The Canadian Real Estate Association says rising fixed mortgage rates and softer‑than‑expected first‑quarter sales have forced a downgrade of its 2026 housing forecast. March’s national average home price came in at $673,084, continuing year‑over‑year and month‑over‑month declines across key markets.
Home sales in the Brandon area also continued to cool, with 381 residential properties sold in the fourth quarter of 2025 — a 12.6% drop from the previous year. Despite slower sales, the median single‑detached price hit a record $351,000, up 25.4% year‑over‑year.
Canada’s labour market added 14,000 jobs, with unemployment holding at 6.7 percent. Statistics Canada notes its mid‑April release reflects March data, drawn from surveys of more than 50,000 households nationwide.
The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is hosting its annual State of the City luncheon today. Mayor Jeff Fawcett will deliver an update on priorities and progress at the UCT Room in the Keystone Centre, with networking and a look ahead at Brandon’s economic and community outlook.
Brandon celebrated the 41st annual Westman Women of Distinction Awards last night, honouring leadership and community contributions across the region. Forty‑four nominees were recognized in eleven categories, with proceeds supporting YWCA Westman initiatives.
Brandon City Council has approved extended hours and alcohol service for this summer’s Salamander Music Festival. The July 17–19 event at Rideau Park will now run until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday as organizers prepare for record artist interest.
A long‑standing Brandon business has changed hands — Waves Leisure has been sold to Livingstone Outdoor, with the transition taking effect today. The business will now operate from Livingstone’s Byng Avenue location, and the former owner will stay on with the team.
Peguis First Nation is preparing for rapid spring flooding, deploying 110,000 sandbags as warm temperatures accelerate runoff. Officials say as many as 225 homes could be at risk in the coming days.
Campus Manitoba’s Brandon office is closing June 30, ending 35 years of work supporting distance education across the province. Leaders say the online tools and connections it built will continue as the organization winds down.
And Westman experienced a dramatic weather swing — a 25‑degree temperature jump in just 12 hours, a classic case of what meteorologists call a major temperature swing, sometimes referred to as “weather whiplash.” Read a full article on “Weather Whiplash” here.
