ManitobaThe Western Manitoba Women’s Centre in Brandon has a new and bigger facility that should help them support more women and families, especially in underserved rural communities where demand for services continues to rise, staff say.More space long needed as client list grows, staff sayChelsea Kemp · CBC News · Posted: Sep 23, 2025 2:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoWomen and gender equality project co-ordinator Jamie Brown says the newly opened and rebranded Western Manitoba Women’s Centre in downtown Brandon offers a bigger facility with more room for programming, staff and visitors. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)The women’s centre in Brandon, Man., has moved into a larger space to keep up with growing demands for service in Brandon and the surrounding area.More women and families are seeking help at the Western Manitoba Women’s Centre, which used to be the Brandon Women’s Resource Centre, said Jamie Brown, the centre’s women and gender equality project co-ordinator.The building they moved into just over a month ago allows them to better meet those needs, she said.The new facility on the western edge of downtown Brandon has nine offices for 12 staff, a commercial kitchen and new child and youth counsellor space — enough to give them room to grow, important for a centre with a counselling waitlist with dozens of people on it.But the move is only part of the story, Brown said.”We have seen, in the last couple years, different events happening in rural communities — very tragic events,” Brown said. “That really shows the need for us to be able to support rural communities.”Advocate Lucia Aguilar says the women’s centre is ambitious and wants to keep growing and expanding its reach. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)Rural outreach has been a growing focus at the centre, and the rebranding as the Western Manitoba Women’s Centre is part of that.Many women in smaller towns face issues similar to those of clients living in Brandon, but barriers like stigma, distance, lack of transportation and limited local resources often leave them without access to support, said Kim Iwasiuk, the centre’s director of counselling and advocacy.The Western Manitoba Women’s Centre is working to change that.The WAGE (Women and Gender Equity) project — a research program focused on gender-based violence in rural communities — has seen staff go into rural areas around Brandon, and what they’ve learned has been stark, she said.The area needs increased access to education that can address stigma and barriers to getting help, Iwasiuk said.”Education is one of the biggest things,” Iwasiuk said. “When you have a friend who’s, maybe you’re a family member who’s in need of services or help, you know, not being a bystander is really, really important.”Women’s centre director of counselling and advocacy Kim Iwasiuk says Manitoba continues to have one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the country. (Chelsea Kemp/CBC)Advocate Lucia Aguilar said education can take many forms, including programming, partnerships with local organizations and more flexible services tailored to what clients need.”Be aware of what this problem is … what it can cause,” Aguilar said. “It trickles down into other generations. It trickles down into other kinds of problems … housing, food insecurity, financial insecurity and intergenerational trauma, as well.”For years, the Women’s Resource Centre has been a lifeline in the heart of the city’s downtown, Aguilar said. Staff offer counselling, programming and crisis support for women experiencing violence, abuse or other challenges.The centre is ambitious and wants to keep growing and expanding its reach, Aguilar said.Manitoba has one of the highest rates of intimate partner violence in the country. Statistics Canada says there are 628 victims per 100,000 population. The new expansion comes at a time when not only are client numbers growing — their needs are becoming more complex, staff said. The bigger facility allows the centre to offer different programs.It’s all part of a larger conversation when it comes to addressing domestic violence in the Westman region, Brown said.”This issue is deeply ingrained into our culture and our history, and we are doing our best as a team and as a community, and other agencies, to support as much as we can,” Brown said.”The team that we have right now is so strong and so committed to this goal of supporting survivors and supporting people in our community.… I feel very optimistic.”ABOUT THE AUTHORChelsea Kemp is a multimedia journalist with CBC Manitoba. She is based in CBC’s bureau in Brandon, covering stories focused on rural Manitoba. Share your story ideas, tips and feedback with chelsea.kemp@cbc.ca.
New building, same heart: Women’s centre in Brandon rebrands and expands its rural outreach
