For Danny Wilson, transitioning from homelessness back to stability felt like an impossible task — until he moved into Brandon’s first transitional housing complex for men.
Wilson is one of 17 residents living in a new building operated by the John Howard Society of Brandon. It’s opening at a critical time — chronic homelessness in the western Manitoba city increased by nearly 20 per cent in 2025. Single men, especially those exiting the justice system, have historically been disproportionately affected.
“It’s a place to get back on your feet,” Wilson said. “You got a place to sleep and people that support you.”
The $11-million, three-storey building on 16th Street N. serves three primary groups — men released from the Brandon Correctional Centre, those who require a Corrections Canada halfway house and men transitioning out of homelessness.
Wilson was the building’s first resident.
He moved in at the start of April after experiencing homelessness for around four months following a mental health crisis, which led to losing his job and his home of more than a decade.
Wilson appreciates the space the transitional housing gives him, with staff working on his deadlines instead of the other way round.