Brandon Minute: Issue 109

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• Mayor Jeff Fawcett has announced he will seek re-election in October, highlighting financial stability and stronger regional partnerships as key achievements of his first term. He said the City’s finances were “reset” after an independent review helped identify needed reforms and stabilize operations, helping avoid deeper service cuts. Fawcett also pointed to the creation of Grow Brandon, a collaborative economic development initiative involving local industry and institutions, as a major step in aligning long-term growth priorities. He emphasized partnerships tied to large-scale infrastructure and energy projects, including work connected to Manitoba Hydro and the Brandon Generating Station expansion, as important to the city’s future economic base. Looking ahead, his priorities include expanding water and wastewater infrastructure, increasing housing supply, and securing more federal funding to support growth. He also noted ongoing advocacy for immigration policy adjustments to help address persistent labour shortages in the region.
  
  
• The City is asking the Manitoba government to change provincial law so it can set its own default residential speed limits, joining Winnipeg in making a similar request. Currently, the Highway Traffic Act sets urban speed limits at 50 km/h, and municipalities can only lower them by installing extensive signage at intersections and regular intervals, which cities say is too costly and impractical. Brandon Councillors voted unanimously to seek authority to set blanket limits by bylaw, which could allow neighbourhood speeds to be reduced to 40 km/h without signage requirements on every block. City officials say previous pilot projects showed some reduction in speeding, and supporters argue lower limits could improve pedestrian safety, especially in residential areas. However, some residents and Councillors question whether lower limits are necessary on well-designed local streets, and Premier Wab Kinew has signalled the issue is not a government priority.
  
  
• Brandon has officially unveiled its largest solar installation at the Riverbank Discovery Centre, marking a major renewable energy milestone for the city. The solar array, launched on Earth Day, is expected to supply about 40% of the building’s annual electricity needs and can sometimes generate excess power that is sold back to the grid. The project was led by Sustainable Brandon in partnership with local and provincial environmental groups, and was made possible through a combination of grants, rebates, and community collaboration. Supporters say the installation is designed not only to reduce emissions but also to educate the public, with on-site displays showing real-time energy production and how solar power works. Advocates involved in the project hope it encourages residents to consider similar clean energy options at home. 
  
  
• Council has unanimously approved a new transit master plan aimed at significantly expanding and restructuring its bus network over the next several years. The plan, developed with public input and consulting support, will be rolled out in three phases and ultimately introduce seven new bus routes, replace much of the existing network, and expand service frequency and hours. Key improvements include moving from one to three transit hubs, increasing evening service up to 9:00 pm, and extending Sunday operations until 10:00 pm, with early phases beginning as soon as this fall. The changes will also add two new North Hill routes in Phase 1 and an express route along 18th Street connecting major commercial areas. While the plan was supported unanimously by council, officials noted ongoing adjustments may still occur, including potential relocation of a transit exchange near Braecrest Drive into the Corral Centre. The expanded service is expected to increase operating costs by about $319,000 starting in 2027.
  
  
• Brandon University has partnered with Helping Hands Centre of Brandon to provide regular free food distributions on campus to help address student food insecurity. Under the program, Helping Hands will deliver food every two weeks during the academic year and monthly over the spring and summer, with items distributed at the Indigenous Peoples’ Centre and the Student Accessibility Services Office. The initiative sources food from grocery stores and restaurants that is past its best-before date but still safe to eat, redirecting it through community programs and campus distribution points. The first delivery was fully taken within a day, suggesting strong demand among students facing financial pressures. University staff reported positive feedback, noting that even small amounts of food can significantly help students managing tight budgets. Helping Hands relies on volunteers and donations to sustain its broader redistribution efforts and emphasized that food insecurity can affect anyone.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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