Grow Brandon initiative to receive $575K
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A Brandon-based economic development initiative will receive $575,000 from the three levels of government over three years to create jobs and attract more business investments to western Manitoba.
The funding for Grow Brandon was announced Thursday afternoon in the Wheat City during its inaugural economic summit attended by dozens of business leaders and politicians, including Jamie Moses, Manitoba’s minister of business, mining, trade and job creation.
Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett told the Sun he was grateful to the federal and provincial governments for their support, which covers the bulk of the funding.
Manitoba Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses speaks during the Brandon Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Victoria Inn on Thursday. Moses took part in announcing funding for Grow Brandon. Deveryn Ross writes that, while details on how that economic development group operates are lacking, we should give it a chance. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun)
The funds are earmarked to help navigate the city’s future growth, Fawcett said.
“This is more or less being able to staff, structure, organize, focus and retain everybody together,” he said.
“It’ll help bring the groups together to make sure that there is that sustained focus on what we need to do. So how do we eliminate the bottlenecks, which is mostly going to be infrastructure things: water, wastewater, hydro to a degree?
“If we do nothing, it is not sustainable. Brandon is one of the areas in the province that’s going to have significant future growth, so we’re trying to get far ahead.”
Grow Brandon was created in 2023 to advance economic development. Its members are from the city and the chamber, Assiniboine College, Brandon University, provincial and federal governments, Indigenous organizations, Canadian Forces Base Shilo, the Business Council of Manitoba and Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.
Ottawa’s commitment to Grow Brandon is for $300,000 from Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), the federal department that promotes economic growth in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Incredible things happen when communities like Brandon come together to shape their own economic future, said Eleanor Olszewski, federal minister of emergency management and community resilience and PrairiesCan.
“The Grow Brandon initiative exemplifies that Prairie spirit, bringing together local leaders and businesses and helping Brandon thrive for generations to come,” Olszewski said in a news release.
Manitoba’s NDP government is committing $150,000 and the City of Brandon $125,000.
Jennifer Ludwig, president of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, said she had high hopes for the outcome of the Grow Brandon summit and looked forward to hearing where stakeholders see themselves in 15 to 20 years.
“This is the first time I’ve been really excited about seeing a structured approach moving forward, and building Brandon as a community,” Ludwig told the Sun.
“When we talk about growth, it’s not only bringing new people to build our tax base but making sure that Brandon is seen by outsiders as a place where business and industry can come and actually set up,” she said.
“We want it relatively easy to do, so that we’re not putting up barriers and have people say, ‘You know, I would have picked Brandon, but …’
“That’s not what we want. We want people to say, ‘I’m picking Brandon because …’”
Jennifer Ludwig, president of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce, said it’s the first time she has been “really excited about seeing a structured approach moving forward, and building Brandon as a community.” (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun)
Economic development is a long-term plan, said Gerald Cathcart, the city’s director of economic development.
“Many people equate economic development with a new company coming in, a new smokestack and cutting ribbons,” he said.
“That does happen, but the bulk of your economic growth in a community comes from local investment, the day-to-day stuff. Eighty per cent of jobs and investment come from your local community.
“We have Maple Leaf, Koch, Chemtrade, but it’s also Morning Star Metals and Bushel Plus. It’s the myriad of small businesses that are welding and building. That’s all part of this, and they’re hiring,” Cathcart said.
“So, we don’t want to lose sight of the large number of locally owned, locally operated businesses that are continuing to hire.”
Before the summit, Moses told a crowd of almost 300 people at a Brandon Chamber of Commerce business luncheon about a new provincial tax credit for manufacturing machinery and equipment.
“We know your businesses want to grow, we want to help you do that, and we know access to capital is an issue,” Moses said.
“So, let’s give you that credit up front as you’re buying that equipment and allow you to have less need to leverage a loan or financing option, to actually invest in that equipment, invest in growth here in Manitoba.”
» mmcdougall@brandonsun.com, with files from Connor McDowell
» enviromichele.bsky.social