If you’ve noticed that more people are talking about Winnipeg in a positive light, or felt like the city’s positive reputation is increasing – you’re not alone. Winnipeg has been making a name for itself on the world stage. Our recent successes in economic development, business development, and tourism are all contributing to our city’s exciting new narrative.
2018 was an excellent year for Winnipeg. Big things are happening here, and the world is taking notice of us. We’ve seen the launch and expansion of businesses in cutting-edge industries, an increase in our population, and completed real estate projects that are virtually unprecedented in our city’s history.
A highlight from last year was the Winnipeg Whiteout Street Parties. Our city was the place to be. Economic Development Winnipeg took a leadership role in organizing these events, because we saw the potential to have an impact on Winnipeg’s reputation across North America. We wanted people to be talking about Winnipeg – not just our hockey team, but our city.
We achieved that goal. Last spring, millions of people saw our city on their screens, or read about our energy and passion. The Whiteout Street Parties were a stunning success.
Building on that positive press, EDW has been using Winnipeg’s new reputation to help attract new business, conferences, and tourists to our city. The Whiteout Street Parties helped EDW open doors to attract meetings, conventions, and talent here – something we’ll see the benefit of for years to come.
Capitalizing on this positive press is already yielding long-term dividends for our city. We are demonstrating our value for tourists, residents, and business leaders. Economic Development Winnipeg is focused on putting our city front and center on a global stage. With this new reputation, we can compete with any of the world’s largest, world-class cities for attracting talent and jobs here.
Our city and province have recently been highlighted as a global tourist destination. Lonely Planet, Travel Lemming, Travelzoo, Zoomer, and Airbnb have all named our city and province as global must-visit destinations. Taken together, this positive media coverage continues to reaffirm Winnipeg’s status as a world-class city. We are not just being compared to other Canadian cities on these lists; we are being mentioned in the same breath as the Baja Peninsula, the Scottish Highlands, and South Korea. It’s excellent company to keep.
More people than ever before are talking about this new Winnipeg – an energetic and exuberant city, with a booming downtown and a celebratory atmosphere. Our city has been featured in news publications from across the continent – with the focus of many of these articles being about Winnipeg’s potential for economic development and growth. These developments add to an already-exciting narrative about Winnipeg, that more and more people and companies are discovering.
Winnipeg provides opportunities to succeed. For long-term career growth, for an affordable place to live and raise a family, and to enjoy a great quality of life, you’d be hard-pressed to find somewhere that beats us. Looking forward, one of EDW’s focuses will be on creating a talent attraction pipeline, connecting global talent with local companies who are looking for expertise to help them scale up their operations.
Winnipeg is used to thinking of itself as a hidden gem, but we’re not so hidden anymore. People aren’t asking where Winnipeg is anymore; they’re talking about all the things that are happening here. This recognition of our city’s potential is what drives us every day at EDW.
The board and staff of our organization continue to raise Winnipeg’s profile, and to attract new business, talent, and tourists to experience the city for themselves. We are proud to help promote Winnipeg on the world stage, and we invite you to be part of our work.
Dean Schinkel
Chair
Office Managing Partner, Deloitte Winnipeg
Dayna Spiring
President & CEO
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Click the image below to read our 2018 Annual Report
