Why You Should Care  

The recent announcement of a Capital Region Plan is one of those times in history that could be considered legacy work- it seems that everyone is paying attention to the idea of a regional plan. But what is needed to move us into the future and capitalize on our full economic potential?

According to my guest today, if we are going to compete nationally and globally we need to set the table and ensure we have key principles in place including: 

• Manitoba has to lead: And this is not false modesty
• Metro region municipalities must be partners
• Create an investment environment: What’s it to be take to be attractive?
• Plan and build infrastructure that support trade and investment 
• Ensure a business approval process is in place that enable business and provides certainly for investment:  Act like we expect success! 

On Today’s Podcast

Listen now on Apple Podcast!

I sit down with Chris Lorenc, President of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association – an organization that acts as the recognized voice of the heavy construction industry in Manitoba. Chris also served as a founding Board Member of CentrePort Canada –North America’s largest inland port to discuss the need for and the timing of a long-term visionary Metropolitan Region plan for growth and servicing. 

Chris warns, that if we delay doing the key points above, our quality of life and standard of living is at stake.  If you agree, that now is the time to create our own opportunity and seize the day to ensure that our future is bright, you should listen to this podcast.

We discuss the importance of getting started now – in 2019 with the current momentum underway. This just may be the opportunity we have been waiting for to fulfill our dreams.

To get this right we must separate the clutter from the substance. To Chris, the Clutter is the siloed thinking that focuses on small constituency priorities to the detriment of the bigger picture. The substance is the move to a disciplined purpose driven regional plan. To achieve this requires an all hands on deck approach.

Chris sees that a well functioning Winnipeg Metro Region is critical to the economy of Manitoba, and that planned strategic investments must be part of this plan. 

Strategic investments are critical to support our key economic sectors including transportation and manufacturing – CentrePort Canada will spur growth across the entire Metro Region, Manitoba and Canada. 

One important piece of advice from Chris for Metro Region leaders is about growing a strong region for the future. We must loose the notion of silos and embrace a partnership strategy.  

This will provide a vision and an understanding that the market will make is clear where to invest. Without this clear and focused vision these investments will not materialize and our plans for a competitive culture will not materialize.

Again: If you agree, that now is the time to create our own opportunity and seize the day to ensure that our future is bright, you should listen to this podcast, and don’t forget to subscribe now!

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Highlighted Quotes:

"I’m going to paraphrase Perrin Beatty – there is the infrastructure we want like parks and recreation, there is the infrastructure we need like health care and education and then there is the infrastructure that pays for it – that… Click To Tweet "Manitoba has been traditional a trade hub and we have the opportunity to take our place in the country, the continent and the world as a leader in trade infrastructure and CentrePort Canada is the ticket." – Chris Lorenc Click To Tweet "CentrePort is the lynch pin investment that can and will transform who we are as a province, a country, a continent and the world." – Chris Lorenc Click To Tweet “What’s at stake if we don’t do this – our social and economic wealth,  our ability to provide careers and opportunity for our kids and their kids,  basically our quality of life and standard of living.”  – Chris Lorenc Click To Tweet “We have the geography and the location and the necessary inputs to become a global trading partner and player. But its really dependent on us; are we prepared to make the necessary decisions; are we prepared to shape and execute on… Click To Tweet

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Links & Resources:

• Capital Region Plan
• Manitoba Heavy Construction Association
• CentrePort Canada
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