Shop local.
Support small businesses.
Order from your favourite local restaurant tonight.
We keep sharing these sentiments and encouraging one another to spend our money at our local businesses, but some Manitobans might be feeling a little financially stressed right...
Holiday Alley—an event you can count on
Many of us might be needing holiday spirit this year more than we ever have. Manitoba's most festive season is surely going to look quite different, which has people wondering if all...
What a Difference One Year Can Make
What a difference a year can make.
This time last year, we were hard at work preparing for our “Driving Competitiveness” event where we welcomed over 300 of Manitoba’s...
By the end of this year, the Metro Region expects to complete a first draft of its new long-term growth plan — Plan 2050 — reflecting input from municipal leaders, provincial and Indigenous governments, businesses, environmental groups, land planning professionals, and individual citizens.
Overcoming vulnerabilities to become more resilient
"A lot of work on resilience has focused on the capacity to absorb shocks and still maintain function. But, there is also another aspect of resilience that concerns the capacity for renewal,...
Resiliency vs. Sustainability
Resiliency vs sustainability for the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region.
“We must plan to bend, so to not break.” — Lisa Strychar, A Report on Resiliency for the Partnership of the Manitoba Capital Region.
What exactly is “resiliency” when it comes to Manitoba’s capital region?
As cliché as it may be to start a...
Freshwater Alliance Panel – Q & A
I was fortunate enough to have taken part in the Agriculture Considerations for the Canada Water Agency workshop on June 25.
The objective of this session was to hear from professionals...
Agriculture—how important is it really for Manitoba?
A look into how important agriculture is to all of Manitoba
Amidst a time when everything feels restricted, today welcomes a weekend of loosening the reigns. From June 12 – 14th, all Manitoba residents have free access to all provincial parks as well as fishing without a license. So, it seems only logical to send some recommendations your way on where to cast...
Internet—more than just Netflix and emails. Our economy depends on it.
Rural and Indigenous communities, and local governments, continue in their struggle to access reliable and affordable high-speed Internet for citizens. The conversation is about so much more...
Concern over dead carp on our shores
Dead fish washing up on the shores of Lake Winnipeg—Why?
If you live on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, or if you’ve been...
Future Focus 2050 – Getting Ready for What’s Next…
As Manitoba celebrates 150 years strong this year, we invite you to join leaders in government, business, academia and civil society to explore the challenges and opportunities related to climate, technology, effective...
Building Resiliency is a Team Sport
Today, the Honourable Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba made an announcement that will go a long way in ensuring communities across Manitoba are safe and resilient in the face of extreme weather...
Two minutes of silence, the playing of the Last Post, the recitation of In Flanders Fields, and the wearing of poppies are all part Remembrance Day but have we remembered everyone?
A Leadership Leap of Faith
With above normal rainfall in September and October, and a vicious Thanksgiving weekend snowstorm that not only dumped a pile of precipitation but crushed trees destroying approximately 10% of Winnipeg’s tree canopy, downed hydro lines also left thousands of Manitobans without power for almost two weeks.
Accountability Counts
Last week Premier Pallister announced the progress the Province of Manitoba has made with a common sense approach to purchasing. Since adopting a shared purchasing approach that includes a bulk buying arrangement, the...
The Collaborative Leadership Initiative is redefining the goal of economic development as enabling Manitoba to compete at the global level. By bringing Mayors, Reeves, and Chiefs of the First Nations together, we ensure that we will have the resources to build an economy that can adapt to the complexities of the global market.
With...
The Rising Red: Our History May Repeating
If you have been down to The Forks or walked along any riverbank lately you will notice that the Red River is rising. Manitoba has seen unprecedented rainfall throughout September and early...
Plastic Straws Are Only One Part of the Problem
Single use plastics are items that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Whether we are talking packaging, straws, cutlery or take- out containers each year the number...
NASCO Conference: Taking Note of the Manitoba Advantage
This September 2019, I attended the NASCO Conference (North American Strategy for Competitiveness) in Columbus Ohio. NASCO is a tri-national network of the North American governments, business, and educational institutions that support...
Made In Manitoba
Made In Manitoba: Manitoba is truly at the crossroads of Canada. In addition to our productive capacity, our abundant resources, and our geographic location in the center of Canada, we are fortunate...
As we know, Manitoba has so many great women leaders. Our initial post - Made in Manitoba: Resources of our People was very popular, but we couldn't list all the hard working women in our area! We asked for help identifying additional luminaries that deserve to be recognized and celebrated. You did not disappoint!
Election Season round two!
With the end of the Provincial Election and the start of the Federal Election Manitobans have been inundated with messaging which has ultimately led to their choice on who to vote for. This Tuesday many of us hit the polls and marked our ballots for the candidate that we believed...
When the Well is Dry…
Water is employment - an estimated three out of four jobs in the global workforce are dependent on water. Globally 1.5 billion people are employed in water and natural resources dependent...
Manitoba’s Transportation Sector
In the Winnipeg METRO Region (WMR), the transportation sector including trucking is one of the strongest economic drivers. The transportation sector employs 42,000 people in the METRO Region alone.
This...
Have you seen the USMCA Video by the Missouri Farm Bureau yet? (It's embedded below.)
With harvest in full swing many Canadian farmers have may not have much time to follow any new development in the on-going United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) or the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement (CUSMA) as it is referred to in Canada.
Why Growing Manitoba’s Economy Requires a Regional Approach
If we are going to align economic development efforts and grow Manitoba's economy, we need to adopt a regional approach — one that includes bold leadership, the co-ordinated delivery of services, strategic...
Man of the People: Remembering Mitch Podolak
Sad news on the passing of Mitch Podolak - co-founder of the Winnipeg Folk Fest and the West End Cultural Centre.
The Winnipeg Folk Fest is one of...
Creating successful partnerships has been a struggle since the beginning of time. Whether we are talking about personal or professional partnerships, challenges are plenty. There are, however, successful strategies to follow ensuring the essential groundwork gets laid to build a strong foundation to turn planning into action. Here are my top 5 strategies for coordinating successful collaboration:
$40 Million In Store for New Brunswick High Speed Internet
Pictured above: Minister Jordan in St. Martins, New Brunswick following a $40M Internet infrastructure investment announcement on July 25, 2019.
Winnipeg Metro Region: High Speed, Reliable Internet is Within Our Grasp
Through JohnQ, the Winnipeg METRO Region’s municipal participation corporation, we have been working hard to ensure our growing region has the high-speed Internet infrastructure it needs to build better lives for residents, to ensure we are...
IF we are going to align regional economic development efforts and grow our economy in Manitoba, we need to adopt a localized approach - one that includes bold leadership, the coordinated delivery of programs, strategic land use planning and a revamp of processes that can hinder investment in Manitoba.
Experts in economic development agree...
Canadian Federal Budget Fallout Affects Internet Access
By Dylan Robertson, Winnipeg Free Press dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
The Liberals have pegged the cost of giving all households access to high-speed Internet...
Fibre to the Farm – Protecting Manitoba’s Key Sector
The economy of the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region is driven by the agriculture, transportation, and manufacturing sectors and if we are to grow and compete in these key sectors we must make significant...
With 85% of net new economic growth generated by metro regions across Canada, working regionally has never been more important. As our leaders work to increase Canadian competitiveness, provinces and municipalities too are looking for ways to collaborate to compete on the global stage for trade and investment.
On February 28, 2019 the Winnipeg...
Rural and Northern Internet Connectivity – Leaders Take Action
Planning and building strong communities today requires more attention than ever before. Leadership at all levels of government have worked long and hard to provide residents with basic services such as functioning roads...
How Leaders are Meeting the Needs of a Growing Population
Last week, 60 leaders from businesses, municipalities and Indigenous communities teamed up to explore best practices in purchasing, and meeting the needs of a growing population. They reviewed legal and trade obligations...
A fourth agricultural revolution is underway, and this one isn't powered by seeds or diesel. It's all about data.
Farmer 4.0: As Canadian farmers leave traditional tasks to smart machines, and focus on strategy and systems, they’ll be better positioned than ever to feed a fast-growing global population. But to do that, they’ll need...
How to Make Your Vote Count
How to make your vote count: October 24th is municipal election day in Manitoba. All across our province, residents will be able to have their say on who will lead their community into the...
Economiser oui, s’amalgamer non
Economiser oui, s'amalgamer non.
Great to be involved with our Francophone community in the Winnipeg Metro Region! I talked to La-Liberte writer Daniel Bahuad for a piece called Economiser oui, s'amalgamer non. The article talks...
Leaders recently undertook a Fibre Optic Feasibility Study for the Winnipeg Metropolitan Region through the newly established JohnQ Public - an arms-length Development Corporation. The feasibility study provides information to begin to assess the direction and explore various options for partnerships, as well link existing networks to maximize the taxpayers’ investment that has already been made into fibre optic infrastructure....
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