Brandon Minute: Issue 120

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• The City of Brandon has declared a State of Local Emergency ahead of rising water on the Assiniboine River, following heavy rainfall across the Assiniboine and Shellmouth basins. City forecasts expect the river to peak with levels similar to the 2017 flood, and Mayor Jeff Fawcett says the declaration gives the City added authority to protect infrastructure and property as conditions evolve. The Emergency Operations Centre is fully activated, a temporary dike closure has been completed at Grand Valley Road and 18th Street, and residents in identified flood-risk areas are receiving preparedness notices, though no evacuation order is in place. Fawcett describes the move as a proactive step to give residents as much advance notice as possible should conditions change. The flooding has already forced the closure of Highway 21 at nearby Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, where roughly 190 residents have been told to prepare for possible evacuation. The City says it will assess conditions daily and continue posting river levels through its online tracker.
  
  
• City staff are recommending a zoning change that would restrict developers from building multi-unit apartment blocks behind existing detached homes, a form of infill that has appeared recently under Brandon's more flexible development rules. Administration says allowing multiple primary buildings on a single lot, combined with looser standards and high demolition costs, has produced rear-lot developments that raise concerns about setbacks, height, size, and servicing, and that may not fit the character of existing neighbourhoods. City staff argue the pattern may not align with the intent of the City Plan and are proposing a temporary hold on this type of development until a full rewrite of the Zoning By-law is finished. That review is not expected to be adopted until 2027, and the City says the pause would give Staff time to refine the rules before deciding whether such infill should be allowed.
  
  
• The City of Brandon will close part of Lorne Avenue to vehicle traffic on Saturday, July 19th as it launches its Open Streets pilot, an initiative Council first heard as a presentation in June. From 11:00 am to 4:00 pm, the stretch of Lorne Avenue between 15th Street and Franklin Street will be turned into a 1.8-kilometer car-free corridor connecting Stanley Park and Rideau Park, with community booths, live music, and activities in both parks. The route is designed to take about eight minutes to cycle or 30 minutes to walk, and flaggers will be stationed at major intersections, including 1st Street and 10th Street, to manage crossings and keep emergency access open. The pilot is led by the Open Streets Brandon Working Group, a partnership that includes Downtown Brandon BIZ, Bike Brandon, Prairie Mountain Health, Sustainable Brandon, and the City. Two further closures are planned for August 16th and September 13th. The events will be staffed by volunteers and City workers who manage access points and signage.
  
  
• The City of Brandon is advising residents who suffered damage in the June 29th heavy rain event that they may qualify for help through Manitoba's Disaster Financial Assistance program. The provincial program can cover certain uninsurable losses for homeowners, tenants, and individuals, and is meant to restore essential property rather than replace all losses. The City stresses that the program is not insurance and that residents should first contact their insurer, since overland flood coverage available for purchase is not covered where insurance was an option. Residents are urged to document damage, keep receipts, and photograph affected property before applying. Eligibility and application details are handled through the Province's Emergency Management Organization. 
  
  
• Manitoba Public Insurance is deploying mobile estimating services to the Westman region after a July 5th storm generated more than 2,000 claims. The public insurer will set up its dedicated hail trailer at the Boissevain AG Arena and station estimators at the Royal Canadian Legion in Killarney beginning Monday, July 13th, serving customers who have already opened a claim and booked an appointment. Residents who have not yet filed can do so online or by phone, and those with open claims are being contacted directly. MPI expects to keep the mobile services running for at least a month. The insurer says it has taken in more than 30,000 severe-weather claims across the province in the past month.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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