Shari Decter Hirst wins in Brandon

Shari Decter Hirst speaks with reporters after she is elected mayor of Brandon.

Shari Decter Hirst has won the election to become Brandon's next mayor, defeating incumbent mayor Dave Burgess.

Incumbent mayor Dave Burgess was running for re-election against Decter Hirst as well as Nickolas Avlonitis and Henry Hansen for the mayoral spot.

"It's unbelievable that we accomplished something tonight that a year ago, people said would be impossible," Decter Hirst said.

Hirst began campaigning a full year ago. Now that she has been elected, she said she has a lot of work to do, including hiring a city manager, working on downtown revitalization and work with the YMCA on the sportsplex pool.

She will be Brandon's first female mayor.

"I'm honoured to have broken through this particular glass ceiling in Brandon," she said.

Affordable housing emerged as a big issue in this year's Brandon municipal election campaign and residents said they will be looking to Brandon's newly elected mayor for results.

Brandon currently has the lowest rental vacancy rate in Manitoba at 0.2 per cent.

During the campaign, Burgess said he will offer up city land for affordable housing at no cost.

Shari Decter Hirst said if elected she would contribute city land to affordable housing projects, either through donation or by selling below market value.

Candidate Nickolas Avlonitis said he would also donate city land for affordable housing projects.

Please note: Election results Wednesday night are unofficial. Election results are expected to be finalized on Thursday, Oct. 28.