Sonikile Tembo for Brandon City Council
WARD 2
Meet Sonikile
I am a strategic thinker and consensus builder who thrives on bringing people together to get things done. My family and I live, work, and play in Ward 2, and this neighbourhood has become a place we deeply love.
I am an urban planner with nearly a decade of public service experience in the development industry. As the City’s Principal Planner (currently on leave), I’ve collaborated across departments, led the development of Brandon’s 30‑year strategic plan, and worked closely with community groups and the development sector to build shared solutions.
I believe Brandon is exactly the right size to tackle big challenges through creative problem‑solving and community collaboration. We already see incredible work happening on the ground, and I want to help strengthen it.
Ward 2, A Neighbourhood With Heart
I’ve lived in Ward 2 for the past three years, and it is the most diverse neighbourhood I’ve ever called home. On my block alone, neighbours represent a wide range of backgrounds including Indigenous families, newcomers from Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Philippines, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
We have retired couples, stay‑at‑home parents, single moms, young couples, students, and families with small children. Our housing mix reflects that diversity too: single‑family homes, converted multi‑unit houses, and heritage properties.
I love that my son gets to grow up here, experiencing a neighbourhood where people look out for one another and where differences are celebrated.
But like many core neighbourhoods across North America, Ward 2 faces complex challenges. Issues around safety, drug use, housing stability, and business retention require strategic alignment and community‑wide collaboration. Brandon is not unique in facing these issues, but our scale makes us unique in how effectively we can work together to solve them.
And remember: Ward 2 is more than downtown. It includes the Flats — the area between the rail line and the river — a growing community experiencing significant change and deserving of meaningful engagement and investment.
So what is the city doing to address these challenges? Let’s talk about it. Let’s ask questions. Let’s collaborate.
#SpeakUpBrandon — because every effort to move the needle matters.
My commitment is to listen, to work alongside residents, and to help make Ward 2 a neighbourhood we are all proud of.
Effective Community Engagement
Active, timely, and ongoing engagement with all Ward 2 residents builds transparency and accountability.
This includes strengthening outreach to residents north of downtown in the Flats, ensuring their voices shape decisions that affect their daily lives.
Priorities for Ward 2
A Healthy Neighbourhood
A healthy neighbourhood has a mix of housing options, supportive services, vibrant commercial activity, and people present on the street.
These elements work together to increase safety, strengthen community, and create a neighbourhood where people want to live, work, and spend time.
Asset Management
Strong neighbourhoods rely on steady investment in both capital projects and day‑to‑day operations.
Brandon's bursting pipes, water main breaks, and overdue building maintenance are signs of underinvestment.
Prioritizing core infrastructure before it fails reduces long‑term costs and keeps our communities functioning smoothly.
Support Sonikile
I need your help in this campaign. Please consider donating to send a new voice to the table. Your support is crucial for our success!
Donate by etransfer to hello@votesonikiletembo.ca or by credit card using Paypal.