The City of Brandon invites residents, businesses, and organizations to participate in the annual Downtown Spring Community Clean-Up Day on Wed, May 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Princess Park.  This event serves as an excellent opportunity for the community to unite and contribute to beautifying our downtown area by removing litter accumulated after the spring thaw. This year’s event has been organized in collaboration with Prairie Mountain Health, The Women’s Resource Centre, Men’s Resource Centre, Brandon Neighbourhood Renewal Corporation (Ask Auntie & Fresh Start Programs), Brandon Downtown BIZ, and Manitoba Harm Reduction Network. Refreshments including coffee, water, juice boxes, and cookies will be provided. Sunscreen and hand sanitizer will also be available. In addition, prizes will also be awarded for: Best dressed team (pre-register your team here) Most garbage collected Best picture Participants will receive safety vests, gloves, garbage bags, garbage pickers, and sharps containers. Training for proper sharps disposal will be provided. Waiver forms for liability and consent for photographs will be signed upon arrival. Participants will be assigned specific areas to clean, accompanied by a map. For more information, please email housingandwellness@brandon.ca or call 204-729–2120.

Motor vehicle collision with a pedestrian 8:19AM, police and fire responded to a report of a vehicle/pedestrian accident in the parking lot of 510 First Street. Witnesses stated that a truck was reversing into a parking stall and struck a pedestrian walking to a business. The man became trapped under the vehicle and BFES required the “jaws of life” to free him. Ambulance transported a 67 y/o man to the hospital with serious but non life-threatening injuries. The hospital admitted him for observation. Members of Brandon Police Traffic Services continue to investigate. Theft Under $5000 Police investigated two unrelated thefts from local businesses. The first occurred May 1st, security downtown reported a cellular phone stolen, the incident was captured on video.  The suspect returned on May 2nd and security contacted police. Members located and arrested a 50 y/o man in connection to this crime. Police later released him from custody with a court date and conditions not to return. The second theft occurred at a business on Victoria Avenue. Staff advised police that on five separate occasions, a man left the store and only paid for some of his merchandise. Police identified a 65 y/o Brandon man through video and his vehicle license plate. He was located and charged with five counts of theft under $5000.00. Police released him from custody with a court date.

Len Isleifson, a seasoned public servant and security expert, has officially announced his candidacy for Mayor of Brandon in the 2026 municipal election. With over 40 years of experience in public service, leadership, and community engagement, Isleifson brings a proven track record of dedication and results to his campaign. Currently serving as the Security Manager at Assiniboine College, Isleifson has been instrumental in advancing public safety and emergency preparedness. His previous role as Regional Manager of Security Services with Prairie Mountain Health highlighted his strength in crisis management, physical security, and strategic planning. Isleifson’s commitment to public service is deeply rooted in his time as the Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Brandon East, a position he held for over seven years. During his tenure, he was appointed Special Envoy for Military Affairs, served on the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, and was appointed as the Deputy Chair - Committee of the Whole House, contributing significantly to provincial governance and policy development. His leadership journey began at the municipal level as a City Councillor for Brandon, where he also served as Deputy Mayor and Vice Chair of the Brandon Police Board. Isleifson’s community involvement includes key roles with the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium and the Assiniboine Hills Conservation District, reflecting his enduring commitment to enhancing the quality of life in Brandon. “I am excited to announce my candidacy for Mayor of Brandon,” said Isleifson. “With my extensive experience in security, public administration, and community leadership, I am confident in my ability to lead our city toward a brighter, more prosperous future. I look forward to engaging with residents, listening to their concerns, and working together to build a stronger, more inclusive community.” sleifson’s campaign will focus on three key pillars: enhancing public safety, promoting sustainable economic growth, and improving access to community services. He is committed to transparency, accountability, and collaboration with all stakeholders.

The Manitoba government has partnered with front-line health-care staff to form a Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team and develop a strategy to reduce blockages in the health-care system and reduce patient wait times in the emergency room, Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara announced today. “The emergency department is the front door to our health-care system and its ability to function efficiently for patients is influenced by the decisions made in departments across the system – from acute care, to medicine wards, to community care,” said Asagwara. “The Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team brings experts from across the system to work together to identify bed blocks, implement change and smooth out processes so patients can get in to see a doctor, get treatment and get home faster. We’re going to move forward hand in hand with the front-line workers who deliver care.” The Lower Wait Time and System Improvement Team is led by Dr. Paul Ratana, provincial specialty lead of emergency medicine at Health Sciences Centre (HSC) Winnipeg, and Dr. Kendiss Olafson, internal medicine and critical care at HSC Winnipeg, with physicians, nurses and allied health professionals with specialties in emergency medicine, internal medicine, neurology, family medicine, anesthesiology and more. The team is supported by experienced process engineers who specialize in streamlining systems to improve services. “No one understands the delays in patient care better than those on the front lines of health care,” said Olafson. “They face the daily frustration of a system that is often slow, fragmented and siloed. Our goal is to address some of the most challenging and discouraging aspects of care delivery –supporting the quality of front-line work without adding to workloads.” The Manitoba government has released a Lower Wait Time Strategy, developed by the team, to improve timely patient access to high-quality emergency health care across the province. The strategy outlines how to increase or add services that affect the timeliness of care at three main points of a patient’s experience – triage and admission if necessary, inpatient care and access to outpatient treatment to be able to return home safely. Strategic initiatives include increasing the number of endoscopy procedures, including over the weekend, exploring models to shorten the wait time between triage and initial physician assessments, and expanding the community intravenous program to allow more patients to recover at home. To read the Lower Wait Time Strategy, visit https://manitoba.ca/asset_library/en/lowerwait/lower-wait-times-strategy.pdf.

The City of Brandon is pleased to announce that a tender will be issued later this spring for the reconstruction of 26th St. between Park Ave. and Victoria Ave. This vital infrastructure project aims to address the severely deteriorated road surface. The reconstruction project will include: Replacement of underground utilities Reconstruction of the entire street including the curbs and gutters Reconstruction of sidewalks Enhancement of the pedestrian crossing at J.R. Reid School Replacement of traffic signals at 26th St. & Park Ave. Modifications to intersections at Balsam Cres. & 26th St. and McTavish Ave. & 26th St. “The reconstruction of 26th Street is an essential infrastructure project that will enhance the roadway and improve overall safety in the area,” said City Manager Dave Wardrop. “We are making sure this project gets underway this year and will meet the needs of our residents.” During the reconstruction, traffic may be redirected to adjacent streets.  Any road closures will be posted and listed on roadclosures.brandon.ca. The City will continue to share key updates on this project once construction is set to commence.