Who says Brandon is always left out? The Province of Manitoba and City of Brandon will provide $15.4 million in funding to the Keystone Centre. The money will fund ongoing operations, debt reduction and capital improvements. Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Rosann Wowchuk made the announcement Tuesday.
The Keystone Centre will also be undergoing a $5 million retrofit project. Funding for this will come from municipal, provincial and federal governments.
Since 1999, the facility has received $11 million in contributions from the province and 3 million from the city.
Minister Wowchuk also announced a $100,000 grant in support of the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair through a five-year commitment to the fair, one of the province’s key attractions.
“The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is one of our province’s oldest and most outstanding events drawing thousands of visitors over the years and celebrating excellence in all sectors of the agricultural industry,” said Wowchuk. “It is an excellent opportunity for urban and rural people to learn from each other in an atmosphere featuring competitions, demonstrations and displays of the best in crops, livestock, agri-food development and agri-business innovation.”
The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair is the only fair in Western Canada designated as royal. Attendance in 2008 exceeded 118,000 visitors.
Besides being a premier destination for fairs, events and trade shows, the Keystone Centre is also designated as a post-disaster emergency shelter for the Brandon area.
