Brandon Minute: Issue 112

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• There will be a City Council meeting on Tuesday at 7:00 pm. On the agenda is a delegation promoting Arbor Day celebrations along with a verbal report from the Keystone Centre Board of Directors. Council will consider appointing a secretary to the 2026 Board of Revision, filling an interim citizen position on the Brandon Police Board, and discussing resolutions related to the upcoming Association of Manitoba Municipalities district meeting. Councillors will also review first reading of Bylaw No. 7456, which relates to opening part of a public road connected to the 34th Street roundabout project.
  
  
• The Manitoba government will fund four new positions for the Brandon Police Service to create a dedicated public safety unit focused on retail theft and prolific offenders. Premier Wab Kinew announced the funding during a Brandon Chamber of Commerce event, saying the initiative is aimed at improving safety for businesses and workers. Police Chief Tyler Bates said retail theft has become a major public safety issue in Brandon, with reported shoplifting incidents rising from 243 in 2021 to 559 in 2024. He noted that thieves have sometimes confronted business staff while carrying weapons, creating growing safety concerns alongside economic losses. The new unit will focus on repeat offenders under court release orders and will work closely with the retail sector on a daily basis. Officials pointed to the success of a previous holiday retail crime pilot project, which resulted in about 70 arrests and the recovery of roughly $10,000 worth of stolen merchandise over two months. Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the Province hopes to launch the new unit quickly and described it as part of a broader strategy already used in Winnipeg. Business leaders welcomed the announcement, saying retail theft has become one of the biggest concerns facing businesses across Brandon and that additional police resources could help improve safety and reduce losses.
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew announced new investments in health care and child care for Brandon and the Westman region during the Brandon Chamber of Commerce’s State of the Province address. The Province will invest $115,000 to help Assiniboine College launch a new rotating rural Primary Care Paramedic Program beginning in 2027, adding 32 training seats aimed at improving access for rural and western Manitoba students. The first cohort will begin in Dauphin, with the goal of strengthening the pipeline of paramedics serving communities across the region. Kinew also announced the creation of 148 new child-care spaces at the Brandon Regional Health Centre, expected to open in summer 2027 with extended operating hours designed to support health-care workers working shifts. Additional projects highlighted by the Province included $9.7 million for rebuilding and repaving 18th Street in Brandon, investments in the Park Community Centre, and continued expansion projects at Brandon Regional Health Centre, including a new critical care unit as part of a $120-million expansion. The Province also pointed to the opening of Brandon’s Minor Injury and Illness Clinic, which reportedly handled more than 10,000 patient visits in 2025, and efforts to challenge restrictive property controls connected to empty grocery store properties in Brandon. 
  
  
• The City of Brandon and the Brandon Downtown BIZ have opened applications for the 2026 Downtown Outdoor Art Grant, inviting artists, property owners and community members to propose creative projects aimed at enhancing downtown public spaces. Applications are open until May 31st, with funding support coming from the City, Brandon Downtown BIZ and the Brandon Area Community Foundation. Organizers say the program encourages a wide range of ideas, including murals, sculptures, light installations and interactive or community-driven projects, whether permanent or temporary. In 2025, six projects received funding, including a mural on the Compass Credit Union building and a community art initiative led by local artist Chris Reid at Samaritan House Ministries. Officials say the projects have helped revitalize underused spaces, reduce vandalism and strengthen community pride in the downtown area. Brandon Downtown BIZ Executive Director Emmy Sanderson said organizers are encouraging residents to think creatively and collaborate on projects that make downtown more vibrant and engaging. City officials say they hope to build on the momentum of the program as additional projects from the 2025 intake are completed later this year.
  
  
• The Brandon University Foundation has surpassed $100 million in total assets for the first time in its history, reaching more than $108 million following a strong fundraising and investment year. The milestone was celebrated during the Foundation’s annual luncheon, where donors, alumni, students and community leaders gathered to recognize the impact of philanthropic support at Brandon University. Last year, the foundation raised more than $4.36 million, including a record $465,000 through its Annual Fund Appeal, while also distributing a record $3.6 million back to the university. More than $2.2 million of that funding went directly toward scholarships and bursaries for students. Foundation president Chris Hunt said the milestone reflects decades of support from donors and alumni focused on creating opportunities for students, research and academic programs. Since being established in 1980, the foundation has distributed nearly $79 million to Brandon University for student support, research and campus initiatives.

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