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- calendar_today October 21, 2026
Brandon’s Housing Shortage Leaves Families Searching for Solutions
Growing families in Brandon, Manitoba, are experiencing significant obstacles in their search for accessible and affordable homes, as the city faces a severe housing shortfall. Developers, city officials, and residents alike are feeling the strain with housing demand far outpacing available supply.
Housing Demand Outpacing Supply
Brandon, a city of 54,000, is currently short by about 1,300 housing units, according to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. The situation is compounded by a low housing vacancy rate of 1.9 percent, which has made finding suitable accommodation especially difficult for families needing larger or accessible homes.
Personal Stories Highlight the Challenges
Phillip Emmerson, a Brandon father living with cerebral palsy, illustrates the difficulties facing many in the community. Emmerson, who lives downtown with his wife and four children in a two-bedroom apartment, is seeking a wheelchair-accessible home. Despite offers of community support to make a residence more accessible, the family has not been able to secure a suitable property. “I need to be able to have a wheelchair-accessible house or home,” Emmerson said, noting that applications to new developments often go unanswered as units fill up quickly. The family does not qualify for government programs like Manitoba Housing due to their income.
Increased Risk of Homelessness
Brandon’s Homeless Individuals and Families Information System indicates that homelessness among families increased by approximately 10 percent from January to August 2026 compared with the previous year. The lack of accessible and affordable housing remains a pressing concern for many residents.
Developers Strive to Catch Up
The demand for family units is at an all-time high, according to Shawn Wood, executive director of the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba. Since 2001, Brandon’s population grew by about 5,000, yet only 700 new homes were built in that period. This imbalance has intensified the city’s housing shortage. Shawn Wood explains, “We’re hoping in the near future we’ll see capacity increase. I haven’t seen it be this busy and this much housing going up at one time.”
Currently, 400 to 500 homes are under construction, with 294 residential permits issued in 2025 and around 174 in 2026. Wood remains cautiously optimistic that the construction sector can eventually meet demand, though ongoing labour shortages and rising construction costs present major hurdles.
Municipal Efforts to Address the Shortfall
The City of Brandon is working to close the gap, with community housing and wellness coordinator Shannon Saltarelli confirming that 950 new homes are scheduled over three years, including 395 in 2025 alone. The city is using $6.2 million from the federal Housing Accelerator Fund to facilitate projects such as the downtown Eddy Residences and to encourage increased density and streamlined development processes.
While housing is typically addressed at the provincial level, Saltarelli says the city is prioritizing both affordable and accessible housing. “We want to see Brandon grow, but that means we need to continue to accelerate housing,” she said, emphasizing the importance of advocacy and community engagement to identify and fill local housing gaps.
Affordability Remains a Concern
Despite ongoing development, affordability is still an issue for many residents. Most three- or four-bedroom rental units listed online cost between $1,500 and $2,000 per month. Emmerson expressed concern about rising costs, highlighting the challenge of meeting basic family needs alongside rising rents and grocery bills. “How [is] anybody going to afford that … you’re spending $300 a week on groceries,” Emmerson noted.
For families like the Emmersons, the search for a stable and suitable home continues, as Brandon races to provide solutions for its growing population and evolving housing needs.
Source: cbc.ca.
