Brandon Minute: Issue 98

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

📅 This Week In Brandon: 📅

• The City of Brandon is developing its first comprehensive tourism strategy, with $40,000 from the 2026 budget and $20,000 from the accommodation tax reserve allocated for tourism rebranding and planning. Local tourism organizations, including Brandon First and Brandon Tourism, see the strategy as an opportunity to build on existing events and attract regional visitors, day-trippers, and larger-scale events. Event organizers emphasize the need for more hotels and accommodations, as major events like Manitoba Ag Days and Dakota Nation Winterfest currently fill all available rooms in the region. The strategy will also explore partnerships across the city to support tourism growth and recognize the economic and cultural impact of events. Councillors and tourism leaders highlight the importance of leveraging existing assets, such as the Keystone Centre, Riverbank Discovery Centre, and local trails and galleries, rather than relying on a single landmark. 
  
  
• Brandon has seen a surge in residential construction as developers rush to secure permits before upcoming municipal fee increases take effect. In 2025, the City issued 411 residential permits, a 75% increase over 2024, as developers sought to take advantage of current, lower development charges. Fees are rising to cover costs for water, wastewater, and related infrastructure, with high-density project charges expected to more than double in emerging areas. Despite steady workload over the past few years, developers anticipate a “screaming halt” in activity once the rush ends. City officials, including Mayor Jeff Fawcett, emphasized that the fee increases are necessary to fund essential infrastructure for the growing population. 
  
  
• The City has approved building a 24-7 public washroom downtown at the Transit Information Centre site, with a total projected cost of $529,000, including demolition and construction. The supposedly vandal-proof, self-cleaning facility is intended to address public hygiene issues and support people facing mental health or other challenges, drawing on recommendations from a 2022 task force. Council debated deferring the project, partly due to potential provincial plans for a 24-7 shelter, but ultimately decided to proceed, noting that construction costs are likely to rise if delayed. Councillors emphasized the need for reliable, safe facilities downtown, so business owners are not forced to accommodate visitors seeking restrooms. Staff at the current Transit Information Centre will be relocated nearby, and existing washrooms at Princess Park will remain operational and receive future upgrades. The City will now prepare tender documents before final review and approval, likely next month.
  
  
• The City is bringing back a fully operational canteen at the Community Sportsplex after a seven-year break through a five-year partnership with Los Brothers Restaurant. Los Brothers will manage all daily operations, including staffing, menu creation, and service, with offerings that include both traditional sports complex food and authentic Mexican and Salvadorian cuisine. The canteen, currently under renovation, is expected to open later this spring. City officials highlighted the benefits for families and athletes, noting that having reliable food service enhances the overall Sportsplex experience.
  
  
• Council approved $280,000 in one-time grant funding to eight organizations and one City initiative, drawing from a 2025 operating surplus. The Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba received $40,000, marking the first time it has received City funding. Other grants included $25,000 each to the Daly House Museum and Brandon Downtown Development Corporation, $20,000 each to Helping Hands and Brandon General Museum and Archives, $18,500 to the Community Wellness Collaborative, $1,500 to the Western Manitoba Regional Library, and $30,000 for City reconciliation initiatives. Up to $100,000 was also approved for the Brandon Downtown BIZ, contingent on its fundraising success. Daly House Museum said the funding will help cover summer student positions and additional operating costs, while Helping Hands saw its request for strategic planning funding reduced from $15,000 to $2,500, sparking debate among councillors. 

🚨 This Week’s Action Item: 🚨

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