10 already registered for council races

The field for Brandon’s October municipal election continues to grow, with 10 candidates now registered for city council seats as of Friday.

Contested races have emerged in Ward 1 and Ward 2, while incumbents in Wards 4, 5 and 8 remain unopposed. Candidates have also registered in Wards 9 and 10, while no names have yet been filed in Wards 3, 6 and 7.

In Ward 1, incumbent Heather Karrouze is seeking re-election and is being challenged by Ron Shaluk.

Karrouze said she is committed to representing residents’ concerns again.

“I have been proud to represent Ward 1 at the council table and look forward to the opportunity to continue the work undertaken over the last four years,” she told the Sun on Friday.

Karrouze said her advocacy on recreation improvements, community gardens, pedestrian safety, funding for Spruce Woods Housing Co-op and traffic and parking improvements affecting Monterey Estates are her key accomplishments.

She said she hopes to continue working on aging infrastructure, a cultural hub, climate action initiatives and recreational improvements if re-elected.

Shaluk said his campaign is focused on supporting Brandon’s growth and ensuring the city competes more effectively for investment and development.

“Brandon is growing and attracting citizens from around the world to live and work here, and I think it’s an exciting time to contribute to our community,” he told the Sun on Friday. “I think Brandon is a very underrated city in Canada, we need to ‘punch above our weight’ in everything we do — that will attract growth, investment, while we compete with other jurisdictions.”

If elected, Shaluk said, he would draw on his board of directors experience, currently with the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation, the Riverbank Discovery Centre and his 25 years of coaching amateur sports.

“I work best when I’m part of a team to utilize everyone’s strengths to get the work done,” he said in an email. “Everyone on the team has something to offer. I would work hard to know what those strengths are so we can be even more effective together.”

Ward 2 will see a competitive race between former councillor Sunday Frangi, Deveryn Ross and Dale Bates, with no incumbent seeking re-election.

Bates did not respond to The Sun’s calls and messages requesting comment.

Frangi, who became Brandon’s first Black councillor after winning a 2020 byelection, said he is running because he believes he still has more to contribute to the community.

“I care deeply about Brandon, and especially Ward 2 being the heart of our city,” he told the Sun. “This community has given me so much over the years, and I believe I still have more to contribute since serving on the city council. I continue working in community leadership.”

Frangi said downtown revitalization, public safety and housing are among his top priorities.

“I want to support practical solutions for downtown that will increase housing options while also strengthening the neighbourhood,” he said.

“I believe in listening carefully, making informed decisions, and working with people who may have different perspectives to find practical solutions for downtown and Brandon at large.”

Ross said his decision to run follows decades of involvement in politics and more than 50 years of living in Ward 2.

“I’ve seen the decline that has happened,” he said. “The ward needs a councillor who lives in the community and experiences the impact of council decisions firsthand.”

Ross said his priorities include improving communication between residents and city hall through online engagement, enhancing public safety, ensuring taxpayers receive value for money and promoting stronger economic development.

“I’ve lived here all my life, over 60 years, and I have no recollection that the city hall has ever done a serious study as to whether we’re taxpayers are getting value for the taxes they pay,” he said. “I think it needs to be done … Brandon now has among the highest property taxes and water rates in Western Canada.”

In Ward 4, incumbent Shaun Cameron is the only registered candidate.

Cameron, who has served on council for eight years, highlighted infrastructure improvements, stormwater mitigation projects, recreation investments and neighbourhood enhancements among his accomplishments.

He said his priorities for another term include improving drainage and sidewalks, advancing the city’s proposed cultural hub, strengthening public safety initiatives and continuing economic development efforts.

“I want to continue to see improvements to the sidewalks, back lanes, and drainage in our neighbourhood, especially in identified areas where drainage issues are present,” he told the Sun. “If there is anything that keeps me driving to want to help, it is ensuring residents do not lose the property that they worked so hard for to overland flooding or the impacts of climate change.”

Ward 5 incumbent Greg Hildebrand is the only registered candidate in his ward as of Friday. Hildebrand said one of the biggest accomplishments of the past four years has been helping put the city on a stronger financial footing after the council made difficult budget decisions.

“I think we’re at a place now where we’re a little bit more financially stable and can see into the future a little bit better,” he said.

If re-elected, Hildebrand said he wants to continue building on that work while placing greater emphasis on downtown revitalization, tourism and economic growth.

“I’d like to see us as a council push more to see our downtown being developed, to have an emphasis on tourism as well, to promote our city not only to visitors but even to ourselves,” he said.

Hildebrand said he intends to remain an independent voice on council, continue advocating for safer crosswalks — including improvements planned near Richmond Avenue and 22nd Street for students walking to Meadows School — and support policies that attract new businesses and industry to Brandon.

Ward 8 incumbent Jason Splett is also unopposed as of Friday.

Splett said he is proud of accomplishments, including improvements to protective services, drainage upgrades, road restoration projects, water and wastewater infrastructure enhancements and the implementation of an AI-assisted solid waste collection system.

If re-elected, he said his priorities will be affordability, public safety and continued drainage improvements.

“I will be available and accessible to listen to your concerns and work towards solutions,” he said.

Ward 9 has one registered candidate, Nora Woychyshyn, while Mitesh Patel is the sole registered candidate in Ward 10.

Woychyshyn and Patel did not respond to The Sun’s requests for comment.

As of July 3, no candidates had registered in Wards 3, 6 or Ward 7, according to the city’s election website.

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