Isleifson talks about Brandon’s future

City of Brandon mayoral candidate Len Isleifson hosted about 16 residents for a “coffee and conversation” session at the Canad Inns Destination Centre on Saturday afternoon.

The informal meeting brought together residents from different professional backgrounds, including business, construction and community organizations, with discussions largely centring on economic development, downtown revitalization, housing, infrastructure and municipal taxation.

Ron Shaluk, who works in commercial banking and volunteers with the Downtown Development Corporation, said his primary reason for attending was to better understand Isleifson’s vision for Brandon.

“For me, it was just to find out what Mr. Isleifson’s platform would be like as a potential future mayor,” Shaluk said. “I’m looking for a mayoral candidate who sees Brandon’s potential beyond what we see here now.”

Shaluk said that while Brandon retains a small-town feel, he believes the city does not always give itself enough credit. He said economic development will be a key driver of future growth, pointing to the long-term possibility of Brandon reaching a population of 100,000.

“If you provide the jobs, people will come, people will stay, and everything else benefits from there,” he said. “Attracting major employers could significantly shape Brandon’s next phase of growth.”

Addressing common concerns about downtown safety, Shaluk said he does not view it as a major deterrent, noting his experience working in downtown Winnipeg. He suggested Brandon’s downtown is evolving, with a gradual shift toward more housing and services rather than traditional retail.

“I think when you have more people living downtown, the safety piece kind of gets addressed,” he said. “There’s safety in numbers.”

Another participant, Eile Smith, an entrepreneur with experience in the construction industry, said she attended the meeting to better understand Isleifson’s direction and priorities.

“I followed him when he was an MLA, and I think he brings really wonderful skills forward for the City of Brandon,” Smith said. “I wanted to come and get an idea of what else was going on.”

Smith echoed the emphasis on economic development and said she appreciated learning more about initiatives such as Grow Brandon. She also highlighted the importance of expanding housing and maintaining recreation facilities to attract more people and industry to the city.

During the discussion, Smith raised the issue of a long-vacant federal building near Princess Avenue and 11th Street, suggesting it could be part of a broader community response to downtown challenges. She acknowledged, however, that the age of the building and potential asbestos issues could make redevelopment costly.

“I think it’s very productive, and I think it’s something that should be continued,” Smith said of the meeting.

Isleifson, who announced his intention to run for mayor in May 2025, said declaring early has allowed him to connect with more than 1,000 residents so far.

“That’s why I held this coffee today,” he said. “To have a direct conversation with citizens of Brandon.”

Regarding the city’s budget and property taxes, Isleifson said taxes are necessary to move the community forward but stressed the need for realistic and responsible increases. While current discussions have mentioned double-digit increases, he said those levels are not sustainable.

“We need to build up our infrastructure funding and our reserve funding,” he said, adding that smaller, more consistent increases could allow for better long-term planning.

He said the proposed hikes of 11.3 per cent are not sustainable, even though additional funding is needed to rebuild infrastructure and reserve funds that were underfunded in the past.

“The key is to move taxes forward at a responsible level,” Isleifson said. “Talking about 10 or 11 per cent increases is unattainable. We need to be realistic about what we need, what we want, and what we can afford. I am thinking this year … probably around six to seven per cent.”

Reflecting on the afternoon’s discussion, Isleifson said he heard a clear message from attendees.

“The citizens in Brandon are concerned about their future,” he said. “They want someone who shares their vision of what the city should look like five, 10, 20, 30 years from now.”

Isleifson described the turnout and level of engagement as exceeding his expectations and announced plans to hold similar sessions monthly, leading up to the election. He said future meetings may be held in community halls to allow for deeper discussion and will focus on the five key pillars of his mayoral platform.

“I’m asking everybody to get out and vote,” Isleifson said. “This is my home. I’ve called it home for 64 years, and we’ve got some work to do.”

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