Brandon Police Service Media Release Five people have been arrested following the result of a traffic stop, and execution of a search warrant, in the 200 block of Rosser Ave E in Brandon. The search warrant was in relation to CDSA and Criminal Code offenses following a Crime Support Unit investigation. Police say they seized a sawed off semi-auto shotgun, loaded, an ammo belt with fourteen 12gauge shells, a .22 calibre hand gun with a banana style clip with 2 rounds, two cans of bear spray, sixteen .32 calibre rifle cartridges and 80 grams of Marihuana. In total 20 Criminal Code and CDSA charges were laid and 4 Warrants of Arrest executed. Among those arrested include a 27 year old Brandon man, 24 year old Winnipeg man, and a 26 year old resident of Griswold, MB. Two females were also arrested including a 19 year old Brandon woman, and a 16 year old Brandon youth. All are scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

City of Brandon Release Brandon, MB – The City of Brandon, along with management and staff at the Brandon Municipal Airport, are extremely pleased to inform the public that, as of today, the newly-expanded airport terminal facility is now open for all arrivals and departures activity. Upon entrance into the expanded facility, travellers are greeted with a spacious check-in and baggage check area before proceeding to a separate security screening area operated by The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA). The new departures lounge features a comfortable seating area complete with device charging stations, as well as snack/beverage/coffee vending machines, a water fountain/bottle fill station, an ATM terminal, and accessible washroom facilities. Inbound travellers to the airport will enter the terminal via the arrivals area to pick up any checked luggage and also have access to an on-site car rental kiosk. A total of 130 short-term parking (7 days or less) stalls, including designated accessible stalls and those set aside for taxis, are available for use at no charge. Vehicles requiring long-term parking are required to park in the airport’s overflow parking lot, which is located to the west of the terminal building. Vehicles found to be parked in the short-term parking lot in excess of 7 days may be ticketed at the discretion of airport management. The public is also reminded that the loading and unloading zone directly in front of the terminal building is for passenger drop-off ONLY and CANNOT be used by parked vehicles waiting for departing or arriving travellers. Vehicles found to be parked in violation of this provision may also be ticketed. Management and staff at the Brandon Municipal Airport wish to advise motorists of surface breaks that currently exist along Sandison Road in the area of the airport entrance. As the roadway is under provincial jurisdiction for maintenance, the City of Brandon is working with Manitoba Infrastructure to improve its surface conditions. Management and staff will spend the next several weeks getting used to using the full space, with a grand opening ceremony slated for this summer. More information about daily flights at the Brandon Municipal Airport, including the WestJet counter hours of operation, can be found by visiting http://airport.brandon.ca/.

A sad day for residents of Virden, and area, as the clubhouse at the Virden Wellview Golf Course was destroyed by a mid-afternoon fire Tuesday. Reports indicate the fire department got the call at around 3:30 this afternoon. All staff and patrons got out ok. No word on a cause of the blaze yet. The Virden Wellview Golf Course is a 9-hole course, located just west of Virden on highway #83 and PR #257. Virden Wellness Golf Coure fire destroys clubhouse.

A large quantity of bacon was reportedly taken from a Grandview, MB business Saturday night, May 7th, 2017. The Friendly Corner Bakeshop recently posted on their Facebook page that as a result of the break-in they lost a lot of product and inventory. It is important to note that usually this type of bacon can only be purchased through a restaurant supplier, Sysco. Some equipment was also damaged limiting their ability to fulfill food orders. Anyone with information is asked to please forward it onto the RCMP.

BRANDON—The governments of Canada and Manitoba have a launched a new two-year pilot project to help people who are at risk of becoming homeless find stable and safe housing. The announcement was made by Manitoba Families Minister Scott Fielding and Terry Duguid, on behalf of Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and minister responsible for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. “This pilot project recognizes that many people can face challenges finding suitable housing, even though it is often the first step for many people to stabilize their lives, feel safe and become a part of a community,” said Fielding. “This rent supplement program provides financial support, while also connecting participants with other resources to improve their futures over the longer term. This is the first time the Manitoba government has partnered with a community agency on this type of program and we look forward to learning more about how it affects recipients and their overall success.” The Housing First Rent Supplement program will provide up to $250 per month in a rental subsidy for at least 48 vulnerable families and individuals in Brandon who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. In total, more than $307,000 will be invested in this initiative over the next two years through the federal-provincial Investment in Affordable Housing (IAH) agreement. “Our government is committed to providing communities the support they need to build capacity to develop local solutions to homelessness,” said Duguid, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South. “Access to adequate, affordable housing is the foundation for socio-economic success. It supports better education and health outcomes, better employment prospects and better community engagement and cohesion, not to mention economic growth and financial security.” The program will be delivered by the Manitoba Metis Federation Southwest Region Inc. It will select eligible recipients and connect them with other needed community supports, with the goal of helping participants become successful tenants and move toward greater independence. “We are thrilled Brandon was chosen as a test site to deliver the Housing First Rent Supplement program,” said Leah LaPlante, vice-president, Manitoba Metis Federation Southwest Region Inc. “This additional funding increases our capacity to connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness with affordable housing options, along with the supports they need to achieve housing stability. We are committed to working with our partners to ensure successful implementation of the program.  This funding announcement is in large part a recognition of our community’s commitment to effective collaboration and service co-ordination and we are confident this investment will pay huge dividends through improved health and socio-economic outcomes, along with a reduction in the use of emergency services.” The Canada and Manitoba governments recently announced an expanded commitment to the IAH agreement, representing almost $90 million over the next two years. The new funding is in addition to approximately $166 million in joint eight-year funding to help create more affordable housing options in Manitoba. For more information about the Manitoba Metis Federation Southwest Region Inc., visit www.southwestmmf.ca. For more information about housing programs in Manitoba, visit www.gov.mb.ca/housing/. The Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been helping Canadians meet their housing needs for more than 70 years. As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. Prudent risk management, strong corporate governance and transparency are cornerstones of CMHC’s operations. For more information, call (toll-free) 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/.