Special arrangements are made each year in Portage la Prairie for residents as its gift to residents over the Christmas holidays.

Mayor Irvine Ferris says metered parking's free of charge right now. "This is a Portage tradition that goes back a lot of years. It's currently on. All metered parking is free, and this will continue until December 27th."

Ferris says special trash collection arrangements are also made.  "As we've done other years, were going to be upping the limit to four bags/four containers per household on the first collection day following Christmas holidays."

He notes the City will be collecting natural Christmas trees from your curbside between January 3rd and the 23rd. It may not fall on a regular garbage collection day, Ferris adds you can personally drop them off at the burn site at St. Mary's Cemetery if you want, where they'll be collected and chipped for re-purposing.