Brandon, Manitoba, is the second-largest city in the province, located in the southwestern corner on the banks of the Assiniboine River. Known as The Wheat City, Brandon's economy is predominantly associated with agriculture, health care, manufacturing, food processing, education, business services, and transportation. This article explores the history, geography, climate, demographics, and cultural offerings of Brandon, Manitoba.
The City of Brandon was incorporated in 1882, with a history rooted in the Assiniboine River fur trade and its role as a major junction on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Prior to the influx of people from Eastern Canada, the area around Brandon was primarily used by the Sioux people, the Bungays, the Yellow Quills, and the Bird Tails.
The city gets its name from the Blue Hills south of the city, which got their name from a Hudson's Bay trading post known as Brandon House. The city's location was chosen by General Thomas L. Rosser, Chief Engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway, in 1881. Within a year, settlers had flocked to Brandon in such numbers that it was incorporated as a city.
Brandon is located in south-western Manitoba, on the banks of the Assiniboine river. It resides in the aspen parkland ecoregion of the prairies, with a generally flat and rolling terrain surrounding the city. A large valley is located within the city, and the Brandon hills are located to the southeast, from which Brandon got its name.
Brandon has a dry continental climate with warm, sometimes hot summers and cold, dry winters. The city experiences measurable rainfall on 56.0 days throughout the year, and 38.8 days with snowfall. The highest temperature ever recorded in Brandon was 43.3 °C (110 °F) on 11 July 1936, during the 1936 North American heat wave.
As of the 2021 Census, Brandon had a population of 51,313 living in 21,203 of its 22,526 total private dwellings. The median age is 36.3 years old, almost 5 years younger than the national average. As far as education goes, for those between 25 and 64 years old, 57.0% have a post-secondary schooling degree.
Brandon is 70.1% white, 16.3% visible minorities and 13.6% aboriginal. The largest visible minority groups in Brandon are Latin American (5.0%), Chinese (3.8%), South Asian (3.0%), Black (2.1%) and Filipino (1.1%). English is the mother tongue of 80.3% of residents.
Brandon is serviced by Brandon Municipal Airport and Rider Express provides intercity bus service. The city of Brandon runs Brandon Transit, which provides daily bus service throughout the city. Brandon also has a system of walking/bike trails throughout the city.
Brandon hosts many art festivals every year, including the Brandon Festival of the Arts, Brandon Jazz Festival, and the Brandon Folk Music Festival. The city also boasts several arts venues including the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, Lorne Watson Recital Hall, Evans Theatre, and the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba.
The Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba is a non-profit organization established in 1872, which is now housed at the city's extensive Keystone Centre complex. It hosts the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, Manitoba Summer Fair, Manitoba Livestock Expo, and AgDays – Canada's largest indoor agricultural trade show and program.
