Premier Kinew Promises Local Jobs for New Brandon School

The Government of Manitoba has announced plans for a new K-8 school in the southwest corner of Brandon, with Premier Wab Kinew pledging that the construction will be carried out by local workers. At a press conference held in Winnipeg on Tuesday, Kinew emphasized the importance of supporting Manitoba’s economy, particularly in light of ongoing trade tariffs from the United States.

Kinew’s government recently signed a Manitoba Jobs Agreement (MJA) with the Manitoba Building Trades, which will facilitate the construction of four new schools across the province, including the Brandon project. The total investment for these four schools is estimated to exceed $200 million.

Local Employment Opportunities

During the announcement, Kinew highlighted that the agreement is projected to generate approximately 600 well-paying, good, unionized jobs for Manitobans, with around 150 jobs earmarked specifically for the Brandon school. This initiative seeks to prioritize local union members in the hiring process, ensuring that construction jobs remain within the province.

“This is about making sure that there’s a framework in place so people get decent pay, pensions, benefits, health and safety rules on the work site,” Kinew stated. The agreement specifies that Manitoba union members will receive the first priority for jobs, followed by other Manitobans, Canadian union members, and finally, other Canadians.

Kinew’s commitment to local hiring aims to bolster the economy and create pathways for skilled trades, ensuring the job is done right the first time. He remarked, “We’re focused on local, we’re focused on people here who’ve got the skills.”

Building for the Future

The MJA is part of a larger policy initiative that mandates all major public infrastructure projects valued at over $50 million to be constructed using local labor. Tanya Palson, the executive director of Manitoba Building Trades, announced that at least 10 percent of the work will be performed by local apprentices, with an additional 20 percent reserved for equity-deserving groups, including Indigenous workers, women, and newcomers.

“That’s thousands of hours of hands-on learning for young Manitobans creating pathways into good, paying, stable careers in the trades,” Palson noted during the press conference. The agreement serves as a foundational step for future infrastructure projects throughout the province, which are expected to follow a similar framework.

Palson also highlighted the significance of hiring local workers, particularly for apprenticeship programs. This strategy not only maximizes training opportunities but also fosters collaboration with educational institutions to enhance trade programs in the Westman area.

The construction of the new K-8 school in Brandon is on track to meet its projected completion date of September 2027. Alongside the Brandon school, the province will also prioritize the construction of two additional schools in Winnipeg and one in West St. Paul.

A spokesperson for the provincial government confirmed that the two new schools in Brandon are progressing as planned. The Brandon School Division will oversee the K-8 school, which will be located west of 34th Street, while the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine will manage a French-language K-12 school on Maryland Avenue, scheduled to open in the 2028-29 school year.

As the province continues to prioritize local construction efforts, Kinew’s administration remains hopeful that these initiatives will not only enhance the educational landscape but also strengthen the workforce and communities throughout Manitoba.