There’s a wave of growth in Winnipeg on the heals of a federal government $1 billion investment to tackle homelessness expand healthcare. Mayor Gillingham continued to ride that wave Monday, in front of a packed room Winnipeg’s business community, where pledged to make good on a key campaign promise, and put out the signal that Winnipeg is open for business.
City councillors and business elites came together for the economic growth forum, where Gillingham outlined plans to implement a new Winnipeg growth officer.
“First and foremost its about making sure the city has all of the shovel ready infrastructure, land, and investments ready to go, I never want to see the city be the chokepoint in development,” said Gillingham.
He says the prime minister’s funding for 2,000 new supportive housing units, and a mental health and addictions centre, means the city’s construction industry must be ready to take on the projects.
“All that to get built is going to require construction crews, it needs labour, so people who are technicians and drywallers, and people who pour foundations, so all of the federal government’s investment, that alone is good news for Winnipeg construction companies,” said Gillingham.
Chris Lorenc, the president and CEO of Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, said, “The construction industry whether vertical or horizontal, has developed the capacity to be nimble and find the resources both human and other, in order to meet the challenges, so I’m not worried about that, they will step up and meet those challenges.”
Looking past the homelessness investment, Gillingham says a focus for the growth officer would be to streamline major investment opportunities in Centreport which he hopes will be bountiful, now that pipes are in the ground.
“Aviation, aerospace, our defence sector with 17 wing right there, all of that is poised to grow, now that Centreport is serviced,” said Gillingham.
The mayor wouldn’t provide a name in mind for the growth officer position, or a timeline, but his team tells me its priority number one to bring forward to council.
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham at press conference on June 29, 2026. (CityNews)
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