Brandon Sun – Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada

Jaiden Hayward, Brooklynn Bankert and Hope Bolstad-Duncan with Acres of Hope Stables ride horses past Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School and back toward the stables after visiting Tim Hortons on Friday morning. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)(Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)

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Maryland Park unveils $13M expansion

By Abiola Odutola 3 minute read Preview

Maryland Park unveils $13M expansion

By Abiola Odutola 3 minute read Yesterday at 11:11 PM CDT

The Manitoba government has spent more than $13 million to boost Maryland Park School’s capacity by nearly two-thirds.

The expansion, which was completed for the start of the school year, adds more than 17,000 square feet of educational space and increases the school’s capacity from about 550 students to 900.

Education Minister Tracy Schmidt joined Brandon East MLA Glen Simard, school division officials, staff and students Friday afternoon for a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the expansion.

“This is a two-storey addition, which includes 13 new classrooms, a new science room, student support spaces and much, much more,” Schmidt said during the ceremony. “This is not only going to give more space for the students that are here today and for the staff, but also so that we can continue to meet the growing needs of this growing, vibrant community.”

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Yesterday at 11:11 PM CDT

Local

Brandon city council Ward 3 candidate Craig Shanks stands outside his home in Riverheights. (Alex Lambert/The Brandon Sun files)

Four candidates compete in race for Ward 3

By Rylee Gerrard 7 minute read Preview

Four candidates compete in race for Ward 3

By Rylee Gerrard 7 minute read Yesterday at 11:36 PM CDT

With incumbent Barry Cullen not running for re-election, four contenders are vying for the Ward 3 seat on Brandon city council.

Kevin Chambers, Quentin Derhak, Enver Naidoo and Craig Shanks are hoping to get elected to council for the first time to represent the city’s most westerly ward, formerly known as the Victoria Ward.

Shanks, the only candidate who lives in the ward, said he thinks voters appreciate that he resides there.

“By being in the ward, and living in the ward, I got an idea as to where things are and what we need to do to make things better,” Shanks, 66, said on Thursday.

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Yesterday at 11:36 PM CDT

Local

Data centres included in RM’s draft zoning bylaw

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Preview

Data centres included in RM’s draft zoning bylaw

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

Data centres have been added to the RM of Cornwallis zoning bylaw that is under development, though the reeve says he has heard no inquiries about building one in the area.

The first draft of the bylaw — recently completed by a consulting firm — designates data centres as a conditional use inside rural commercial business zones and industrial zones.

It defines the use as computer systems and network infrastructure that process, store and share data, and cryptocurreny mining facilities.

The update would bring the RM up to speed to cover potential land uses, but there is no plan to build a data centre, Reeve Mike Waddell told the Sun on Friday.

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Yesterday at 11:30 PM CDT

Local

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Security footage showing Cody Lamb’s car being stolen on Sept. 11 in Douglas, Manitoba.

Towing company hands stolen car back, but not to owner

By Matthew Frank 2 minute read Preview

Towing company hands stolen car back, but not to owner

By Matthew Frank 2 minute read Updated: 10:04 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — A western Manitoba man says he is dumbfounded after his car was stolen, impounded by a Winnipeg towing company and given back — to someone that wasn’t him.

Cody Lamb lives in Douglas, about 18 kilometres east of Brandon, but spends weeks away from home working on oil rigs in Alberta.

The 24-year-old says on Sept. 11, while away for work, he heard from his girlfriend who told him his car wasn’t in their driveway. Lamb reported the car stolen to Brandon RCMP the same day.

After filing the report, he heard from Steinbach RCMP on Oct. 1 that his car was recovered that day in Mitchell, just west of Steinbach.

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Updated: 10:04 AM CDT

Local

Man acquitted on charges he raped, assaulted partner

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Preview

Man acquitted on charges he raped, assaulted partner

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Updated: Yesterday at 11:13 PM CDT

A man was acquitted on five charges alleging he raped and assaulted his former partner after a judge cited concerns about the victim’s reliability due to intoxication and some inconsistencies in her testimony.

Evidence provided by the accused, 43, and a woman, 38, who reside in a small town in the Westman region were “diametrically opposed” during a two-day trial in Brandon early last month, Manitoba Court of King’s Bench Justice Scott Abel said before giving his verdict on Thursday.

“This does not mean that I disbelieve the complainant or found the accused to be a better or more credible witness. Rather, the evidence presented was insufficient for the Crown to have met its onus in the context of my analysis as required,” he said.

At the beginning of the trial, the accused, who can’t be identified due a publication ban, pleaded not guilty to sexual assault, assault by choking and three counts of assault.

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Updated: Yesterday at 11:13 PM CDT

Local

Parks Canada staff are shown inspecting and tagging boats in Wasagaming in 2023. The motorized boating season at Clear Lake is slated to come to an end after Thanksgiving Monday. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun files)

Boat inspections top 6K at Riding Mountain

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Preview

Boat inspections top 6K at Riding Mountain

By Connor McDowell Local Journalism Initiative 3 minute read Yesterday at 11:15 PM CDT

Riding Mountain National Park staff conducted more than 6,000 watercraft inspections this season as motorboats returned to Clear Lake for the first time in two years.

A total of 618 motorized and trailered watercraft inspections were conducted during the season, along with 5,649 non-motorized watercraft inspections, RMNP staff said in a newsletter on Friday.

Staff also conducted 514 decontaminations of watercraft.

As the end of the season approaches, staff at the park said the aquatic invasive species program was a success.

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Yesterday at 11:15 PM CDT

Local

Court hears impact on boy in grandmother assault case

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Preview

Court hears impact on boy in grandmother assault case

By Tessa Adamski 5 minute read Yesterday at 11:28 PM CDT

A mother described having to help her 12-year-old son understand that he’s not responsible for the harm he has endured after his grandmother was found guilty of assault by putting her hands down his pants more than once.

The woman’s victim impact statement that was written on behalf of her son was read in Brandon’s Court of King’s Bench by Crown attorney Reid Girard on Thursday during a sentencing hearing for the accused.

“Almost four years ago, my child disclosed to me what had been happening. They were scared, overwhelmed, angry and confused,” said Girard, reading from the woman’s statement.

The 51-year-old grandmother, who was charged with two counts of sexual assault, was found guilty on a lesser charge of assault and was acquitted on the other count in relation to allegations the woman had also abused her nine-year-old granddaughter.

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Yesterday at 11:28 PM CDT

Business

FILE — The International Criminal Court (ICC) is seen on Dec. 9, 2025, in The Hague, Netherlands. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool, File)

Canada backs International Criminal Court after U.S. imposes sanctions

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Canada backs International Criminal Court after U.S. imposes sanctions

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Updated: 10:05 AM CDT

OTTAWA - Canada signed a joint statement in support of the International Criminal Court after the United States moved to sanction the organization Friday.

Canada joined Denmark, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in issuing the statement, which says they strongly disagree with the sanctions.

The statement says the signatories reaffirm their "continued and unwavering support for the independence, impartiality, and integrity of the ICC."

It says if the sanctions take effect, they will "have a significant impact on the Court’s work, its dedicated staff and their families. They work every day to bring those accused of the most serious international crimes to justice and to support their victims."

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Updated: 10:05 AM CDT

Local

A Winnipeg Police Service vehicle outside of the construction site at the Fairmont Winnipeg at 2 Lombard Place on Thursday. (Morgan Modjeski/Winnipeg Free Press)

Worker killed in accident at Winnipeg construction site

By Morgan Modjeski 2 minute read Preview

Worker killed in accident at Winnipeg construction site

By Morgan Modjeski 2 minute read Updated: 10:00 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — Emergency responders were on scene and Manitoba Workplace Safety and Health is investigating after a worker died following an incident at a Winnipeg construction site Thursday.

Little information about the worker killed was provided, but the fatal incident happened at the Fairmont Winnipeg, located at 2 Lombard Place, with police responding around 5 p.m.

The hotel is currently closed and is an active construction site. The person killed has not been identified by name.

Information from a provincial spokesperson said the deceased was working for Kepsco Construction when they were fatally injured after a “portion of an overhead canopy collapsed during asbestos abatement work.”

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Updated: 10:00 AM CDT

Local

The Canadian and American flags flap in the breeze at the Thousand Islands border crossing in Lansdowne, Ont., on Monday Nov. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Border crossings to adjust hours due to time change

2 minute read Preview

Border crossings to adjust hours due to time change

2 minute read Updated: 10:03 AM CDT

WINNIPEG — The Canada Border Services Agency is adjusting operating hours at 13 Manitoba border crossings beginning Nov. 1 to account for the province’s move to permanent daylight time.

The changes are intended to keep Canadian border crossings aligned with their U.S. counterparts, where clocks will continue to change twice a year, the agency said in a release Friday.

The new hours will take effect at 2 a.m. Nov. 1 and remain in place until March 14, 2027, when the U.S. returns to daylight saving time. The CBSA said the adjustments will improve co-ordination between border officials on both sides, including situations where travellers are denied entry and must immediately return to their country of departure.

The affected crossings include Cartwright, Coulter, Crystal City, Goodlands, Gretna, Lena, Lyleton, Piney, Snowflake, South Junction, Tolstoi, Windygates and Winkler.

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Updated: 10:03 AM CDT