Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples' Council and City of Brandon Remain Committed to the Indigenous Community

Brandon, MB – The Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples’ Council (BUAPC) was established by Brandon City Council in December 2010. Since its formation, BUAPC’s diverse membership has played an important role by working collaboratively with other key community organizations in raising awareness of Indigenous services and supports in Brandon.

BUAPC is comprised of two members of Council, four citizen-at-large members and representatives from several community organizations, including Brandon Friendship Centre, Manitoba Métis Federation, Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council, Prairie Mountain Health, Brandon University, Assiniboine College, Brandon School Division, and Sioux Valley Dakota Nation.

Since 2015, BUAPC has benefited from having a community coordinator in place through funding from the Government of Canada. Over the past year, Indigenous Services Canada introduced a new funding model under the Urban Programming for Indigenous Peoples initiative. This new model redirects funding away from municipalities and directs future support to Indigenous-led service providers. As a result of this change, funding for the coordinator position will end on Mar. 31, 2026, resulting in the end of the contracted position at the City of Brandon.

“While BUAPC will deeply miss having a dedicated coordinator, a role that has been vital in advancing collaboration and progress, we remain committed to supporting Indigenous initiatives in Brandon,” said Jeanine Pelletier, BUAPC Chair. “We will continue working closely with our community partners and all levels of government to ensure Indigenous priorities move forward in 2026.” 

One of the largest initiatives overseen by BUAPC is Truth & Reconciliation events. As part of its ongoing commitment to reconciliation, the City of Brandon provides an annual contribution of $20,000 toward Truth & Reconciliation events. This funding reflects the City’s continued commitment to reconciliation, Indigenous-led initiatives, and strong community partnerships.

Brandon Friendship Centre Inc. (BFC) will be leading the planning and execution of Truth & Reconciliation events this year. More information about this year’s events will be shared in the coming weeks and will be available at brandonfriendshipcentreinc.ca.

“We are honoured to take the lead in organizing Truth & Reconciliation events this year,” said Gail Cullen, Executive Director of Brandon Friendship Centre and Vice-Chair of BUAPC. “This work reflects years of collaboration and a shared commitment to Indigenous-led initiatives and meaningful reconciliation in our community.”