Living and working in Brandon, Manitoba
What is it like to live and work in the city of Brandon, which participates in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot?
Brandon is Manitoba's second-largest city with a population of just over 50,000. It is located in the southwestern part of the province on the riverbank, an hour's drive from the U.S. border. Brandon is participating in the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot because it needs an influx of new people to help with the city's economic development. You can find out the requirements for immigration to Brandon in our article.
Over the past decade, more than 7,000 immigrants from all over the world have moved to Brandon. The city has a public charitable organization that helps immigrants by providing English language courses, and adaptation and translation services.
The location of Brandon on the map:
Cost of living
The relatively low cost of living is a great advantage of Brandon. Manitoba as a whole is one of the most affordable provinces in Canada to live in. Compared to other provinces, the region offers its residents moderate taxation, affordable housing, and low costs for childcare, electricity, and auto insurance.
According to Numbeo, prices for groceries in Brandon are 19% lower than in Toronto, the country's largest city. Renting a one-bedroom apartment in downtown Brandon will cost you $1,400 CAD, 34% lower than in Toronto. However, wages here are 51% lower and the average is $2,450 CAD per month after tax.
Another peculiarity of this city is that living there is, although cheaper than in Toronto, but more expensive than in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. For example, groceries in Brandon are 17% cheaper than in Winnipeg, but rent is 21% more expensive.
Work
Brandon's economy is quite diverse. Agriculture, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing, and service industries are most developed here. In addition, jobs can also be found in business services, education, finance, and the administrative sector.
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You can find jobs in Brandon suitable for immigration under the Rural and Northern Pilot on the city's official website.
Education
As the second-largest city in Manitoba, Brandon boasts excellent educational opportunities. There are many public schools, a university, several colleges, and private vocational schools.
Transportation
It takes an average of 12 minutes to get from home to work in Brandon, it is one of the lowest rates in Canada.
Brandon is conveniently located at the intersection of two major Canadian highway systems and two railroads. Also, the airport for domestic flights is only 3 km from the city, and Winnipeg International Airport is 220 km away. The U.S. border is 100 km from Brandon.
Entertainment
Brandon is not a small town, which means everyone can find entertainment. Art and culture lovers can visit a performance centre or an art gallery that showcases international, national, regional, and local artists.
If you are not a fan of such venues, you can go to local restaurants and lounges where musicians perform regularly. There are also many festivals each year, including the Jazz Festival and the Brandon Folk Music Festival.
Photo: Brandon Tourism/Facebook
The city is also known for its sporting opportunities. There are many first-class recreational facilities, including one of Western Canada's largest entertainment complexes. There are ice rinks, curling fields, an indoor soccer arena, several indoor fitness centers, basketball and squash courts, an outdoor jogging track, a skate park, numerous swimming pools, one of which is of Olympic size, and four children's water parks throughout the city.
