Winnipeg has a diverse economy, stable workforce, low unemployment rates and central location, resulting in greater resistance to major economic downturns and contributing to overall economic stability. This can be attributed to the following:

Strategic Location

• Geographic centre of Canada and North America
• Effective service to all North American time zones
• Northern hub of the Mid-Continent Trade Corridor
• Winnipeg Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) population of over 753,000 

Excellent Multi-Modal Transportation and Distribution Infrastructure

• Largest distribution centre between Vancouver and Toronto
• At the core of Canada’s national intermodal rail systems, Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Rail System (CP), with direct connections to the U.S. via CN and CP’s American subsidiaries
• Headquarters for many top inter-provincial general freight carriers in Canada
• Worldwide freight forwarding services
• A 24-hour international airport with daily flights to major Canadian and U.S. cities
• Access to ocean ports through Churchill and Thunder Bay

Diverse Industry and Leading Companies

• Home to several Canadian leading companies and entrepreneurs
• Historical financial centre of Western Canada. Headquarters of Great-West Life Assurance Company – Canada’s leading insurance company and Investors Group – Canada’s largest mutual fund company
• Headquarters of Canada’s grain industry and the Canadian Wheat Board. Major agriculture-based corporations include: Cargill Limited, Richardson International, Archer Daniels Midland and Maple Leaf Foods
• Home of the Royal Canadian Mint
• Home to numerous large customer contact centres including: INSPYRE Solutions Inc., Air Canada, Canada Post, Canada Revenue Agency and Royal Direct (Royal Bank)
• One of the most diversified secondary manufacturing sectors in Canada
• Over 50% of Canadian agricultural machinery output is manufactured in Manitoba
• Western Canada’s largest and most diversified aerospace centre. World-class companies include: Standard Aero Limited, Boeing Canada Technology and Bristol Aerospace Limited 
• Building products industry generates $1.4 billion in annual sales and employs approximately 13,000 people. Companies include: Kitchen Craft, Loewen Windows, JELD-WEN Canada and Palliser Furniture

Competitive Business Costs

• A 2008 study by KPMG showed Winnipeg has among the lowest overall business costs of major cities in Canada
• Of the 22 cities in the North American Midwest included in the 2010 KPMG Competitive Alternatives Report, Winnipeg ranked first with the lowest overall cost index
• Overall Winnipeg cost indexes are lower than the Canadian average

Productive and Skilled Workforce

• Very competitive labour costs
• Highly productive
• Very low turnover rates providing workforce stability
• Well educated and trained workforce
• Among the lowest worker’s compensation board rates in North America
• Excellent education and training institutes

Excellent Educational and Technical Training

• Home of three universities, the University of Manitoba and its Francophone affiliate - Université de Saint-Boniface, the University of Winnipeg and the Canadian Mennonite University
• Home to two technical training institutions, Red River College and Winnipeg Technical College
• Approximately 70,000 students enrolled in post-secondary institutions

Affordable Industrial and Commercial Sites and Buildings

• Fully serviced land available for a variety of industries
• Ample commercial and office space
• Office space costs among the lowest in major Canadian and North American cities

Reliable Low-Cost Energy and Communications

• Low electricity costs
• Abundant supply of natural gas, oil and emissions-free hydro-generated electric power
• Cost competitive, state-of-the-art, world-wide telecommunications infrastructure and service