The Manitoba government is asking schools to review their emergency policies after a registered sex offender got into a Winnipeg school last week and assaulted a child.
Premier Wab Kinew says schools have until Dec. 25 to submit up-to-date emergency plans governing issues such as whether doors are locked and whether entrances are monitored.
Kinew says he doesn’t think there’s any problem with having all school doors locked, but schools and school divisions will have a chance to consult residents on the best approach.
Winnipeg police say a man got into one school last week, hid in a washroom stall, and grabbed hold of a child who managed to break free and run away.
A 28-year-old man has been charged with assault, forcible confinement and failing to comply with a prohibition about being around children — a condition that stemmed from previous charges.
The province is providing school $500,000 to support training and increase safety.
“It seems like funnelling everybody to one door, and then, you know, you make the decision whether there’s an intercom and a locked door there — it seems like that makes sense,” Kinew said Monday.
“And that’s just one example. There’s a lot more things we can do.”
Kinew also spoke in favour of having police officers in schools. Formally called school resource officers, one came to the rescue of students at a high school in Brandon in June after someone got into the school with a sword a severely injured one student.
Education Minister Tracy Schmidt said she spoke with the family of the child involved in last week’s incident, which occurred at a school that offers kindergarten to Grade 8.
“We know that they are still struggling and still in a bit of a state of disbelief as to how something like this could happen,” Schmidt said.
Police say the suspect left the school and was followed by a witness to a nearby shopping mall, where police found him.
The Manitoba School Boards Association said it would look into the details of the announcement.
“For schools boards across Manitoba, the very most important priority that we have in our work … is that the safety and that the learning of students is priority number one,” association president Alan Campbell said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec.1 , 2025
