Brandon Minute: Issue 64

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 June 23rd.
  
  
• Premier Wab Kinew is urging the Winnipeg School Division to reconsider having school resource officers (SROs) after a violent sword attack at École secondaire Neelin High School in Brandon. The Brandon Police Service’s SRO played a key role in responding quickly and preventing the situation from becoming worse. Police and school officials praised the seamless coordination, which was largely due to the presence of SROs working closely with the school. A 16-year-old student has been charged with attempted murder following the attack, and the victim is recovering after major surgery. While Winnipeg cut its SRO program in 2021 amid concerns about policing in schools, Kinew highlighted the importance of SROs in Brandon for school safety and building relationships with youth.
  
  
• City Council has approved a plan to phase in increased development cost charges (DCCs) for high-density housing over three years, easing the financial impact on developers. Instead of an immediate full increase, fees will rise by 25% in the first year, 50% in the second, and reach 100% in the third. This gradual approach applies to water and infrastructure-related rate hikes and aims to support continued high-density development as the city’s population nears 60,000. The increased fees help fund upgrades to City assets like sewer and water systems to accommodate growth. Developers have been rushing projects before the changes take effect, anticipating higher costs. The bylaw now awaits approval from the Public Utilities Board, a process that could take up to a year before final adoption by Council.
  
  
• After a 36-year career with the City of Brandon, Patrick Pulak, the general manager of operations, is leaving his position. Pulak began as a summer student and rose to his current role, where he oversees transportation, parks, public works, and utilities. He will be succeeded by Todd Burton, the City’s Director of Innovation, Technology, and Communications. Pulak is moving to West Kelowna, BC, to take on a similar role for three to five years before he hopes to return to Brandon. He expressed deep appreciation for the city and its people, saying he will miss the connections he’s made over the decades. The Mayor praised Pulak for his experience and contributions, noting that the City is in good hands as he departs.
  
  
• Council has approved a new 30-lot subdivision on Sixth Street North for single-family homes built by Habitat for Humanity. The project, aimed at low-income families, is expected to break ground in spring 2026. Council voted unanimously to support the plan, which includes Habitat purchasing the City-owned land for $1 once preparations are complete. All homes will be two-storey builds with no basements, due to water table concerns. The Province recently reclassified the area as buildable after reviewing the strength of the nearby dike. Habitat will also invest nearly $1.5 million in infrastructure upgrades, including drainage improvements and paving Sixth Street North. Mayor Jeff Fawcett praised the initiative and expressed hope for further collaboration with the federal government. The first homes should be ready by spring 2027, with additional builds dependent on funding. One lot will be retained by the City for now.
  
  
• The Manitoba government has launched a pilot program to send high school students to historic World War battlefields. Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School in the Brandon School Division is one of four schools selected to participate in the program’s first year. In November 2025, students and chaperones from Crocus Plains will travel to significant sites such as Juno Beach, Vimy Ridge, and the In Flanders Fields Museum. The program aims to enhance students’ understanding of Canadian history and identity through immersive experiences tied to the Grade 11 history curriculum. The Province is investing $200,000 in the first year of the program and plans to expand it in the future to include more schools across Manitoba.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

Starting June tomorrow, recycling and organics will switch to a bi-weekly pickup schedule, while garbage collection stays weekly.

The City is offering free text alerts to get weekly reminders about which carts to put out:

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

This week's sponsor is you! We don't have big corporate backers, so if you like what you're reading, please consider making a donation or signing up as a monthly member.

Having said that, if you are a local business and are interested in being a sponsor, send us an email and we'll talk!