Brandon Minute: Issue 57

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. The City’s Parks & Recreation Department will request approval to spend $77,500 from the Parks Reserve to match $77,500 already budgeted from the Fleet Machinery Reserve to purchase a skid steer with mower attachment, totalling $155,000. The department says this equipment is needed because the City lacks proper machinery to safely mow ditches, drainage areas, and certain greenspaces - particularly as the city expands and creates more maintenance areas. The original 2025 Capital Plan only budgeted half the cost ($77,500) with the assumption that provincial funding would cover the remainder due to anticipated takeover of provincial roadway maintenance. Beyond mowing, the skid steer would assist with construction projects in summer and snow clearing in winter.
  
  
• Council will also discuss applying for funding from the Manitoba Water Service Board (MWSB) for the 1st Street Watermain Renewal Project from Richmond Avenue to Brandon Avenue. The MWSB has advised that their 2025-2030 Capital plan includes funding for water renewal projects in Brandon, with a funding model of 50% from the City and 50% from MWSB (up to $1 million maximum contribution). The project is already included in Brandon's 2025 Financial Plan with a budget of $2,250,000 from the Water Distribution Reserve, but securing MWSB assistance would reduce City expenditures by approximately $1 million. The project is scheduled to be tendered in mid-April 2025, and a Council resolution is required to formally request MWSB assistance.
  
  
• Starting the week of June 17th, the City of Brandon will transition recycling and organic waste collection (blue and green bins) to a bi-weekly schedule, while continuing weekly black-bin refuse collection. This change aims to reduce wear on collection trucks, minimize breakdowns, and extend equipment lifespan. The adjusted schedule allows for extended evening hours at the Eastview Landfill on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 8:00 pm, also beginning June 17th. Weekly organic collection will begin May 6th to 9th during International Compost Awareness Week, with free compost soil available at the Keystone Centre from May 5th - 10th.
  
  
• The Brandon-Souris riding saw approximately 12,750 voters participate in advance polls from April 18-21, representing about 14% of the area's population based on 2021 Statistics Canada data. Nearly as many advance ballots (about 12,019) were cast in the neighboring Riding Mountain constituency. Nationwide, Elections Canada reported a significant 25% increase in advance voting compared to the 2021 federal election, with 7.3 million Canadians voting early versus 5.8 million previously. Manitoba's advance voting period attracted approximately 229,379 voters across the province.
  
  
• The Men's Resource Centre in Brandon has temporarily suspended three community programs - Open Resource, Community Connections, and Coffee and Conversations - until security concerns can be addressed. Executive Director Ross Robinson emphasized that this is a proactive measure due to increasing service demands rather than any specific incident, explaining they need to properly manage capacity before potential safety issues arise. While these walk-in programs are paused, the Centre will continue offering other services by appointment only, including Men's Group sessions in collaboration with Addiction Services, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. No timeline has been provided for reinstatement of the suspended programs.
  
  
• Speaking of community resources, Blue Door, a drop-in center providing services to approximately 80 homeless individuals daily since 2021, permanently closed due to escalating violence and safety concerns. Brandon Police Chief Tyler Bates reported responding to roughly 25 calls at the facility in the past two months for assaults (including one resulting in a death), weapons offenses, and overdoses, noting that conflicts between upstairs residents and service users created an increasingly dangerous environment. Despite efforts to address safety issues by reducing operating hours and temporarily stationing police officers at the location, officials determined the center was no longer viable. Mayor Jeff Fawcett acknowledged the difficult decision while noting the challenge of finding an alternative location, as stakeholders have been unable to secure a new site that doesn't face community opposition.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

It’s Election Day! Voters from coast to coast are casting their ballots to decide who will form the next government. Make sure you take the opportunity to have your voice heard.

Need details on where to vote, what ID to bring, or who’s running in your riding? Visit the Elections Canada website for everything you need to know:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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