Since its creation in 2009, CentrePort Canada has shown that bold ideas can create new and exciting realities. It’s been the catalyst for the transformation of empty fields into sold-out industrial parks, connected to world class infrastructure. It is proof that a strategic approach to ‘if you build it, they will come’ can create decades of opportunity for our province and our country, and that if we work together as a community we can create something impactful.
The Milestones of CentrePort Canada
- 2008: The Government of Manitoba passed the CentrePort Canada Act, with unanimous support, designating the boundaries of the inland port and creating CentrePort Canada Inc., the corporation.
- 2013: CentrePort Canada Way officially opened. This expressway is now used by over 5 million vehicles annually.
- 2015: A shared trenching project delivered natural gas and telecommunications infrastructure to CentrePort Canada lands.
- 2016: The Special Planning Authority began operation, streamlining development in the RM of Rosser, also known as CentrePort North.
- 2018: The development boom in CentrePort North began with the installation of water and wastewater servicing.
- 2022: The Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg provided funding to bring water and wastewater to the city of Winnipeg lands, also known as CentrePort South.
- 2023: The CentrePort Canada Rail Park broke ground, fulfilling the trimodal vision (truck, plane and train) in the heart of CentrePort Canada.
- 2024: The City of Winnipeg initiated the installation of water and wastewater infrastructure in CentrePort South and formed the CentrePort South Development Support Team to expedite development approvals.
A Thriving Inland Port
Today, CentrePort Canada is one of North America’s largest trimodal inland ports and Foreign Trade Zones, offering 20,000 acres of high-quality, affordable industrial land. Hundreds of new companies have located at CentrePort Canada, thousands of new jobs have been created, and Manitoba is reminding the world why it’s well positioned to be a global leader in trade and transportation. CentrePort Canada’s central location at the intersection of multiple trade gateways is enabling thousands of companies to move goods regionally, nationally, and internationally every day. Companies are reaching over 100 million consumers within a 24-hour drive and leveraging tri-modal transportation infrastructure, including three Class I railways and a 24/7 international airport.
CentrePort Canada has generated value not just for businesses, but for every citizen of Manitoba. Through economic growth, job opportunities, and new tax dollars to pay for the services that our communities need, CentrePort Canada will create opportunities for Manitobans for decades to come.
Over 3 million square feet of new industrial space has been built or is being built as you read this. Almost $800 million of construction permits have been issued to build new industrial developments and operations at CentrePort Canada. And there are no signs of slowing down.
More to Come
Development in CentrePort North continues, building on the progress made over the past five years. Fastfrate Group, the first company to announce their move to the Rail Park, opened the doors on a $55 million new location at the end of 2024. Keystone Industrial Park, in development by Exemplar Developments, will transform 184 acres of empty land into a modern industrial development. This project, launched in 2024, pre-sold several lots before it broke ground. And there is more to come.
With water and wastewater servicing going into the ground, CentrePort South will see significant growth, including new industrial developments, an expansion on the west side of the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport campus, and a residential development that will be home to 8,000 to 12,000 residents.
At full build-out, the construction impacts of CentrePort Canada will provide a boost to Manitoba’s GDP just shy of $8 billion and about 100,000 person-years of employment.
Manitoba’s Destiny Realized
Fifteen years ago, the visionaries who created CentrePort Canada could have set aside a very modest amount of land to create an inland port. Other Canadian ports are smaller in size, such as the Global Transportation Hub in Regina and the Port of Vancouver, which are 1,800 and 1,600 acres, respectively. CentrePort’s founders chose 20,000 acres – an area larger than Manhattan. They believed that a bold vision would invite big investment and big ideas and make a big impact.
Fifteen years later, with over $1 billion of private industry dollars generated by CentrePort’s development, it’s clear that going big and bold is paying off.
But CentrePort Canada isn’t just important for Manitoba: it provides strong, tri-modal supply chain opportunities to global markets. It connects Canada with the world, and thanks to the efforts of our partners and our community, the tri-modal inland port is ready to play an integral role in building our country’s future.
This article was originally written for Lifestyles 55 February 2025 Issue.
