CentrePort Canada South development gets provincial support
The provincial commitment of funding – up to $40 million – to service CentrePort South with water & wastewater pipes is the key to unlocking more than $1 billion in private-sector investment, MHCA President Chris Lorenc said at the provincial announcement October 21.
Lorenc, former chair of CentrePort Canada and a current board member, lauded Premier Heather Stefanson for her government’s decision to help fund the servicing of the area, the last major tract of land in CentrePort to be developed. CentrePort North – largely in the RM of Rosser – has been built out extensively to date.
He also paid tribute to Diane Gray, until recently the founding President & CEO of CentrePort Canada, for her tireless effort and skillful stewardship in the founding days of the inland trade port, North America’s largest tri-modal inland port and foreign trade zone. Situated at the junction of multiple transportation corridors, it provides access to rail, truck and air cargo operations supporting Canadian trade, connecting businesses and supply chains to markets across the country, continent and around the world.
“Diane’s undaunted efforts and visionary dedication brought this 20,000-acre site from brownfield to a bustling hub of industrial and commercial activity and Premier Stefanson, herself a champion of trade infrastructure investment, now is helping to complete the mission with this critical provincial commitment.”
Lorenc was emcee at the announcement, which featured Stefanson’s address and remarks by Martin McGarry, CEO of Cushman & Wakefield Stevenson.
“We’ve seen the success of CentrePort North and now is the time to export that same model to develop prime industrial and residential land within the city,” said Martin McGarry, who is also president and CEO of MMI Asset Management, a local development firm. “This investment will be a key economic driver and everyone stands to benefit – CentrePort, Winnipeg and Manitoba. I applaud the Manitoba government for taking this bold step forward.”
Building permits for nearly $60 million in construction to support CentrePort have been issued in the RM of Rosser in 2022 and 600,000 square feet of new construction is underway. In the last five years, building permits for more than $350 million of construction have been issued to support CentrePort.
Lorenc noted the announcement took place at Steele Business Park, developed at CentrePort by Maurice Steele and partners. Maurice Steele – a founder or M.D. Steele Construction Ltd. – was represented by his widow Patricia Steele.
He also gave special thanks to Coun. Scott Gillingham – elected mayor of Winnipeg October 26 – for his dedication to seeing the servicing of CentrePort South. As Chair of the Finance Committee of Winnipeg City Council, Gillingham was instrumental in the city’s commitment of $20 million toward the servicing costs, which are expected to be $60 million total.
Stefanson said her government will fund its tri-partite share of $20 million and continuing pressing the federal government to contribute. If that does not materialize, however, Manitoba will back fill, for a total of $40 million.
Lorenc paid tribute to the Stefanson government’s measures for economic development since Stefanson became premier, including
- Re-establishing the ministry of Economic Development Investment & Trade led by Minister Cliff Cullen, also Deputy Premier
- Energizing the Manitoba Transportation & Infrastructure Ministry to be an economic growth enabler led by Minister Doyle Piwniuk
- Establishing and chairing the Economic Development Board of Cabinet
- Resourcing the development and implementation of economic policies with a supporting secretariat led by Michael Swistun
- Establishing the parameters of a provincial venture capital fund to enable leveraged private sector investment in Manitoba’s growth led by Mike Pyle
- Establishing a competitiveness review panel led by Curt Vossen to which a working group will submit recommendations to improve Manitoba’s tax code
- Supporting increased income for working Manitobans through an increase to the basic minimum wages including updating the construction industry minimum wages regulation
- Committing with the federal government to a joint $75 million upgrade for rail service to the Port of Churchill, Canada’s only northern trade gateway. That announcement will leverage private sector investment in Manitoba’s northern economy and our global trade profile
- Noting when appointed as Chair of the Premiers’ Council of the Federation, that critical investment in trade enabling infrastructure must be part of the national discussion
- Today’s announcement of a $60 million investment to extend sewer and water into the CentrePort Canada south lands located in the City of Winnipeg which will leverage more than a billion dollars of private sector investment
