Mosquito Abatement Program

City of Brandon Parks & Recreation staff to monitor a control area of 102 square miles (264 square km).

The program relies largely on larval control methods. A complement of four field staff monitor numerous areas of standing water across the control area and watch closely for the development of mosquito larvae. Larviciding is undertaken when 10 dip samples in a particular area of standing water show five or more larvae are present in each dip.

The City of Brandon Mosquito Abatement Program’s Administrative Working Group uses a set of Adulticiding Factor Analysis Guidelines to aid it in determining when nuisance mosquito populations are emerging.

The monitoring of five mosquito trap locations around the City, along with a number of other factors like the current climate, anticipated weather conditions and the stage of observed mosquito population, aid the City of Brandon in determining the likelihood of an emergence of nuisance mosquitoes.

View the Adulticiding Factor Analysis Guidelines document here: Adulticiding Factor Analysis Guidelines (35 KB)

The City of Brandon does have a plan in place to undertake Ultra Low Volume adult mosquito control (fogging). Fogging will occur IF: the City of Brandon’s Adulticiding Factor Analysis Guidelines value falls into and remains in the high category for two consecutive trap counts, OR the average of any daily mosquito trap count is more than 1,000 nuisance mosquitoes; OR if any individual trap count is more than 2,000 nuisance mosquitoes. The City of Brandon must give 24 hours notice to the public prior to fogging for mosquitoes.

As per the Provincial Pesticide Permit issued to the City of Brandon by the Province of Manitoba, residents must be given the opportunity to exempt their property during an Ultra Low Volume adult mosquito control event (fogging). Residents can register with the City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Section to have their property and an area of 90 metres on either side of their property in the front street, side street and rear lane excluded from the fogging program. Should the Province of Manitoba issue the City of Brandon an order to spray for Culex tarsalis mosquitoes, all buffer zones will not apply. The Culex tarsalis mosquito is the type of mosquito which is known to carry and transmit the West Nile virus. More information about the Province of Manitoba's west nile virus program can be found at www.gov.mb.ca/health/wnv/

The City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Section accepts online applications from residents who wish to have a buffer zone applied their property. A resident’s name, address, telephone number and proof of occupancy are all required for a buffer zone application to be accepted.

The application form can be filled out online here: https://onlineservices.brandon.ca/bufferzoneregistration.aspx

RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY EARLY. 24-hour turnaround time is recommended for processing and buffer zone requests cannot be guaranteed less than 12 hours prior to the start of a fogging event. Residents must renew their buffer zone registration at the beginning of every Mosquito Control Program season.

Residents wishing to determine if their property falls within an accepted buffer zone can inquire by calling the City of Brandon’s Parks & Recreation Office at 204-729-2148. Upon presenting their address, they will receive a "Yes" or "No" answer ONLY.

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information for the purpose of administering buffer zone applications is protected by The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).

As per the Pesticide Permit issued to the City of Brandon by the Province of Manitoba, the City of Brandon must give the public 24 hours notice in advance of an Ultra Low Volume adult mosquito control event (fogging).

The public can also sign up to receive an email alert from the City of Brandon prior to a fogging event here.

All Brandon residents can play a very important role in reducing the potential for adult mosquito populations on their property in a number of ways, including:

• dumping out any containers of standing water;
• draining any eavestroughing;
• covering rainwater collection containers;
• filling in any low-lying areas;
• treating problem areas with biological larvicide

Residents and visitors to Brandon can also ease the annoyance of nuisance mosquitoes by using repellants, wearing light-coloured clothing, limiting your time outside between the hours between dusk and dawn and using screened-in areas.