Brandon Minute: Daycare Safety, Transit Funding, and the City Plan Finalized

Brandon Minute - Your weekly one-minute summary of Brandon politics

This Week In Brandon:

• There are no Council meetings this week. The next meeting will take place on March 17th.
  
  
• Councillor Greg Hildebrand plans to address daycare safety at the next Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) meeting after a daycare operator in Brandon was charged with producing child abuse material. Hildebrand aims to find ways to improve safety, potentially through better licensing, planning, or registration for daycares. He hopes to gain support from other municipalities, which could lead to lobbying the province for involvement. The motion is still in development but may include suggestions like increasing daycare inspections or securing more provincial funding for licensed care. The lack of available licensed daycare spots in Brandon, highlighted by a significant waitlist, has made unregulated care a necessity for some parents.
  
  
• Brandon will receive $3.89 million over the next decade as part of a federal transit infrastructure investment. The funding aims to modernize and expand public transit systems in Brandon, Winnipeg, and Selkirk. Mayor Jeff Fawcett welcomed the investment, highlighting the city's growing ridership and the need for continued transit improvements. The funds will support efforts to enhance transit accessibility, sustainability, and reliability for residents. The first installment is expected in 2026, with funding continuing until 2036.

Last Week In Brandon:

• Council finalized the Brandon City Plan after a four-year process marked by public criticism and debate. The plan serves as a long-term guide for the City’s development, covering transportation, municipal services, and housing. Some residents previously raised concerns about mobility restrictions, leading to a temporary pause in public consultations in 2023. Despite some reservations, most Councillors supported the plan, with only two voting against it.
  
  
• No public opposition was raised during the first reading of a borrowing bylaw to fund the Brandon Police Service’s planned $4.5-million operations centre. The project aims to address overcrowding at its current station and involves purchasing and retrofitting an existing building. It will be funded with $1.7 million from police reserves and $2.8 million borrowed by the City. The new facility will house major crimes investigations and research teams, while the Victoria Avenue station will remain the public headquarters. Mayor Jeff Fawcett noted that the Police Board will manage loan payments and that additional provincial funding may be available.
  
  
• Council approved the first reading of a bylaw to rezone land on Sixth Street North for affordable housing by Habitat for Humanity. The plan would convert industrial and open land into residential lots, with about 31 homes expected to be built. Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is reviewing a deal to buy the land, with construction potentially beginning in 2026. The City had previously agreed to sell the land for $1 to support the project. The rezoning still requires further Council approval before becoming official.