“This is just a huge step in the right direction.”

— Emmy Sanderson, Brandon Downtown Biz

Brandon’s business and political leaders have long looked at the city’s floundering downtown and wondered what could be done to turn things around.

Oh, there have been plenty of ideas over the last three decades. In fact we have been rife with revitalization strategies that have evolved and morphed over the years. New structural plans have come — and gone — along with the creation of specialized groups and agencies. Some are still around, while others failed due to a fragmented execution or a lack of long-term funding.

If residents in western Manitoba needed any added incentive to continue their efforts at preventing the spread of invasive species into our lakes and rivers, they need only look at the results of roadside inspections earlier this week on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Inspections conducted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in partnership with the Manitoba government between Sunday and Tuesday stopped 455 vehicles transporting 502 watercraft or related equipment at the Manitoba-Ontario border.

Of those, inspectors found that 120 watercraft had not been cleaned, drained or dried and failed inspection. One inspection found visible zebra mussels present and 13 other watercraft required decontamination.

A press release from federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson said motorized and non-motorized watercraft were inspected, including canoes, kayaks, fishing boats, sailboats, jet skies, inflatables, anchors and fishing gear.