime. It has asked residents to ensure sump pumps are expelling water outside instead of the sewer. Drinking water, according to the post, is safe.

The Municipality of Boissevain-Morton remains under a state of emergency. Residents needing financial help are asked to contact the province’s emergency services department for Disaster Financial Assistance.