Brandon Minute: Issue 59

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• There are no City Council meetings this week. The next meeting will take place on May 20th.
  
  
• Council has approved new water and wastewater rates to address a $2.29 million deficit in the budget of the City's utility company. The revised rates will add about $11.78 to the yearly water bill for an average family of four, in the form of a new charge of $0.064 per cubic meter of water used, lasting until 2030. To manage costs, the City recommends monthly billing, which offers a 20% discount on administrative charges.
  
  
• A public hearing will be held on June 9th at 7:00 pm to discuss a proposed amendment to the City's Development Charges (DC) By-law. The amendment aims to gradually increase water and wastewater rates for high-density developments over a three-year period, with 25% of the increase in Year 1, 50% in Year 2, and 100% in Year 3. After the hearing, the City will still need to submit an application to the Public Utilities Board of Manitoba for approval. The DCs, which have been in place since 2019, help fund essential off-site infrastructure, and the amendment is a response to Brandon's substantial growth.
  
  
• Brandon’s Director of Economic Development, Gerald Cathcart, informed Council that the city is too small to attract a Costco store. He explained that Brandon's population of approximately 58,000 is not large enough for Costco, and there is a shortage of suitable, serviced land for such a large project. Even when an interested party sought 15 acres for development, no suitable land was available. Cathcart also warned that a Costco could negatively impact the local retail ecosystem due to the city’s size. While the City plans to invest in land development on the North Hill in the future, there are no current plans for attracting a Costco store.
  
  
• Shared Health has launched a new "community paramedics" program in rural Manitoba, with specialized units based in Brandon and Selkirk. These paramedics work from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, focusing on community outreach and connecting vulnerable patients to essential services. The program aims to address gaps in traditional emergency medical services by offering follow-up care for patients who refuse transport to the hospital, ensuring they receive continued support. Modelled after Winnipeg’s successful EPIC program, the community paramedics will not respond to 911 calls but will provide health assessments, interventions, and referrals to appropriate services. The initiative aims to reduce repeat 911 calls and improve patient outcomes, with plans for future expansion to other rural areas.
  
  
• The Brandon Police Service (BPS) is preparing for the implementation of body cameras as part of their 2025 budget plans. Chief Tyler Bates explained that they are first transitioning all police file work, such as court briefs, into a fully digital system, which will eventually support body camera footage. This digital evidence management system will help streamline submissions to the Crown Attorney’s office and prepare the force for body camera integration. Although the full rollout of body cameras is expected by late 2025 or early 2026, the current pilot project is crucial for laying the groundwork. Chief Bates emphasized that the police force, consisting of around 170 employees, is dedicated to overcoming challenges and maximizing public safety.

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