2 weeks Ago By By Michele McDougall
The City of Brandon has made great progress and has an economy and population that will continue to grow, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said during his State of the City address to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! To continue reading, please subscribe: *$1 will be added to your next bill. After your 4 weeks access is complete your rate will increase by $4.99 a X percent off the regular rate.
The City of Brandon has made great progress and has an economy and population that will continue to grow, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said during his State of the City address to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The City of Brandon has made great progress and has an economy and population that will continue to grow, Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said during his State of the City address to the Brandon Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. “In 2024, Brandon had the highest level of permanent residents making Brandon their new home.
We are now getting really close to hitting 60,000 people, which is a big deal,” Fawcett said in front of a crowd of more than 400 at the Keystone Centre’s UCT Pavilion. “I also want to say that we have some great local businesses here in Brandon that are contributing to the national economy. Now, more than ever, it’s important to support local businesses and those Canadian owned and operated,” he said.
Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett delivers the State of the City address during the Brandon Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Keystone Centre’s UCT Pavilion on Thursday. (Photos by Michele McDougall/The Brandon Sun) “As an example, Cascadia Metals in the industrial part of the city, are making a significant investment. They’ve just been approved for a $40-million expansion with an additional 20 jobs.
“There are lots of businesses expanding and continuing to grow.” The intent of his speech, Fawcett told the Sun later, was to give a broad overview of what he and council — along with numerous other community and government partners — have been doing since his last address almost exactly a year ago. During his speech, he noted that last year he talked about building a sustainable city.
“And this year, the message remains the same and still rings true. Thinking about the future and the legacy we leave for our next generation is of the utmost importance,” he told the crowd. Fawcett is now past the halfway mark of his term, with “much work remaining.
” He highlighted progress that has been made, including the city receiving “unprecedented” federal and provincial funding while approving nearly 300 new residential units valued at $58 million, with overall construction valued at more than $123 million in 2024. Through lobbying and making connections, the city has received almost $70 million from the provincial and federal governments for drainage improvement projects, Brandon’s Community Sportsplex, the municipal airport, the water treatment plant and housing. Partnerships with the provincial government is something that the City of Brandon can count on, Brandon East MLA Glen Simard, an NDP cabinet minister, told the Sun.
“Brandon’s growing. Manitoba is growing. We’re proud of the investments that we’ve made and continue to make,” Simard said.
“The mayor talked a lot about partnerships and the importance of continuing to work as a united force towards the big things, and we’re really excited to continue to do that work with them.” Referring in his speech to property taxes as “the elephant in the room,” Fawcett pointed out that the tax burden has been tough “on all of us,” adding, however, that it’s necessary. With the city’s new four-year budget process, he said, “we have the time to work on reducing them, leading to a better, more efficient and transparent approach to managing the city’s finances.
” Chamber president Lois Ruston told the Sun she thought the mayor painted a good picture of the city, adding there is more work that needs to be done, which includes keeping the business community connected to all levels of government. “We meet with ministers and government every month,” Ruston said, “and this event and many others are how we stay connected with our members and make sure that we are supporting them and taking their concerns forward.” Other initiatives Fawcett discussed in his speech included making Brandon Transit, which provided more than one million rides last year, faster and more efficient.
He also touched on urban development, which includes completing a lift station on the corner of Patricia Avenue and 34th Street. Brandon Chamber of Commerce president Lois Ruston asks Fawcett followup questions after his address to the business community Thursday. A tender will be issued for a second lift station on 18th Street south of Patricia Avenue “that will unlock numerous possibilities for housing and commercial development,” he said.
As the mayor talked about downtown development, he mentioned the new Wheat City Pickleball and Tennis Hub on the corner of 12th Street and Pacific Avenue that is scheduled to open this fall. Public safety remains a challenge, Fawcett told the crowd. “It weighs heavily on our community and business owners, and it affects how people feel about Brandon.
Our new police chief, Tyler Bates, and his team are stepping up and showing true leadership. Many of the calls the police get don’t require a badge, and he’s recognizing this and showing collaboration with social service agencies to find ways to help.” Bates has been on the job for about six months.
He told the Sun at the event that he has met with the mayor on several occasions, adding there is a close connection between the city, its leadership and the various departments. “What I heard here today is certainly in keeping with a lot of the other discussions that have taken place. There’s a vibrancy and a vision to the development of Brandon, so it’s certainly interesting and nice to hear that spoken of here today as well,” Bates said.
Making Brandon a great and thriving city is more than just the responsibility of city council, Fawcett said as he wrapped up his speech. Everyone needs to invest in local businesses, advocate for continued development, volunteer — and even run for office. “By helping to see Brandon’s future, we can all contribute to the city’s success,” Fawcett said.
“And let’s not forget, to do that, we always need to work together.” Next month’s luncheon will feature Premier Wab Kinew’s State of the Province address to Brandon chamber members. The luncheon is scheduled for May 15 at the Keystone Centre’s UCT Pavilion from 11 a.
m. to 1 p.m.
» [email protected] » enviromichele.bsky.
social Advertisement Advertisement.
