Strong growth
The decision is the latest in a series of good-news items for Brandon, including a report from the Conference Board of Canada.
The board recently confirmed the city has finally broken through the psychological population barrier of 50,000, hitting 52,000.
Also, Brandon's GDP growth is expected to hit 2.5 per cent in 2013 and 2.7 per cent next year, outpacing the forecast for the province of 2.1 per cent and 2.3 per cent, respectively.
Brandon's unemployment rate is also just 4.8 per cent, well below Manitoba's 5.3 per cent.
Just as important as any current business activity, optimism is also high in Brandon.
Sandy Trudel, the city's director of economic development, said that, in a recent chamber of commerce survey of business leaders, 64 per cent expected to perform better financially in 2013 than they did last year. Less than 1 per cent of respondents expected to see a downturn this year.
To illustrate her point, she highlighted Saputo, the largest dairy processor in Canada, which is undergoing a significant expansion at its Brandon facility.
Foreign workers
Maple Leaf Foods continues to be a pillar of the community as its hog plant is now operating at full capacity. But ever-changing rules pertaining to temporary foreign workers is throwing a wrench into the works as the city's largest manufacturing employer is desperate for manpower.
"Access to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is vital for Maple Leaf Foods, not as a first preference but, rather, as the only option currently available for sustaining the supply of labour necessary for the continued operation of a second shift," Trudel said.
The province's oilpatch in the southwest is also evolving into an economic force, with the Bakken field as the focal point. Tundra Oil & Gas, which is owned by Winnipeg's Richardson family, is a major player.
Trican Well Service, Interra Energy, Evolve Surface Strategies, Apex Distribution and Hydrodig have also established offices in the city.
The business activity, coupled with a growing population, is filtering through to the housing market, too. Thanks to aggressive immigration policies, house prices have risen 2.8 per cent from a year ago, according to Sandy Donald, president of the Brandon Real Estate Board.
The prices of entry-level homes are rising between 5 and 6 per cent annually, he said.
Immigration is also keeping Brandon's rental vacancy rate at less than 1 per cent. That's contributing to new house construction going at "full bore."
"The trades are working flat out. They're trying to keep up with demand. There are some newer developers that are supposed to be coming here and if they bring their own tradespeople, that will give us a bigger pool," Donald said.
Target arrives
On the retail front, Brandon's Shoppers Mall welcomed Target in early May. Donald said he expects to see a domino effect with other retailers following suit because they want to piggyback on the popularity of the Minneapolis-based retail giant.
"That will be great for us. It will keep everything moving forward," he said, noting there are also persistent rumours that Costco is scoping out real estate in the city's south end.
Breathing new life into downtown is another focus in Brandon. The mayor said the city is being "darned aggressive" in acquiring properties in the core, on the advice of CentreVenture Development Corp., the downtown development agency in Winnipeg.
For example, the old Brandon Inn, a hotel on the corner of Princess Avenue and 9th Street that closed two years ago, has been knocked down. A "marquee development opportunity" will soon start on the site.
from Western Investor June 2013
