Brandon Minute: Population Decline, Road Work, and Cold Weather Conditions

Posted by on February 24, 2025

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

This Week In Brandon:

There are no Council meetings this week. The next meeting will take place on March 3rd.
There are several jobs available at the City of Brandon. The City is hiring Engineering Design and Inspection Technicians, an Engineering Technician Aide, an Equipment Operator Level 2, and a Community Cadet for the Brandon Police Service.
Work is beginning on the insallation of an irrigation intake from the Assiniboine River for the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Complex. The project will take place on the west side of 1st Street, near the riverbank, and involves connecting to the previously installed irrigation main pipe. There are no expected impacts on residents or traffic, but drivers are being asked to be cautious of truck traffic entering and exiting the site. The work is expected to continue through March.

Last Week In Brandon:

Brandon has seen a 5% population decline between 2016 and 2021, raising concerns about its labour market, especially as many young people, aged 18 to 35, leave for better career opportunities and education. Cora Dupuis, from Brandon University, emphasized that changes to federal policies and limited career growth are factors contributing to this out-migration. While many young professionals struggle to find job matches, Dupuis encouraged building connections and awareness of local opportunities. The city’s business community is seeking solutions, focusing on retention strategies like mentorship, competitive wages, and a sense of belonging. Dupuis urged both businesses and policymakers to create more career pathways and foster a welcoming environment to reverse the trend.
The federal and provincial governments have announced plans to create nearly 700 new childcare spaces in Manitoba, including on-site spaces at three hospitals. The Brandon Regional Health Centre will receive 140 of those spots. In addition, 384 spaces will be created in schools and post-secondary institutions.
Brandon faced extreme cold weather with wind chills between -40 and -50 last week, prompting several weather-related closures. On February 18th Brandon School Division buses did not run outside of the city, though schools remained open, with attendance left to parental discretion for those requiring travel. Despite the weather, Brandon’s City buses continued to operate.