At about 12:35 PM Friday afternoon, a Brandon woman reported that her ex-partner, a 36 year-old male, had stolen her vehicle and was intoxicated. She witnessed him hit a fence, causing damage to both the vehicle and fence, then drive away. Just before 1:00 PM, a second call was received of a possible impaired driver who had abandoned the vehicle in the 200 block Franklin Street, toss the keys, and walk away. The male suspect was located nearby and taken into custody. He was returned to BPS where he provided breath samples with results over three times the legal limit. He was held in custody to be released this morning. He is scheduled to appear in court on March 26th facing impaired driving charges, theft of motor vehicle, and tickets under the Highway Traffic Act relating to leaving the scene of an accident and driving without holding a valid license.

Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre reports the risk of spring flooding is low to moderate for most Manitoba rivers heading into the spring runoff period, with the exception of the Fisher River basin in the Interlake Region which has a moderate to major flood risk. Spring flood risk remains largely dependent on weather conditions from now through the melt period, including additional snowfall, spring rainfall and the timing and rate of snowmelt. The Hydrological Forecast Centre advises most Manitoba lakes are expected to remain within their desired operating ranges after spring runoff and the risk of flooding along Manitoba lakes is low. A moderate risk of flooding is in effect for the Red, Assiniboine and Souris rivers along with the Icelandic River in the Interlake region and portions of the Saskatchewan River in northern Manitoba. Spring flood risk is moderate to major along the Fisher River. Flood risk is considered low for the Red and Assiniboine River tributaries, including the Pembina, Rat and Roseau rivers. Eastern Manitoba including the Winnipeg River basin and Whiteshell Lakes area and most Manitoba lakes also have a low risk of spring flooding. Soil moisture at freeze-up was near-to below-normal across most of Manitoba, winter precipitation has ranged from near-to below-normal in many regions and soil frost depths are generally normal to shallower than normal, allowing normal to above-normal infiltration of meltwater. Snow-water content across Manitoba basins indicated snow accumulations are generally within the normal range, except for parts of southern Manitoba where snow accumulation remains below typical values for this time of year. The Fisher river basin in the Interlake region has normal to above-normal snow water content. Lake levels across the province are within their operating ranges. Lake Winnipeg and Lake Manitoba are well below normal for this time of year and inflows into most major lakes are expected to be below seasonal normals, reflecting generally drier-than-normal conditions across contributing river basins. The Red River Floodway is not expected to be operated under normal or favourable weather conditions but may be operated under unfavourable conditions to reduce water levels within the City of Winnipeg. The Portage Diversion may be operated under unfavourable weather conditions or to mitigate ice-jamming on the lower Assiniboine River. The Shellmouth Reservoir is being operated in consultation with the Shellmouth Liaison Committee to reduce downstream flood risk while maintaining water supply and recreation objectives. Ice-cutting and breaking activities are complete along the Red River and Icelandic River to reduce the risk of ice-jam flooding. There is a risk of jam induced flooding in areas that are historically affected by ice jams, including the Saskatchewan, Carrot, Swan, Icelandic and Fisher rivers. Ice conditions and spring weather will play a key role in determining breakup timing and localized flooding potential. Spring flood risk will continue to depend on weather conditions through the melt period. As temperatures warm and ice strength deteriorates, Manitobans are reminded to stay off waterways, rivers and retention ponds. The Manitoba Emergency Management Organization continues to work with local authorities, First Nations and emergency management partners to prepare for potential spring flooding. This includes reviewing emergency plans, sharing information, and preparing resources for flood response, as well as coordination with Indigenous Services Canada and Manitoba Municipal and Northern Relations for First Nations and northern communities. The 2026 spring flood outlook report is available at: https://www.gov.mb.ca/floodinfo/pdf/2026/march_2026_flood_outlook_report.pdf

On March 18th at 5:48 p.m. police were called to a business in the 800 block of 18th Street as three customers were extremely intoxicated and believed to have stolen something. The threesome was located nearby outside the store. Two were sent on their way upon returning a few items while the third, a 42-year-old male, was found to be in possession of a loaded sawed-off rifle, bear spray, and loose ammunition for the firearm. The male is on a mandatory lifetime firearms prohibition. The male was arrested and brought to BPS detention cells and will attend court in the morning on March 19th, 2026. Charges include Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm, Possess Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized, Possess Firearm Contrary to Prohibition Order x2, Possession of Weapon x2 (firearm and bear spray), Breach of Undertaking x3, and Possess Prohibited Firearm with Ammunition.

The Manitoba government has introduced an amendment to the Business Practices Act that would ban retailers from using consumers’ personal data to increase the price of goods for a specific consumer, Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu announced today. “Protecting Manitobans from unfair pricing practices is essential to keeping life affordable,” said Sandhu. “These are first of their kind amendments and take aim at the misuse of personal data to inflate prices and ensure consumers are treated fairly whether they shop at the grocery store or other retailers. By strengthening these protections, the Manitoba government is reinforcing its broader commitment to lowering everyday costs for families.” Whether in-store or online, the proposed bill would make it an unfair business practice for suppliers to charge higher prices to certain consumers based on personalized or algorithmically determined information. The proposed amendment would also make clear that the Business Practices Act applies to online retailers and online distributors. By adding the use of personal data to increase prices as an unfair business practice, the proposed bill responds to concerns that companies may be using a consumer’s data to charge them more for goods, including groceries. Bill 49 aligns with the Manitoba government’s commitment to lowering grocery prices for Manitobans including other actions such as: removing property controls on grocery store locations; freezing the price of milk; freezing hydro rates; cutting the gas tax permanently; ensuring every student gets a meal; and increasing the property tax credit and the pre-natal benefit to ensure families have more money for groceries

Brandon, MB – At its regular meeting on Mon, Mar. 16, Brandon City Council discussed a variety of topics focused on governance, housing, infrastructure, and future community amenities. Key highlights are summarized below. View the full agenda at brandon.ca/media/4rmhgio5/1-agenda-march-16-2026-clklt-2023.pdf Council Compensation Review Council received a legislatively required presentation reviewing Council compensation, benefits, and overall Council structure. The review also examined Brandon’s current ward system and included a potential option to move to an at‑large model, where councillors would represent larger districts. A special Council meeting will be scheduled in the near future to allow for further discussion of the potential options. Accessible Customer Service Policy Council approved the City’s Accessible Customer Service Policy to ensure continued compliance with the Accessibility for Manitobans Act. This supports the continued enhancement of accessibility practices across municipal services to ensure compliance with provincial legislation and equitable service delivery for residents. Subdivision Application for New Residential Development - 2940 Victoria Ave. Council approved a subdivision application at 2940 Victoria Ave. to support the development of a new 120‑unit residential building. The approval allows for a bare‑land condominium layout with shared common space. 2026 Citizen Appointments to Council Committees Council appointed Colleen Anderson as Chair of the Board of Revision until the end of their term of office Dec. 31, 2026. By‑Laws: By‑Law No. 7441 Council approved By-Law No. 7441 to rezone property located at 1445 – 8th St. from Residential Low Density to Residential Moderate Density. This change allows for the development of a six‑unit residential building. By‑Law No. 7442 Council approved an amendment to borrowing By‑Law No. 7331 to fund Phase 1 of the Southeast Brandon Drainage Improvement Project. The new stormwater infrastructure is aimed at improving drainage and reducing flood risks in the area. By‑Law No. 7445 Council gave first reading to By‑Law No. 7445 to close and convey a portion of 11th St. E., south of McTavish Ave. E. This will allow for future industrial land expansion and development. By‑Law No. 7446 Council gave first reading to By‑Law No. 7446 to close a portion of McTavish Ave., south of the Brandon Police Service building. The area has been closed since 2022 due to an expansion. This partial closure will increase parking for police vehicles, while maintaining lane access and pedestrian connectivity. By-Law No. 7448 Council gave first reading to By-Law No. 7448, related to borrowing for the design and construction of a new outdoor aquatics facility. Design work for this project is planned for 2026 and construction is anticipated to begin in 2027. Early design concepts include a lap pool, leisure pool, water slide, and spray features. The next regular City Council meeting will be held on Tue, Apr. 7, 2026, at 7 p.m. View all Council Agendas and Minutes on brandon.ca/city-hall/agendas-and-minutes.