Brandon Minute: Issue 78

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• City Council approved three new road names - Manitou Drive, Foxtail Drive, and Sage Drive - near the site of a future K-8 school in the city’s southwest Brookwood South neighbourhood. Manitou Drive will serve as a main road intersecting 34th Street, while Foxtail and Sage Drives will be residential streets. Council also approved the southward extension of Lakeview Drive and Plateau Drive to accommodate the development. Developer John Burgess noted that additional streets in the area will continue the nature-themed naming convention established in the nearby Brookwood North neighbourhood. The new school is scheduled to open in September 2027 at the corner of Manitou Drive and Plateau Drive. Councillor Kris Desjarlais highlighted that the Indigenous name “Manitou” reflects the City’s commitment to recognizing Indigenous heritage. 
  
  
• Council also approved an early disbursement of next year’s $250,000 capital grant to Brandon Riverbank Inc., four months ahead of schedule, to help cover costs for three major projects. Those projects include the Peter Sawatzky Sculpture Garden, Discovery Gardens, and a solar array on the Riverbank Discovery Centre. The total combined cost of these projects is $1.8 million, and the early funding addresses cash flow challenges caused by overlapping project timelines. The City’s Finance Director confirmed the funds will still be expensed in the 2026 budget, using internal resources in the interim. The majority of Council supported the measure, noting it facilitates timely completion of the Riverbank’s capital projects. The motion ultimately passed 9-1, with Councillor Bruce Luebke opposing due to insufficient information on financial impacts and concern it might set a precedent for other organizations requesting early grant payments. The City suggested that the situation is unusual and not expected to become a recurring practice. 
  
  
• The Brandon School Division will receive provincial funding to cover the unexpected costs of hosting students evacuated from wildfire-affected communities. About 64 evacuee students are currently enrolled across several Brandon schools, with the number having briefly reached 74 earlier this month. Their arrival led the division to hire 8 additional substitute teachers, a bus driver, and purchase extra equipment, with estimated costs around $100,000. Initially, the Division believed it would not be reimbursed and had planned to reallocate funds within its budget. Education Minister Tracy Schmidt later confirmed the Province will compensate school divisions for wildfire-related expenses, noting that about 200 evacuated students are attending schools in Brandon, Winnipeg, Thompson, and The Pas. Division officials said the funding will ease financial pressures and allow other needs to be met.
  
  
• The Western Manitoba Women’s Centre in Brandon has reopened in a larger space and has received $100,000 in provincial funding to support its work. The funding, provided through the “From the Ground Up” program, helped cover moving costs, renovations, and new equipment for the Centre’s location on Rosser Avenue. The Province will also provide $490,000 over two years for operational costs, including sexual assault counselling and the Empowered Traditions program, which supports Indigenous women in reconnecting with their culture. The expanded facility includes a commercial kitchen and backyard, allowing staff to run more programs such as a breakfast service and future traditional cooking classes. The Centre now has 11 staff members, including a new child and youth counsellor, and offers free counselling, advocacy, and support services to women and children across western Manitoba. Staff believe the larger space will strengthen their ability to meet community needs and reach more families in the region.
  
  
• Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) Housing Minister Will Goodon plans to build 30 to 40 housing units in Brandon over the next two years, focusing on seniors and affordable housing while advancing the MMF’s economic reconciliation goals. The project aims to hire Métis professionals, integrating them into the local economy and fostering long-term partnerships rather than one-off initiatives. Goodon emphasized that meaningful participation by Métis professionals signals progress beyond tokenism, while Indigenous Chamber of Commerce president Renee Greyeyes noted that hiring Indigenous professionals strengthens skills, networks, and supply chains. Goodon also encouraged local businesses to collaborate with the MMF, which can recommend qualified professionals for projects. Beyond housing, the MMF is exploring construction of a new office in Brandon to involve more tradespeople. He also highlighted opportunities in Métis tourism, stressing that broader economic participation by the Métis benefits Brandon, Manitoba, and Canada as a whole. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

The City advanced $250,000 in grant funding to Brandon Riverbank Inc. to help complete projects on time.

Do you think this is a smart use of City resources, or does it set a concerning precedent?

🪙 This Week’s Sponsor: 🪙

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