As a private-sector driven organization, YES! Winnipeg works on behalf of Winnipeg business interests to grow the city’s economy. This multi-faceted work requires a strategic focus, while understanding the needs and long-term goals of Winnipeg’s private sector. Just as crucially, a talented team of staff executes this strategy, with the required industry expertise and passion to help raise the city’s profile, facilitate business expansion, and attract new investment. 

Since its inception, YES! Winnipeg has taken its cues from the private sector while working at the speed of business. That speed means being nimbly responsive to industry needs, reacting quickly to opportunities as they occur. That speed of communication also allows the YES! team to be a bridge between the private and public sectors, creating an expedited communication channel to get answers faster. This speed, and ability to bridge gaps, has been where the organization has been able to maximize its impact and find success.  Facilitating business growth and increasing Winnipeg’s collaborative business environment has had a direct impact on the city’s national and international standing. Increased business opportunities boost the city’s competitiveness on the world stage for attracting new businesses and cutting-edge jobs. YES! Winnipeg has seen success in this domain, as evidenced by the number of new jobs and investment in Winnipeg since the organization’s inception.

YES! Winnipeg cumulative wins, 2018

1,510 new jobs created
$69.4+ million invested
$42.4+ million value of payroll

YES! Winnipeg cumulative wins since 2011

6,353 new jobs created
$654.4+ million invested

These successes stem from a wide range of sectors, industries, and company sizes – all realized in Winnipeg. Business growth, expansion, attraction, and retention all make up part of YES! Winnipeg’s portfolio of wins. All of these successes have had a direct impact on the city, both by expanding the tax base and by raising its international profile. All told, the YES! team’s work has helped realize Winnipeg’s economic potential, and enhanced the city’s reputation as a business-friendly jurisdiction. How YES! Winnipeg helps business grow in Winnipeg:

✅ Navigating government programs, permitting, and approval processes

✅ Sourcing strategic suppliers

✅ Locating ideal real estate

✅ Advice on financing and access to capital

✅ Sourcing talent and facilitating educational partnerships

✅ Providing market intelligence to inform decisions

To attract private investment, authenticity matters – you need to know the industry you’re working in. That’s why YES! Winnipeg has hired a team of industry experts, who have strong professional networks and technical knowledge in their respective fields to advocate on behalf of the city’s key industry sectors. This sector knowledge and industry expertise also provides key insights into what businesses need to succeed, which in turns allows the YES! team to provide better, more industry-specific assistance. 

Part of the assistance that YES! Winnipeg provides is navigating government channels on behalf of businesses. This is made possible through strong partnerships with the municipal, provincial, and federal governments. As a bridge between industry and government, the YES! team can provide a communication path for businesses to access the resources they need in the public sector. When required, the team will also advocate for industry needs to government, and work with both the public and private sectors to overcome challenges to growth.

More than anything else, the YES! team knows that having a strong private sector that promotes the local business environment can be a competitive advantage. In this, Winnipeg punches well above its weight. The city’s close-knit business community, which YES! Winnipeg has helped foster for many years, provides a competitive advantage against other larger cities. Big cities, by virtue of their size, don’t have the same opportunity to align and mobilize their business community in support of business, investment, and job growth. YES! Winnipeg’s ability to leverage local business leaders to help sell our city matters. Nothing resonates more with a company looking to invest or expand here than a local business leader, sharing their story of why Winnipeg has been good for their business.

YES! Winnipeg’s understanding of the city’s value proposition and competitive advantages allows the team to sell Winnipeg to the world. Knowing what investors need, and tailoring pitches to each audience maximizes opportunities for success. Resonating with investors means doing our homework – gathering intelligence, understanding the pressures an investor is facing, and articulating what Winnipeg offers to address their concerns.

Success breeds success, and YES! Winnipeg works to leverage each expansion and investment success to tell the “why Winnipeg” story to the next client. The end result is a noticeable impact on Winnipeg’s long-term economic growth and an improved awareness of the city’s business-friendly environment. As private business finds success in Winnipeg, YES! Winnipeg will be there to share these successes to other companies, and work to create even more opportunities.

Your YES! Winnipeg team

Ryan Kuffner
Vice President of Sales & Business Development 

Bill Coulter
Director, Business Development
Energy & Environment, Financial Services 

Whitney Moir
Investor Relations Coordinator 

Alberto Velasco
Business Development Manager
Advanced Manufacturing, Aerospace 

Camila Jerger
Business Development Manager
Agribusiness, Life Sciences, Transportation & Distribution 

Jeremy Barber
Business Development Manager
Creative Industries and ICT 

Kyla Wills
Business Development Manager
Creative Industries and ICT 

Melanie McCreath
Business Development Manager
Bring It Home Program 

Mike Gould
Business Development Manager
Bring It Home Program 

Corinne Gusnowski
Business Development Coordinator 

Sabena von Asten
Business Development Coordinator 

Noah Fast
Business Development Coordinator

This article originally appeared in the 2019 edition of The Winnipeg Investor, a YES! Winnipeg magazine and investor directory.