Page 3 - Rick Chrest News Today

Chrest, who was first elected as a city councillor almost 20 years ago, reflects on his last eight years as Brandon's mayor.

Voters in Manitoba are heading to the polls today to elect new mayors, councillors and school board trustees, as municipal elections get underway across the province.

WINNIPEG — People across Manitoba are going to the polls today in municipal elections. There will be a new mayor in Winnipeg, where incumbent Brian Bowman is not seeking re-election and 11 candidates are vying to take his place.

Here’s a quick roundup of what's been happening in the province's municipal election campaigns, with everything you need to know before election day.

Mayoral hopefuls Elliott Oleson and Jeff Fawcett faced off at the Brandon University Lorne Watson Recital Hall Wednesday. Their contest marks the first mayoral race in Manitoba's second-largest city since 2014.

Manitobas Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk is facing criticism for granting a road access permit to a Brandon developer despite concerns raised by his own department it will lead to an increase in collisions.

An $8.6-million expansion to the Brandon Police Service's headquarters is underway, which will add more detention cells — but the city's police chief, mayor and community advocates all say the city also needs a sobering centre for people detained while they're intoxicated.

The new Louise-Laurence Accessible Playground and Park in Brandon, Man., has been designed to ensure it's fully accessible and wheelchair friendly.

Few people are looking to put their names on voter ballots in Brandon this fall — including just one candidate so far for the open mayoral seat, multiple wards with only one candidate, and one ward that has no one registered to run at all.

Only three new candidates have entered the race and only three councillors have filed their paperwork to seek re-election to council as of Wednesday.