The Centre of it All
Transportation underpins Manitoba’s trade and is a major sector in its own right.
The transportation sector plays a major role in Winnipeg and Manitoba, both directly as a sector and as a catalyst of all economic activity. Transportation represents 6.8% of Manitoba’s GDP, the second highest share of GDP of the provinces and approximately 40% higher than the national average. Total transportation employment in Manitoba has grown to nearly 50,000 jobs.
Winnipeg’s prominent central geographic location in North America enables the city to be:
- Canada’s national east-west transportation and trade hub
- The eastern hub of a Western Canada Transportation System (WCTS)
- The northern gateway for the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor linking Canada, the United States and Mexico
- A primary or secondary port of entry for polar transportation link through the Port of Churchill to Russia and Eurasia
In addition to geographic location, Winnipeg and Manitoba have other clear advantages such as a well-established, in place and mature multi-modal transportation assets which includes rail, air, marine and road. This infrastructure provides a tremendous base of multi-modal and logistics capabilities as a critically strategic trade and transportation location for Canada.