Brandon Minute: Issue 83

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• Brandon City Council has appointed Ward 8 Councillor Jason Splett to the Brandon Police Board, filling the vacancy left by Ward 3 Councillor Barry Cullen, who resigned after his son was accepted into police training. Splett’s appointment was approved unanimously and will run until October 2026. Splett said he looks forward to contributing to the Board’s oversight role, which includes setting budgets, hiring the Police Chief, and guiding strategic planning. He added that his experience on the City’s Audit and Finance Board will help him approach the position with a strong understanding of fiscal management. Splett hopes to bring “a new set of eyes” and fresh perspective to board discussions. Cullen, who served on the board for about eight years, said Splett will be an excellent addition and wished him success in continuing the Board’s work.
  
  
• The Brandon School Division is piloting a new emergency communication system, HZ Alert, as part of its updated Risk Response Plan to improve safety and coordination during emergencies. Six schools are currently testing the system before a division-wide rollout later this year. Superintendent Mathew Gustafson said the new system allows instant alerts to be sent to staff and administrators through email, text, and a mobile app, ensuring faster communication in urgent situations. It can also notify nearby schools and staff within a one-mile radius of an incident. The update follows years of planning that began before the pandemic and introduces new communication tools aligned with North American emergency response standards. The division says HZ Alert will not replace 911 procedures but will enhance them with faster and more reliable information sharing.
  
  
• The Brandon School Division is also reporting steady enrollment growth driven by higher student mobility throughout the year. Superintendent Mathew Gustafson said monthly tracking has revealed that many new students arrive outside the traditional fall intake period, with noticeable spikes in October, January, and spring. Immigration, housing changes, and differing international school calendars are key factors. The Division is now using housing development data to forecast future enrollment, which recently informed boundary changes between Kirkcaldy Heights and George Fitton School. While the growth is expected to bring more provincial funding, Gustafson said it may not fully offset the additional costs. 
  
  
• The Westman Hospice Association in Brandon is continuing its campaign to build a standalone hospice to provide compassionate end-of-life care in Western Manitoba. With no hospice facilities outside Winnipeg, residents currently lack access to local, home-like hospice care. The association has raised about $500,000 and secured $4 million in pledges toward its $8 million goal but still requires formal support from Prairie Mountain Health and the Manitoba government to move forward. The proposed facility would begin with eight rooms, with potential to expand to 16, and would be operated by Prairie Mountain Health once completed. Association president Terri Miller emphasized the need for more end-of-life options that provide dignity, comfort, and choice for families. The group continues to raise awareness and push for provincial cooperation to make the long-awaited facility a reality.
  
  
• Brandon’s major food supports are experiencing record demand as more residents struggle with rising costs. The Samaritan House food bank has distributed over 14,000 hampers so far this year, up by 600 from 2024, and expects to hand out nearly 2,300 emergency food kits - almost double last year’s total. Helping Hands soup kitchen is also on pace to serve more than 50,000 meals in 2025, a 20% increase in just two years. Leaders at both organizations say inflation, housing costs, and stagnant wages are driving food insecurity across the city. Many newcomers and families now rely on food programs to get by, and staff report increasing desperation among clients. The Western Manitoba Women’s Resource Centre has also seen a sharp rise in use of its breakfast drop-in program. More coordinated funding from all levels of government is being requested to ensure families have reliable access to nutritious food.

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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