The City of Brandon Streets and Roads Department has recently completed an important update to all City of Brandon parking meters within the city. Effective immediately, the parking meter rates in the 2024 fee schedule will apply to all meters.  In the fall of 2023, the City Council formally adopted the 2024 fee schedule. As part of this process, City administration conducted a comprehensive study to evaluate the existing parking meter rates. The findings revealed that Brandon’s rates were significantly below the average when compared to rates in 10 other Canadian cities.  To address this, the City has implemented an increase in parking meter rates. Previously priced at $0.50 per hour, the new rate is now $1.00 per hour. The updated rates are as follows:  ·         $0.10 for 6 minutes  ·         $0.20 for 12 minutes  ·         $0.50 for 30 minutes  ·         $1.00 for 1 hour   Additionally, there is a maximum time limit of 2 hours for parking at a time. These rates are in effect from Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. except for some City parking meters located around the Brandon Regional Health Centre, which are in effect Monday to Sunday, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Please note that toonies are not accepted in City parking meters. 

On February 6th, 2024, at 1:06 pm Police conducted a traffic stop in the 1500 block of Parker Boulevard. During further investigation officers located open liquor and approximately 8 oz of cocaine in the vehicle. A 28-year-old female and a 37-year-old female were arrested and will appear in court on April 11th, 2024.

On February 5th ,2024 at 8:31 pm a business in the 800 block of 18th street reported two females had filled bags with merchandise and then fled the store. Police located the suspects in the area. A 37-year-old female and a 28-year-old female were arrested and will appear in court on April 18th, 2024.

Brandon City Council has passed the 2024 budget, which balances sustainability and affordability.   The needs-focused budget includes a 9.4 per cent tax increase. The critical repairs and improvements Brandon residents will see include: Additional police officers to keep Brandon streets safe Expansion of the police cadet program downtown More paramedics to put an additional ambulance on the road, making sure help comes quickly when people need it An upgraded water treatment plant to keep drinking water safe Land drainage improvement to prevent homes and basements from flooding in vulnerable areas The next steps on the Maple Leaf Foods Sports Field Complex A new ice plant at the Brandon Community Sportsplex, which will mean reopening the rink for hockey, figure, and public skaters New buses for Brandon Transit and Brandon Access Transit fleet, making sure people have a safe and reliable ride The establishment of a Medical Doctor Recruitment / Retention Program New program for lighting on City paths New grant program for household drainage improvements Establishing a resident home drainage assistance program “Brandon families count on a great quality of life and reasonable taxes, and that’s what we set out to deliver,” said Mayor Jeff Fawcett. “This budget has a real focus on what people need, what they deserve, and what really matters like clean water, safe streets, and a livable city. “We’re going to fix what’s crumbling. We’re going to make sure Brandon is safe. We’re going to invest in the quality of life. We’re going to make sure growth pays for growth. And we’re going to start the process of rebuilding long-term sustainability in Brandon’s finances.” In late 2023, Brandon released a report from accounting and economics firm MNP, which concluded that Brandon needed to shift the balance between sustainability and affordability. By focusing the 2024 budget on urgent needs and re-prioritizing infrastructure repairs and construction projects, City Council is confident they’re putting Brandon on more sustainable path. But the solutions can’t come from the City alone, said Fawcett. For seven years, the Province of Manitoba froze municipal funding. Infrastructure aged and inflation soared while provincial funding was stagnant. “Brandon needs the provincial and federal governments to cover their fair share,” said Fawcett. “We’ve had new success in calling on our partners to join us in serving and building Brandon — taking some of the burden off Brandon taxpayers. But there’s more we need them to do. This year, you can expect me to be fighting for more governments grants for the people of this great city.”

At 12:12 am, Police received a report of a male assaulting a female at an establishment in the 1100 block of 18th St. Upon attending to the scene, officers learned that the 22 year old male had gotten into an argument with a female and assaulted her by choking her. The suspect was arrested and held in custody and will be released for court at a later date.