The City of Brandon, in collaboration with the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation (BDDC) and Brandon Downtown BIZ is pleased to announce the State of the Downtown event. This event will take place on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brandon City Hall Foyer. State of the Downtown is an opportunity for residents, business owners, and community stakeholders to come together and learn about the exciting events and initiatives happening in the heart of our city. Key representatives will share updates on the progress and future for downtown Brandon. Event Details:  Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025  Time: 6 – 8 p.m.  Location: Brandon City Hall Foyer, 410 9th Street, Brandon, MB  We invite all members of the community to join us for an informative and inspiring evening as we celebrate the vibrant future of downtown Brandon.

January 9, 2025 – The Keystone Centre is proud to announce the release of its 2023-24 Annual Report, providing a detailed overview of its financial performance, key achievements, and strategic vision for the future. This year, the Keystone Centre celebrated its 50th anniversary with a milestone community event featuring a free concert on the newly renovated outdoor stage, food trucks, a vintage thrift market, a classic car show, and a family fun zone, concluding with a fireworks display. Reflecting on this legacy, the Centre also looked to the future by initiating a Master Site Plan and completing an Economic Impact Assessment that demonstrated its $78.1 million annual contribution to the provincial economy, supporting over 2,000 jobs. The fiscal year saw significant investments in infrastructure. Renovations to Westoba Place included new seating, the addition of 13 loge boxes, and long-anticipated air conditioning and dehumidification upgrades. These projects, made possible through the support of the Province of Manitoba’s Arts, Culture, and Sport in Community Fund, enhance the facility's ability to host large-scale events year- round. Additional upgrades included replacing the North End Chiller and ongoing LED lighting upgrades in partnership with Efficiency Manitoba. Operationally, the Centre experienced growth in tradeshows, conferences, special events, and concerts, including two sold-out shows. Rental revenue exceeded projections at $4.47 million, while total revenue generated exceeded $5.575 million. Notably, the Keystone Centre secured the return of the Canadian National Arabian Horse Show through a three-year contract with a two-year extension. Adding to this success, the Centre will host the prestigious Global Champions Arabian Tour (GCAT), marking the first time the event will be held in the Western Hemisphere, solidifying Brandon’s position as a global event destination. This year marked the promotion of Connie Lawrence to CEO and general manager, a role in which she has helped guide the Keystone Centre through a period of growth and opportunity. Reflecting on the year, Lawrence shared, “I am grateful for the support of our Board, the Province of Manitoba, the City of Brandon, and our community partners, whose contributions have been instrumental in our success in 2024, and whose ongoing collaboration we look forward to in 2025.”

Brandon's Brad Schoonbaert has left Kansas City in the ECHL and has made a deal with one of the top teams in the UK called Cardiff Devils. Former Steinbach Piston and U OF C forward has had a decent start to his pro career in the ECHL with Kansas City. Click on this story from Cardiff Devils https://www.cardiffdevils.com/news/devils-add-forward-brad-schoonbaert/

Very few businesses can claim being open for 60 years but the Main family from Brandon has done that and very successfully. In late 2024 Ryan Main and his family decided now is the time to sell Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre on the North Hill. BDNMB – Big decision to sell after 60 years I imagine Ryan Main - Sixty years is a long time! I spent the past 18 years of my life in Pik-A-Dilly, full time in one capacity or another and witnessed a LOT of changes in the business landscape in Brandon. And to think, I didn't even get to a third of the years that the business had been running for! Between Grandpa Frank and Grandma Shirley starting selling campers from a corner B&A gas station at the corner of 10th and Vic, to relocating the business to where the Victoria Inn currently sits to the current location on the North Hill, our family has been at the helm of Pik-A-Dilly. We've been a major part of thousands of families camping adventures, many through multiple generations. To look at it that way and know that our family helped so many create lasting, lifelong memories with their loved ones is something I will always be proud of. The decision was a difficult one, but it was time. I had hit a point where I was burnt out and I needed to be available to my family more readily as the kids are at an age where we can go and make our own lifelong memories and I never want to think (or have them think) that anything was 'missed' out on. The generations are different from when I was young and mom was able to be at home to now where a single income family is very rare so family time is a little harder to come by. BDNMB - What is your favorite memory Ryan Main - I have so many memories from my time in the RV industry. A few off the top of my head have to be; selling a trailer to couples that had previously purchased from both Grandpa Frank and dad (happened twice!), getting to experience Las Vegas for yearly RVDA conventions, making lifelong relationships and friendships with local business people and the connections made with local events and charities through sponsorship and donations, so many good stories and memories with past staff and customers, the family feel of a smaller staff working together, rekindling a friendship that led to getting married and having three wonderful kids happened through an industry meeting in Alberta. Having those three kids visit while Kelly was on mat leave with each of them - Alex was passed around to staff members and customers alike to get used to 'other people' besides mom and dad holding him all the time, Bennett would come up and bring coffee that he always tried to get his hands on as a baby and Colbie just had to have her hands on everything and anything she could grab (especially her "clackulator"). My dog Poncho being the unofficial greeter at the dealership and being able to have him with me at work, so many great memories I can't possibly revisit them all. BDNMB - And what would be your least favorite memory Ryan Main - My least favorite memory of my time working in a family business had to be when I first started in sales, I took a family out to show them some trailers and, being new, I answered a lot of questions with "I'm not sure of the answer to that, but I will get it for you before you leave" and having the gentleman go up one side of me and down the other for not knowing the answers to all of his questions on the spot. That actually had me briefly question whether I should even bother at all with the job as there was a certain pressure that came with the shoes to fill before me. I'm glad I stuck it out though! BDNMB - Million-dollar question what will you do now Ryan Main – As far as what's next for me, I've moved across the highway to run the parts department at Maxim Truck and Trailer. It's a little different in terms of industries, but people skills are transferable and learning new things keeps you young I've heard! All in all, at the end of the day, it was important for dad and I to find new owners that had the same, small mom and pop values that we ran the business with and we think that we found that with the group from Steinbach Trailers. It was arranged so that all of the current staff kept their positions so campers can count on a familiar voice and familiar faces for when they contact the dealership as the weather turns a little more 'camping friendly' again! My family and I won't be out of the camping industry totally, we'll just be on the other side of it enjoying our many local campgrounds in our camper with our kids. I've heard so many stories about this great camping spot or that great camping resort, now I get to experience them first hand!! BDNMB - Do you see major changes in the RV industry moving forward? Ryan Main - As far as the RV industry is concerned, there will always be changes, whether big or small, but they'll always be further behind than say the auto industry. It's such a laid back way of life. COVID times were huge as camping seemed to be the one thing that everyone could actually go out and do, so everyone who could find an RV to purchase bought one. We couldn't keep trailers in stock if we wanted to. I remember many people saying that it looked like we were going out of business with the number of trailers in stock and trying to strategically park the sales lot to make it look fuller than it was. The industry had a bit of a set back coming out of the pandemic, but it's started to come back closer to pre-pandemic levels now. I've always said that there is only so much you can do inside a box that's 30 feet (ish) long by 8 feet wide, so I don't foresee any mind-blowing changes in the near future as there would need to be so many other changes to accommodate that (DOT regulations for towing, campground changes for longer or wider units, etc). And I think that there is so much variation in floor plans and manufacturer's that automated assembly is likely a long way off for RV's.

MPI thanks the Public Utilities Board (PUB) for its response to the Corporation’s 2025/26 General Rate Application, which begins April 1, 2025. MPI respects the independent role of the PUB and will work to implement the order that has been issued for the Corporation’s compulsory line of business (Basic insurance). Coverage under MPI’s Basic insurance is mandatory for Manitoba drivers and rates are regulated and approved by PUB annually. For the 2025/26 insurance year, PUB has ordered a 5.7 per cent increase to Basic insurance rates, which will represent an increase of $50.84 per year or $4.24 per month for the average passenger vehicle policy. To ensure customers can choose the type of coverage that best meets their needs, MPI also offers additional options through its Extension line of business. These products are not mandatory and customers may choose to purchase them from any insurance provider in the province. With 96 per cent of customers choosing to purchase Extension products from MPI, the Corporation is proud of the value and convenience these options offer to Manitobans. MPI’s Extension product portfolio includes additional third-party liability coverage, rental vehicle insurance and the option for customers to pay slightly higher premiums for their insurance to reduce the deductible they would pay in the event of a claim. For example, MPI’s current Basic insurance deductible is $750, but most Manitobans choose to pay for additional Extension coverage that reduces their deductible to $200. In the current insurance year, MPI’s Board of Directors approved a 10.32 per cent increase to Extension rates, which represented an increase of $9.60 per year for the average passenger vehicle policy. Beginning April 1, 2025, Extension rates will increase by two per cent, which will represent an increase of $1.99 per year on the average passenger vehicle policy. MPI regularly reviews the pricing of its products to ensure we are continuing to provide high-value options for customers that are priced competitively when compared to other providers. The PUB has also approved MPI’s application for a $10 increase to the cost of an annual driver’s licence. This helps support the Personal Injury Protection Plan (PIPP), one of the most comprehensive universal injury protection plans in North America. MPI has not increased the cost of a driver’s licence since 1997. An expansion of the Driver Safety Rating system was also approved in the 2025/26 order. Customers who move to the new level 19 on the scale will receive an additional discount above the current maximum of 46 per cent. All changes delivered in the order will be in effect as of April 1, 2025