Brandon Minute: Issue 102

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• Parents in Brandon are raising concerns about inequities in the school lunch supervision system, which charges a $38 monthly fee for students who live within walking distance of their school. Children who ride the bus receive supervision automatically as part of transportation fees, leaving walking students and their families to cover the cost themselves. Some parents say this creates both safety and social concerns, as some children miss lunch with friends and must navigate harsh weather alone. The Brandon School Division recently set up a centralized supervised lunch program to manage staffing and fees, but the Division notes the fee doesn’t cover the full cost, and full coverage would require over $1 million in additional funding. Parents who previously ran school-based programs feel burdened by volunteer responsibilities and argue the system unfairly treats lunch as child care rather than part of education. Division leaders stress that provincial funding and legislative gaps complicate the situation, and while the new system is a step forward, they call for more government involvement to ensure all students have safe, supervised access to lunch. Families are pushing for a solution that allows every child to stay at school without additional fees.
  
  
• Five City Councillors have confirmed they will run in the upcoming municipal election on October 28th, while two have announced they will not seek another term. Mayor Jeff Fawcett and Councillors Heather Karrouze, Shaun Cameron, Jason Splett, and Tyson Tame plan to run, whereas Kris Desjarlais and Barry Cullen will step down. Four councillors remain undecided, with Greg Hildebrand “likely” to run, Bruce Luebke and Shawn Berry still considering, and Glen Parker having made no firm decision. Len Isleifson, a former City Councillor and two-term MLA, has declared his candidacy for Mayor. Candidate registration for Mayor opens May 1st, and for Councillors on June 30th.
  
  
• The Brandon Public Library has launched a free weekly violin program for children and youth, led by instructor Robert Richardson. The first class welcomed 24 participants, with 76 more on a waitlist. Classes are divided by age groups, three to six and seven and older, and follow the Suzuki method, emphasizing learning by ear, parental involvement, and positive reinforcement. The program was made possible by a $100,000 donation from former Brandon University music educator Lynn Whidden, who hopes it will encourage more downtown activity and support cultural ties to the Métis community. 
  
  
• The Canadian government is investing $84 million in Phase 2 of the National Housing Construction Program, which will include around 184 new one- and two-bedroom apartment buildings at CFB Shilo near Brandon. This expansion aims to provide modern, reliable housing for military personnel and their families, helping to ease local housing pressures and support operational readiness. Beyond the military benefits, the investment will also bring a boost to Brandon’s community, supporting local infrastructure, economic activity, and the city’s role in national defence training. Planning for the new units is underway, with locations on the base and construction timelines to be determined, marking an important step in long-term support for the region and its residents.
  
  
• The 2026 Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Manitoba is helping raise money to support athletes with intellectual disabilities. In Brandon, a group of new recruits from the Brandon Police Service took part in the plunge at the Healthy Living Centre at Brandon University. Participants jumped into icy water to raise funds that help athletes train, compete, and attend events such as the Special Olympics Canada National Summer Games in Medicine Hat this August. The Brandon event aims to raise $24,000 and had already collected more than $19,000 before the plunge. Donations from groups like the Brandon Police Service, Canada Border Services Agency, and local organizations show strong community support. Organizers say the event is both fun and meaningful because it helps more than 2,000 athletes across Manitoba stay involved in sports and feel included in their communities.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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