Spring may have been slow to arrive this year, but construction season at CentrePort Canada has been in full swing for months.
Across 20,000 acres in northwest Winnipeg (CentrePort South) and Rosser (CentrePort North) — bounded by the Perimeter Highway to the north and west, Saskatchewan Avenue to the south, and Route 90 to the east — CentrePort Canada is embracing spring with a flurry of activity.
In CentrePort South, water and wastewater servicing installation is underway and will soon lead to industrial and residential development. In CentrePort North, developers and businesses continue to expand, invest, and create jobs that boost Manitoba’s economy.
Since CentrePort Canada was established in 2009, it has become a major driver of private investment and a catalyst for global trade, transportation, manufacturing, and logistics growth.
Building momentum in CentrePort South
Installation of the first phase of water and wastewater infrastructure in CentrePort South is on track to be completed this fall. This critical infrastructure will unlock development opportunities and bring fully serviced industrial property to market in the city of Winnipeg lands in CentrePort for the first time.
The first projects expected to move forward are developments by the Winnipeg Airports Authority and Jessiman Family Investments Inc.
Winnipeg Airports Authority (WAA) is already advancing major projects at the Winnipeg Richardson International Airport campus. By the end of 2026, the multi-tenant Air Cargo Logistics Facility will become operational, and Phase 1 of the 220-acre YWG West Lands project is expected to connect to services. The new YWG West Lands will feature prime real estate on the secure side of the fence, meaning that companies located there will be post-security and have direct access to the airfield. This will lead to an important increase in air cargo capacity, strengthen Manitoba’s role as a key trade and transportation hub, and enhance Canada’s supply chain resilience and global competitiveness.
Jessiman Family Investments will bring Catalyst Part, Manitoba’s largest privately owned, fully serviced industrial park to market in 2027 with Phase 1 of its nearly 700-acre mixed-use development. The master-planned project will create shovel ready lots for manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution along with supportive office, educational, and retail opportunities. Catalyst Park is set to become a premier hub for innovation, job creation, and new investment in Manitoba.
Construction is progressing on the City of Winnipeg’s new $200 million Oak Point Garage located at the intersection of Selkirk Avenue and Oak Point Highway. The 259,000-square-foot facility will support the city’s long-term transit operations and infrastructure needs.
Over the next five years, 17 Wing Winnipeg, the Canadian Forces Base located in CentrePort South, is expected to undergo its largest expansion in 40 years. Planned investments include new base accommodations, a new operations centre, and increased security and technology. The expansion is expected to bring hundreds of new employees and families to the area in the years ahead.
Growth in CentrePort South will not be limited to industrial development. Plans are underway for a 500-acre residential community along Saskatchewan Avenue. The development is expected to provide housing for between 8,000 and 10,000 residents, help meet the need for more housing in the St. James neighbourhood, and support the area’s growing workforce and population.
Building momentum in CentrePort South
While CentrePort South prepares for a new era of development, CentrePort North continues to build on years of momentum.
MoveMobility has moved into its new 63,000-square-foot manufacturing facility at 160 Wheatfield Road in Brookside Business Park. Built by Contempora Steel Builders, the new facility will increase the company’s production capacity and support the manufacturing of Type II ambulances. The expansion is expected to create 44 new highly skilled jobs in Manitoba, including positions for welders, technicians, and engineers.
Industrial park development in CentrePort North continues at a rapid pace. Exemplar Developments’ Keystone Industrial Park is now on the market, offering 184 acres of shovel-ready, fully serviced industrial land. The project represents an investment of more than $100 million upon completion of Phase 1, with additional investment planned for future phases. More than half of the park is already sold or conditionally sold.
Exemplar is also developing North Crossing Business Park, a new 41-acre development designed for commercial service and light industrial users.
Shawano Wapunong Investments Corp. (SWIC), owned and operated by the eight First Nations of the Southeast Resource Development Council (SERDC), will bring a 28-acre Indigenous-led industrial development to market within CentrePort Canada. The project will be developed in two phases, with the first 10 acres targeted for construction in 2026.
Investing in Manitoba’s future
Since its establishment in 2009, CentrePort Canada has attracted approximately $1.5 billion in private investment and is now home to more than 1,000 companies, with room to grow for decades to come.
In the last eight years, more than $850 million in building permits have been issued, over 3.5 million square feet of industrial space has been built or is under construction, nine industrial parks have come to market, and more than 2,300 acres of land are currently under development.
As global supply chains evolve, Manitoba plays an increasingly important role in strengthening Canada’s transportation network and expanding trade opportunities. With its central location, trimodal transportation assets (rail, road and air), and access to global markets, CentrePort Canada is helping to build a more connected, reliable, and resilient national supply chain.
Construction underway today is helping position Manitoba as a critical link in Canada’s trade and transportation network. New industrial developments, transportation infrastructure, logistics facilities, and residential projects at CentrePort Canada will support economic growth and improve Canada’s ability to move goods efficiently to domestic and global markets.
Sixteen years ago, CentrePort Canada was a bold vision for what Manitoba could become. Today, it is a blueprint for how strategic infrastructure and investment can drive economic growth, strengthen supply chains, and position Canada to compete globally. What began in Manitoba is now helping to shape the future of development, trade and transportation across the country.
Feature image: Carly Edmundson, President & CEO of CentrePort Canada Inc., pictured in front of the first phase of water and wastewater servicing in CentrePort South. / Mike Sudoma
