New incentive program aims to spur high-density, mixed-use development in downtown Brandon

Southwestern Manitoba's biggest city is using $1.5 million from the federal housing accelerator fund to spur construction of high-density mixed-use buildings in its core.

Brandon launched a downtown market housing incentive program this week, with a new bylaw approved Monday that makes it clear how the program will work for developers who want to build housing downtown.

"The developers know what they are going to get. If they put in X request, you're going to get Y without having to go to council," said Amanda Dupuis, the city's community housing and wellness programmer.

The new incentive program is designed to accelerate residential growth through developer tax credits, development charge offsets and capital grants using housing accelerator funding — a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation program that gives municipalities funding for housing development.

Brandon has been approved for up to $6.2 million in funds in four payments of $1,562,090. The city's initial payment has been received and allocated to downtown market housing and citywide affordable housing.

The new bylaw allows qualified developers of new market-price dwelling units to automatically get incentives on a sliding scale, based on their location in four areas of downtown.

James Chambers, who has co-owned Chez Angela Bakery and Café with his wife Angie for almost seven years, says they love Brandon's downtown because it's where they grew up.

The bricks and the wood in the café come from a downtown movie theatre where they had one of their first dates. 

But developing and promoting Brandon's downtown is challenging, because there is a perception it's unsafe, he said.

The new housing initiative is going to be a huge factor in changing these negative stereotypes, Chambers said.

Having more apartments will help bring life to downtown, he said. 

"When you actually put ... market-rate housing in the core of downtown, what that gives you is just a vibrancy," he said.

"The foot traffic happens naturally.... There becomes more places to shop and there's more coffee cafés and bakeries."

The funding is part of a bigger plan and other programs that are already working  to create a more lively downtown, he said.

Emmy Sanderson, executive director of Brandon Downtown BIZ, says the market housing plan will help build up downtown as a whole.

"To increase the market housing is to increase people and foot traffic to support the business in the downtown," Sanderson said.

Revitalization efforts have taken place in the past, but it's different now because there's a "very united downtown," said Sanderson, who appreciates the support from all levels of government when it comes to revitalization.

"Any push that will bring more people downtown ... all of it works."

A mix of main street commercial with at least 50 per cent housing allows people to work, play and live in an area that is a walkable and welcoming community, Sanderson said.

"It creates a district where people can do everything. They have all the services that they need here, and then it creates customers for the businesses with everyone in the same neighbourhood," she said.

Building community through investments

Market housing can also be a catalyst for investment in the core, which other grants have done in the past, Chambers said.

In 2022, the Brandon Downtown Development Corporation helped 16 businesses through grants worth more than $535,000. The housing incentive program will help build on these investments, he said.

Dupuis said the hope is the housing will create more foot traffic and diversify who's living downtown.

Right now, there is a lot of affordable housing or low-income housing in the area.

The new investments will help create living spaces for people who also work downtown and can afford market housing.

"We're not looking at pushing anybody out; we're just looking at welcoming more people in," Dupuis said.

"There's a lot of space downtown in order to create more market housing as well as affordable housing."