Brandon Minute: Landfill Fire, Downtown Revitalization, and a Massive Tax Increase

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

This Week In Brandon:

• There will not be a meeting of City Council this week. The next meeting will take place on January 20th.
  
  
• The City will host a "State of the Downtown" event on January 15th, between 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm, in the City Hall Foyer to showcase ongoing downtown revitalization efforts. The event, organized by the Downtown BIZ and local partners, will feature presentations on economic development, including property redevelopment opportunities, and community development, addressing safety and wellness issues.
  
  
• There will be a public open house for the 2025 Budget on January 16th from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the City Hall Foyer. This is a come-and-go event for residents to ask questions on the budget, but the Director of Finance will make a brief presentation at 5:30 pm. (See below for more information on the budget!).

Last Week In Brandon:

• It was revealed that Brandon residents are facing an 11.7% property tax increase in 2025, following a 9.4% rise last year. Mayor Jeff Fawcett explained that this increase is part of a multi-year plan to address years of low taxes, replenish reserves, and fund necessary infrastructure and services. Fawcett said that this would put the City in a good position in the long term. Public consultations will take place before City Council deliberates on the budget on January 24th and 25th. We have a better idea. Cut taxes by 20%! If you agree, please sign our petition here.
  
  
• The Eastview Landfill was temporarily closed due to a fire that broke out on Friday night. The City is advising residents to avoid the area, as smoke from the fire may pose health risks. Despite the closure, garbage and recycling collection scheduled for the upcoming week will proceed as planned.
  
  
• A cybersecurity breach at PowerSchool, a widely used Student Information System provider, has affected around 80% of school divisions in Manitoba, including the Brandon and Mountain View School Divisions. The breach, which occurred in late December 2024, potentially exposed student and staff contact details and registration/employment data, though no banking or student images were compromised. PowerSchool has since deleted the accessed data and implemented stronger security measures. While the breach was significant, the provincial government is working with school divisions to enhance cybersecurity practices.