The Kiwanis Club of Brandon will be holding their annual bike auction at the Keystone Centre (curling club) on the 27th of April. The Brandon Kiwanis Club has a contractual arrangement with the Brandon Police Service to sell bicycles that they collect through theft, and other means. Each year approximately 100-125 bikes are expected to be up for auction. Proceeds from the sale are used to support community projects. The auction starts at 10:00 AM. People interested in making a bid for a bike at the auction will have a chance to survey the bikes before the event starting at 9:00 AM. All sales are final and no reserve bids will be accepted. Professional auctioneers are used for the sale. There will be a second auction Saturday, July 27th.

The 2019 Brandon Firefighter Rooftop Campout for charity begins tomorrow at noon. Adrian Fraijo, LeAnna Namaka, Adam Desjardin and Matthew Tannas will climb up a fire truck ladder to the roof of Firehall No. 2 where they will stay until Saturday afternoon. People are encouraged to come by anytime during the day or night and put money in the donation boot. Proceeds from the donations will be split between Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy Westman Chapter, and the Brandon Firefighters Charity Fund. Firehall No. 2 is located at 13th St and Queens Ave.

On Monday, March 11, 2019, the Board of Trustees met to review and finalize the 2019-2020 Budget and Special Levy. The Board of Trustees gave approval to the 2019-2020 Operating and Capital Expenditures, the 2019-2020 Special Requirement and the Special Levy for 2019 as follows: The 2019-2020 Budget results in a 0.85% increase in the Special Requirement (below the 2.0% cap set by the Minister), and a (0.39) % decrease in the mill rate for 2019 or a $(6.67) annual decrease on a typical home valued at $254,571. Education Property Tax on a Home valued at $254,571 in 2019. The 2019-2020 Budget also provides for the following: Expected enrollment growth. The Brandon School Division is a growing division and we are expecting 9,037 students in September 2019, an increase of 115 (1.3%) students. Increase of 6.05 FTE teaching positions, 6.14 FTE for enrollment growth and a reduction of (0.09) FTE non-ratio positions due to funding. Increase of 0.94 FTE support staff, which includes the following; 0.90 FTE Educational Assistants (EAs) and 0.13 FTE Custodial Assistants (Coquitlam formula) due to enrollment growth and a reduction of (0.09) FTE Lunchroom Assistants. A 2.4% inflationary increase is provided to the school instructional supply budgets, capital & maintenance budget and other controllable supplies and services. An additional 10 FTE Educational Assistants to provide students with equitable access to quality educational experiences and service. An additional Principal and School Administrative Assistant to prepare for the new Maryland Park School opening in September 2020. The Division will replace four (4) buses, funds for the buses will come from the school bus capital reserve.

Proposed amendments to The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act would enhance cannabis possession rules to protect health and safety, preserve the integrity of the legal retail cannabis system and stop the illicit cannabis market, Justice Minister Cliff Cullen announced today. “Throughout the process of federal cannabis legalization, our government has continued to make health and safety our top priority,” said Cullen.  “These possession restrictions help crack down on the illicit cannabis market by giving provincial inspectors the clear ability to seize illicit cannabis.” The proposed amendments would make it an offence to possess more than 30 grams of non-medical cannabis in a public place.  Similar federal prohibitions already exist under The Excise Act, 2001 and The Cannabis Act but provincial inspectors appointed under The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act cannot enforce those laws. Creating the proposed new provincial offences would enable inspectors, including Manitoba Finance officers who enforce provincial tobacco laws, to take action against those who possess illicit cannabis in Manitoba.  It would also give police the option to proceed by way of a ticket for possession over 30 grams rather than going through the more complex process of charging an individual criminally.  The fine amounts for all new offences would be determined by regulation. The proposed amendments would also make it an offence to possess cannabis that is not packaged, stamped and labelled in accordance with federal legislation.  This would preserve the integrity of the legal retail cannabis market by prohibiting the possession of illicit cannabis. Cullen noted that exemptions in the legislation would ensure that individuals can still remove cannabis from its original packaging for storage and consumption. For more information on cannabis in Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/cannabis.

Legislative amendments that would expand the sale of cider and spirit-based coolers to hotel beer vendors was introduced in the Manitoba legislature today, Crown Services Minister Colleen Mayer announced. “Our government is focused on reducing red tape that holds our province back and limits consumer choice,” Mayer said.  “We are proud to provide greater choice and convenience for Manitoba consumers, with more retail and product options closer to home.” The amendments under The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act would reduce red tape, provide greater consumer choice and bring rural community product offerings in line with urban centres where Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) operates retail locations. Currently, hotel beer vendors are restricted to selling beer and malt-based coolers, and can only sell spirit-based coolers and ciders under certain conditions such as being located a specific distance from a liquor vendor. The proposed amendments would permit all hotel beer vendors to sell cider and spirit-based coolers, in addition to privately distributed beer. In addition, MBLL plans to extend permission to private rural liquor vendors to sell single-serve domestic beer, previously only sold by hotel beer vendors and some rural liquor vendors granted an exception. “The changes provide the opportunity for businesses to expand their product assortment to satisfy customer demand,” Mayer added.  “A greater assortment of products closer to home is good news for the Manitoba consumer.”