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.

The Brandon Police Service is seeking the public’s assistance in solving 70 + Tire Slashings.  In the early morning hours of March 12th, two suspects went on a spree of slashing vehicle tires in the south end of Brandon. (This video shows 2:57 a.m.).   Streets Targeted: Pine Ridge Cres. Hawthorn Cres. Magnolia Drive Tracey Street Sycamore Drive Aspen Drive Mullberry Cres. # of cars vandalized = 70 + and counting Time frame = Middle of night Suspect Description = Two suspects. Suspect 1 – red jogging pants, red hoody, black jacket, sunglasses on Suspect 2 – grey pants, grey hoody, black vest over hoody, black shoes Status of Investigation: Under Investigation If you have information on this, please contact Crime Stoppers. All tips remain anonymous and you WILL be rewarded with cash.

Assiniboine College and the Shilo Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that formalizes a collaborative partnership to expand post-secondary education, skills training and employment-related learning opportunities for Canadian Armed Forces members, their families and the broader CFB Shilo community. “This partnership represents both an exciting opportunity and a clear need for accessible education and training close to where people live and work,” said Michael Cameron, Dean of Community Development at Assiniboine College. “This agreement allows us to work closely with the MFRC to support military families with flexible, relevant learning opportunities that align with career goals, community needs and life on the base.” As part of the agreement, the Shilo MFRC will provide Assiniboine College with space to serve for training purposes. While the Shilo MFRC facility will function as the primary location for programming, the MOU enables Assiniboine to deliver training at other suitable locations across the base, depending on program needs. This flexible approach allows for hands-on and specialized training in areas such as business, culinary arts and automotive technology, among others. “We’re thrilled to formalize this partnership with Assiniboine College,” said Rob Lavin, Executive Director at Shilo MFRC. “It is essential that military and veteran families that we serve have access to education and training opportunities that are convenient, supportive and responsive to their realities. This MOU helps us do exactly that.” The MOU outlines a shared commitment to increasing awareness of post-secondary and employment training options, supporting learner success and strengthening connections between Assiniboine College, the MFRC and key stakeholders at CFB Shilo. This agreement reflects a broader commitment by both parties to support economic development, lifelong learning, and the well-being of military families as CFB Shilo continues to grow. (ACC COllege News)

Disturbance Call  On March 15, 2026, at approximately 1:30 am, police attended a residence for a disturbance.  As a result, multiple individuals found inside the home were arrested for a variety of separate reasons.  A 27-year-old male and a 40-year-old female were arrested and lodged on outstanding warrants. A 25-year-old female was arrested and lodged as she was failing to abide by her release conditions. A 30-year-old male was also arrested and lodged on an outstanding warrant for Fail to Attend Court.  He was the subject of a separate ongoing investigation as he was alleged to have pretended to be his sibling during a previous arrest on March 7, 2026, in order to evade being charged himself.  He will face new charges of Identity Fraud, and he will face the original charges from March 7: Assault w/weapon, Utter Threats, Possess Weapon, and Possess cocaine. Impaired Driving On January 13, 2026, shortly before 5:00 am, police responded to a report of a single vehicle MVA vs a tree in the 1300 block of 1st street.  The driver was transported to hospital for treatment of minor injuries.  He provided a blood sample at the time which was later tested and found to be over the legal limit.  On March 14, 2026, the 28-year-old male was arrested and released to appear in court on charges of Driving While Ability Impaired and Driving with more then 80mgs% in the blood.  He will appear in court on March 19, 2026. Breach of the Peace On March 15, 2026, at approximately 8:00 am, police responded to a report of three unwanted intoxicated individuals at a residence.  When police arrived, two adult males and one adult female were refusing to leave and uncooperative.  To prevent their behavior from continuing or escalating, they were each lodged until sober.