Economic Development in Winnipeg

Winnipeg offers a central location and unique access to shipping routes by air, rail, road and sea.

Winnipeg’s geographic position at the centre of North America provides the city with a natural competitive advantage. The city has the largest concentration of employment in the transportation and warehousing industry of cities in Canada, although growth in the industry has been flat over the last decade. Growth for transportation services is largely driven by output in the manufacturing industry in Manitoba, which is expected to remain stable and strong.

Transportation and distribution services add value to Winnipeg by supporting efficient export and import activity. Physical capacity and a critical mass of logistics expertise are key competitiveness factors. The existence of integrated capabilities for truckload carriers, private truck fleets, package express, local trucks, as well as commercial rail, water (access through the Port of Churchill and linkages to east and west coast ports) and air freight capacity have historically served to reinforce Winnipeg as a hub for incoming and outgoing goods. Winnipeg’s highly diversified manufacturing sector is well served by its transportation hub capacities.

The structure of transportation and distribution services has evolved to the point where Winnipeg has a transportation services business culture. As a result, important transportation industry-based foundations have been established including a Transport Institute (University of Manitoba), an extensive urban ground transportation network, cargo handling facilities, educational programs, warehousing and freight forwarding facilities, as well as expertise in transportation-based banking and finance.

This sector is well served by:

Trucking

• Three of Canada’s 10 largest employers in the for-hire trucking industry are headquartered in Winnipeg
• Over 90% of trucking companies operate interprovincially and or internationally
• Trucking hauls 95% of all land freight and 80% of the province’s U.S. merchandise trade

Rail

• Winnipeg is the only major city between Vancouver, BC and Thunder Bay, ON with direct U.S. rail connections
• Winnipeg is on the mainline of Canada’s two national rail systems
• Burlington Northern Santa Fe Manitoba Inc. with direct U.S. access, has terminal facilities in Winnipeg
• Both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway have intermodal terminals in Winnipeg

Air

• Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport serves both passengers and cargo
• Competitive ground handling services available
• Business parks located immediately adjacent to the airport
• Facility is operational 24 hours a day

Marine

• The Port of Churchill is North America’s most northern port
• It has four deep-sea berths for the loading and unloading of grain, general cargo and tanker vessels
• Interior rail access is provided by the Hudson Bay Railway
• Goods can be shipped between the port and most North American points