Brandon Sun – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala speaks during a pre-budget consultation at The Backyard on Aberdeen in Brandon on Friday evening. (Photos by Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Brandonites air pre-budget concerns

By Skye Anderson 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Climate change, health care and affordability were hot topics at the provincial government’s 2026 budget consultation in Brandon.

Finance Minister Adrien Sala opened the presentation at The Backyard on Aberdeen by acknowledging Manitobans’ priorities have been clear — fixing the health-care system, lowering the cost of living and making communities safer.

He went on to highlight announcements the NDP government has made, including the hiring of 3,500 net new health-care workers since October 2023.

Sala also highlighted announcements regarding protecting the environment, like the province installing 51 new electric vehicle charging stations and issuing more than 4,000 EV rebates.

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Province flags 20 more exposure sites in city

By Tessa Adamski 6 minute read Preview

Province flags 20 more exposure sites in city

By Tessa Adamski 6 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

The province has identified 20 new measles exposure sites in Brandon as public health officials investigate “dozens” of cases linked to last month’s Manitoba Ag Days.

The new exposure sites are mostly businesses, but high traffic areas like Brandon’s Shoppers Mall, the pool at the Brandon Community Sportsplex and a couple of medical clinics were also listed in Thursday’s media bulletin.

Public health officials have also identified exposure sites in other parts of Westman, with one in the Rural Municipality of Cornwallis, two in Dauphin, two in Neepawa, one in Virden and three in the Municipality of Brenda-Waskada, the bulletin said.

Despite the large number of sites, a spokesperson for Prairie Mountain Health said it has seen “very few” hospital admissions or patients presenting at the ER for treatment for active measles-related symptoms.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

In November and December, 90 per cent of patients at the Brandon ER were assessed by a physician within seven to seven and a half hours from registration to the initial physician assessment, Prairie Mountain Health figures show. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

An opportunity to honour Manitoba’s founder

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Preview

An opportunity to honour Manitoba’s founder

By Tessa Adamski 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Louis Riel Day is an occasion for western Manitobans to honour the province’s founder, says the Manitoba Métis Federation’s minister of housing.

“It gives us another opportunity to, you know, as the Red River Métis, celebrate our culture, to talk about who Riel was and why he stood up for the right thing, to protect the land,” said Will Goodon, who’s also the elected regional executive for the southwest region.

A variety of celebrations will be held across Westman for Louis Riel Day on Monday.

The Grand Valley and Westman locals of the MMF Southwest Region Inc. are hosting an event in the MNP Hall at the Keystone Centre from noon until 4 p.m.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Prime Minister Mark Carney shakes hands with Manitoba Métis Federation Housing Minister Will Goodon during an event last November marking the 145th anniversary of Louis Riel’s execution at the St. Boniface Cathedral cemetery in Winnipeg. (Mike Sudoma/Winnipeg Free Press files)

Black entrepreneurs welcome $1.2M from province

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Preview

Black entrepreneurs welcome $1.2M from province

By Abiola Odutola 4 minute read Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026

Brandon business owners say more than $1.2 million in provincial funding over the last year aimed at Manitoba’s Black community is creating opportunities that extend beyond individual companies.

Emelio Brown, vice-president of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and co-owner of IntriTech, said his company was among those selected for support under the Manitoba Black Entrepreneurs and Small Business Program announced in June by Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses.

“IntriTech applied for the fund, and we were selected,” Brown said in an interview. “From what I gather, there were a lot of applicants who applied for it, but we were selected as one of the few, and we actually got that funding to put on the programming that we’re doing right now.”

Brown said the funding was not designed to generate profit for his marketing agency, but to create community impact.

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Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026

Emelio Brown, vice-president of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce and founder and CEO of IntriTech Digital Marketing, says provincial funding his marketing agency received from the province was not designed to generate profit, but to create community impact. (Alex Lambert/The Brandon Sun files)

Beef producers push for action on deer, elk

By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Preview

Beef producers push for action on deer, elk

By Connor McDowell, Local Journalism Initiative 4 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

Manitoba Beef Producers members voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to lobby the province and the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation for action on deer and elk populations that are costly to farmers.

The organization tabled a resolution focused on reducing the damage that wild deer and elk cause by entering onto farms and consuming feed.

It passed with a significant show of support, said CEO Carson Callum.

“I would say all those in the room supported it,” Callum said. “This gives us really good direction to take this forward to the provincial government and advocate.”

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

A white-tailed deer peers out from a crop of canola along Grand Valley Road west of Brandon. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Second man sentenced in assault over noise complaint

By Skye Anderson 5 minute read Preview

Second man sentenced in assault over noise complaint

By Skye Anderson 5 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

A man has been sentenced to almost 14 months of time already served for his part in an assault over a noise complaint that left the victim with a broken nose.

Earl Moar, 26, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm at the outset of his sentencing hearing in Brandon provincial court on Thursday afternoon.

The Crown asked for an 18-month jail sentence, less the time Moar’s spent in custody. Defence argued for a time-served sentence — the equivalent of 414 days — for several reasons, including that his co-accused received a one-year sentence and Moar wasn’t the initial aggressor.

Crown attorney Yaso Mathu laid out the details of the offence.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

The front doors of the Brandon courthouse on 11th Street. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)

Break-in; MLA unwell

2 minute read Preview

Break-in; MLA unwell

2 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

SUSPECT SOUGHT IN BUSINESS BREAK-IN

The Brandon Police Service is investigating a Thursday evening break-in at a downtown business.

Police received a report at around 7:20 p.m. of a person inside a business in the first block of 10th Street. The caller saw the unknown person on security footage when no one was supposed to be inside the business, BPS said in a news release Friday.

Police set up a perimeter and searched inside the business. Officers also used a drone to search outside the business.

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Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

MMF closer to treaty with feds

By Kevin Rollason 2 minute read Friday, Feb. 13, 2026

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba Métis Federation is one step closer to having a self-government treaty with the federal government.

Federal Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty introduced Bill C-21 Thursday, the Red River Métis Self-Government Recognition and Implementation Treaty, which if passed would be the first self-government treaty with any Métis government in the country.

“This treaty has been 156 years in the making and represents the cherished vision of our ancestors and elders, who fought so hard to preserve our existence and keep the flame of our nationhood alive through the dark times,” MMF President David Chartrand said in a statement.

“This legislation realizes their vision and shows that the fighting spirit of the Red River Métis — Canada’s negotiation partner in Confederation and the founders of Manitoba — can never be dismissed when we stand for what we believe in.”

Province pledges $1.5M for Deloraine airport

By Connor McDowellLocal Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Preview

Province pledges $1.5M for Deloraine airport

By Connor McDowellLocal Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026

DELORAINE — The province will spend $1.49 million to repave the runway at Deloraine-Winchester airport and upgrade its lighting systems.

The 4,000-foot airstrip will be upgraded to continue the airport’s use for services like crop-dusting planes, border surveillance, medical transport and flight training.

The funding is also an investment into the long-term strength of southwest Manitoba, Municipal and Northern Relations Glen Simard said when making the announcement on Thursday.

“These upgrades help diversify the local economy and create opportunities to keep people living, working and raising families in rural Manitoba,” said Simard, the MLA for Brandon East.

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Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026

Municipal and Northern Relations Minister Glen Simard speaks during a provincial funding announcement at the Deloraine-Winchester Airport on Thursday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

Sask. driver admits causing friend’s injuries while impaired

By Skye Anderson 2 minute read Preview

Sask. driver admits causing friend’s injuries while impaired

By Skye Anderson 2 minute read Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026

A Saskatchewan man has pleaded guilty to driving impaired and getting into an accident in the RM of Pipestone that left his passenger with six fractured ribs and a fractured vertebra.

Daniel Joyea, 42, pleaded guilty to a single count driving while impaired over 0.08 and causing bodily harm in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench on Thursday.

Joyea was scheduled to stand trial Thursday and today, but defence lawyer Bob Harrison said his client called him and said he wanted to plead guilty to the charge.

Crown attorney Sarah Kok read the facts behind the guilty plea.

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Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026

Cat café a purr-fect treat for Valentine’s Day

By Tessa Adamski 3 minute read Preview

Cat café a purr-fect treat for Valentine’s Day

By Tessa Adamski 3 minute read Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026

The Brandon Humane Society is hosting its first-ever cat café at a local yoga studio on Valentine’s Day.

The first three time slots are fully booked at Luna Muna Yoga Studio, but more could be added if cat lovers pounce on the idea.

Humane Society executive director Tracy Munn said the studio, located on 30 Fieldstone Cres., has partnered with the shelter to host cat yoga events in the past.

However, sometimes people can feel lonely on Valentine’s Day, so Munn and her niece — who owns the studio — thought it would be a great idea for people to be surrounded by whiskers and warm drinks and refreshments instead.

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Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026