Brandon Minute: Grade Change, Safe Space, and Fee Increases Proposed

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

This Week In Brandon:

• There are no meetings of City Council this week. The next meeting - the last one of the year - will take place on December 16th.
  
  
• Franny's Place, a new 24/7 safe space in Brandon, will provide support for Indigenous women, two-spirit, and gender-diverse people at risk of harm. The safe house, named in memory of Francine Demas, aims to help residents escape violence, build relationships, and heal, offering 15 beds and a drop-in service. The project builds on the success of Chelsea's House and incorporates feedback from local Indigenous women about their needs for a safe, supportive environment. Franny's Place will offer transitional housing, health care, social support, and cultural programming.
  
  
• The Manitoba government is providing $25,000 to Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer to support its efforts in delivering food and toys to families in need during the holiday season. The funding will help the community-based organization as it prepares to distribute hampers to local families. The Province’s support aims to ensure that more people in the Brandon area can receive assistance during the holidays. The government has also set up locations for Manitobans to contribute to charitable causes, including donations for Brandon-Westman Christmas Cheer.

Last Week In Brandon:

• The City has proposed fee increases of 3% - 7% for various services in 2025, driven by rising material and labour costs. This includes hikes in transit fares, airport fees, cemetery services, and various police service fees like fingerprinting. Transit fares could rise to $2 for adults and $1.50 for youth and seniors. Other increases include a 5% rise in airport landing fees and terminal charges, as well as higher cemetery plot and internment rates. These increases will be voted on later in the month.
  
  
• The Brandon School Division Board of Trustees received a request to change Riverview School from a Kindergarten to Grade 6 school to a Kindergarten to Grade 8 school and is seeking community feedback on this potential change. A survey has been launched to gather public opinions and assess the possible impacts and benefits of this expansion. Similar transitions have been made at other schools in the division, such as George Fitton and Green Acres. The survey can be taken online.
  
  
• Sunrise Credit Union has donated nearly $37,000 through its Building Communities Grant Program, funding four community projects. The grants were awarded to initiatives that promote mental health, wellness, community development, and historical preservation. Notable recipients include the Westman Mental Wellness & Suicide Prevention Association, which will receive $16,000 to develop mental health resource libraries across seven communities, and the Deloraine Agricultural Society, which will use a $12,500 grant to construct a new event shed. Additionally, the Pipestone Memorial Park Committee will receive $5,318 for its revitalization project, and the Cypress River Senior Centre will use a $3,000 grant for building updates. Since its inception, the program has distributed $131,318 to support local initiatives.