Business in Winnipeg [Archive] - Page 3

wags_in_the_peg

Jul 11, 2007, 7:26 PM

from today's FREE PRESS

THE Red River has been named by the editors of Where Canada magazine as one of the top 10 destinations in Canada for the summer travel season.
The regional editors of the Canadian travel magazine bill the 10 sites in this year's list as the "must-see" locales "for anyone considering travel within Canada" this summer.

"There are a lot of great tourists attractions along the Red River and we wanted to draw attention to the Red because it was recently designated as a heritage river," said Jillian Brown, local Where editor.

Brown said choosing the Red was a collective decision of the local Winnipeg editorial office.

The Red River was designated as a heritage river last month by the Canadian Rivers Heritage Council (CRHC). There are 43 rivers in Canada with a heritage designation; and three others in Manitoba also have the designation -- the Seal, Hayes and Bloodvein rivers.

While there are several categories that rivers can be recognized for heritage status, including recreational use, the CRHC recognized the Red River because of its rich heritage value -- there are more than 20 heritage sites along the length of the river, including The Forks, the Trappists Monastery and grounds in St. Norbert, Lower Fort Garry, Seven Oaks House Museum, Fort Gibraltar, Riel House, Cooks Creek Heritage Museum, St. Peter Dynevor Church, Brokenhead Ojibway Nation Historic Village and Captain Kennedy House and Garden.
Brown said there are several local attractions tied to the Red River, including the River Walk, the Splash Dash water taxi, and the river cruise operators. Brown said there are also self-guided walking, paddling and driving tours along the Red River that tie in to other local attractions. These tours can be found at the website: www.routesonthered.ca

The other Canadian locales named in this year's Where summer destinations list are: the Atlantic Jazz Festival (Halifax), Dynamic Earth at Science North (Sudbury, Ont.), Galaxy Orbiter roller coaster at Galaxyland (Edmonton), Jasper Discovery Trail (Alberta), the Rideau Canal (Ottawa), Royal BC Museum (Victoria), Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at the Royal Ontario Museum (Toronto), Skyline ride at Canada Olympic Park (Calgary), and Vancouver Lookout.

1ajs

Jul 19, 2007, 12:29 AM

interesting.......

Winnipeg pork plant gets the axe
JUL 18 2007 04:40 PM
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Maple Leaf Foods says it will close its it Marion Street pork processing operation in Winnipeg in October.The company says it's part of a strategy of centralizing primary pork processing operations in Brandon.
The Marion Street operation employs 145 people and processes between 15,000 to 20,000 hogs per week.
CJOB News

newflyer

Jul 20, 2007, 3:14 AM

Chamber's Membership Growth Continues to Break Records

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dave Angus is confident that the organization is well on its way of meeting its aggressive growth target of having 2,008 members by 2008 after finishing the 2006/2007 fiscal year with 1,876 members – an increase of over seven percent from last year.

“We continue to raise the bar in terms of driving membership at The Chamber,” said Angus. “With 1,876 members, we smashed last year’s membership total of 1,751 and have once again set a new record with the most members in the 134-year history of the organization.”

In fact The Chamber’s impressive membership growth has recently been recognized by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) which represents over 1,400 chambers of commerce of all sizes across North America.

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has received an ACCE Membership Achievement Award as one of the top ten Chambers in the following two categories

1. Number of New Members
2. New Member Dollars

The Chamber will be formally recognized at the ACCE Annual Convention later this summer in Sacramento, California.

newflyer

Jul 20, 2007, 3:16 AM

:previous:

Yes.. business is picking up. :tup:

... and even better the Chamber is gaining significance and influence. Hopefully this will translate into further investments in the downtown.

1ajs

Jul 20, 2007, 5:34 AM

:previous:

Yes.. business is picking up. :tup:

... and even better the Chamber is gaining significance and influence. Hopefully this will translate into further investments in the downtown.

:cool: little things help :)

1ajs

Jul 24, 2007, 11:34 PM

uhler Industries gets takeover bid from Russian firm

Last Updated: Tuesday, July 24, 2007 | 3:45 PM CT

CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html)

A $150-million takeover bid from a Russian company sent shares of agricultural equipment maker Buhler Industries Inc. up more than 13 per cent on Tuesday.
The stock gained 81 cents to finish at $7.01 on the TSX.
http://cbc.stockgroup.com/charts/newchart.asp?P1=T.BUI&P29=FFFFFF&P25=175&P8=3&P48=0&P31=000000&P33a=CCCCCCBuhler Industries 3-month stock chart
Winnipeg-based Buhler said it had received an offer from the Russian Combine Factory Rostselmash Ltd. to purchase 80 per cent of its outstanding common shares.
The offer would see the Russian firm buy 51 per cent of the outstanding shares at $7.50 by Sept. 30. From 2009 to 2012, the Russian company would buy 7.25 per cent of Buhler's remaining common shares at $7.60 by Sept. 30 each year.
Buhler said its board of directors is "viewing the offer positively" and has struck a committee to study it.
Combine Factory Rostselmash Ltd is a major combine manufacturer located in Rostov-on-Don. It produces over 17 per cent of the total world production of agricultural combines.

Buhler employs about 800 people in Canada and the United States, including 500 in Winnipeg.
John Buhler, who owns 78 per cent of Buhler Industries, said employees should not be worried about their jobs.
"When the largest agricultural wants to buy you, they want to sell your product in their country. And so, I think it will be completely the opposite and sales will go up," he told CBC News.

Andy6

Jul 24, 2007, 11:38 PM

Drat. I shouldn't have sold out of Buhler at $3.25....

1ajs

Jul 24, 2007, 11:41 PM

why did its stock colaps this month?

newflyer

Jul 29, 2007, 7:55 PM

To clarify misconceptions in regards to the Winnipeg Commodity Exhange Holdings Inc.

Here is a press release from the WCE website.

------------------------------------------------------------

WCE Holdings Inc. Announces Receipt of Acquisition Proposal

Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - Winnipeg - WCE Holdings Inc. (Holdings), parent of Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Inc. (WCE), WCE Clearing Corporation (WCECC) and Canadian Climate Exchange Inc. (CCE) announced today that it has received an unsolicited written acquisition proposal from a third party to acquire the shares of Holdings for a purchase price of $77.59 per common share or $50 million Canadian in the aggregate.

WCE is currently party to an arrangement agreement with IntercontinentalExchange, Inc. (ICE) for ICE to acquire the shares of Holdings for a purchase price of $62.08 per common share or $40 million Canadian in the aggregate.

The board of directors of Holdings has determined, after consultation with its legal and financial advisors, that the third party proposal is reasonably likely to result in a superior proposal and has authorized management to negotiate the third party proposal. Holdings is permitted under its arrangement agreement with ICE to accept a superior proposal if ICE fails to match same and Holdings pays ICE a termination fee of $1.2 million.

There can be no assurances that an agreement will be reached with the third party and Holdings does not intend to disclose further developments with respect to negotiations with that party until a definitive agreement is reached or negotiations are terminated.

Winnipeg Commodity Exchange Inc., established in 1887, has been facilitating futures contract trading since 1904. WCE is Canada's only agricultural futures and options exchange and North America's first fully electronic commodity exchange. WCE offers futures and options contracts on canola, domestic feed wheat, and western barley.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The deal is still very much in air.. and only time will tell how this will work out.

Rumour has it that JRI is interested in the WCE .... and with the payout from the Agricore deal and the freed up capital they are in position to take it if they believe it is in there interests.

1ajs

Jul 29, 2007, 8:16 PM

if jri bought the wce it could be interesting times

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 2, 2007, 4:54 PM

Good news on a local company. The combined company will have about 3600 employees, sales of $1.2 bill, (previously 2600 and sales of $750k) with HQ in Winnipeg!!!

from freepress....***

Standard Aero a perfect fit for new owner - Dubai firm chooses city company for its 'operational excellence'

Thu Aug 2 2007
By Martin Cash

Standard Aero, one of the world leaders in providing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for gas turbine engines, has been bought by a global aerospace giant.

STANDARD Aero has become the first acquisition -- and potentially the cornerstone -- for a new $15-billion global aerospace firm.
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise bought Winnipeg's Standard Aero and Landmark Aviation based in Tempe, Ariz. for US$1.9 billion US from the Carlyle Group. (Standard went for US$1.034 billion.)

They are the first acquisitions for DAE which was formed in February 2006 by several large Dubai investment firms, as well as the government of Dubai, with the intention of building a global aerospace, manufacturing and services corporation.

Paul Soubry Jr., Standard's CEO will become the president and CEO of the combined Standard and Landmark which will be based in Tempe. A name for the combined entity has not yet been determined.

"This is a very exciting time for our employees," Soubry said. "For the last number of years we had private-equity ownership. We spent a lot of time looking over our shoulders knowing full well that there was going to be an exit strategy. Now for the first time in a decade we will be part of an organization whose stated objective is to build a world-class operating aerospace company."

Standard is one of the world leaders in providing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) for gas turbine engines for regional airlines, military, business aviation, helicopters and industrial operators around the world.
Landmark does airframe and engine MRO as well as avionics and interior refurbishing of mid-sized and heavy aircraft.

Robert Mionis, the president of DAE's engineering division said the integration of the two companies will mean better opportunities for growing both.

"The combination of the two businesses will create a more balanced portfolio across various market segments like business aviation, military, airlines, helicopter and energy," he said in phone interview from New York.

"As a result of that and the additional scale we'll be able to pursue new customers and grow the business in an effective way."

Mionis is a former senior executive with Honeywell Aerospace and other senior executives with DAE have extensive high-level experience in the aerospace industry.

That's different than Standard's previous two owners. The Carlyle Group, a global private-equity firm bought the company in the summer of 2004 and prior to that Standard was owned by the British private-equity firm Doughty Hanson & Co. since 1998.

Mionis said he and other DAE people have admired Standard Aero from afar for many years.

"Standard is very well known for its operational excellence and prominent market position," he said. "Customers love doing business with them and I feel fortunate to now be involved in the company from the inside."

He said another attractive feature of Standard is its "superb" workforce and its excellent management team that has "been through a lot of change and created a lot of value."

Soubry said there are no plans to alter the Winnipeg operations that employ about 1,300 people. Standard also has another 1,250 employees in facilities in Tennessee, San Antonio, Texas, the Netherlands, Singapore and Sydney, Australia.

He said rather than be concerned that Standard will now have to conform to the corporate culture of another company, Soubry thinks the opposite could happen.

"One of the reasons they sought us out was because they liked the way we operate," he said.

"We are the first major investment. They will use us as a base to build on rather than come in and change our culture. They want to build and use it to leverage growth of DAE."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

Only The Lonely..

Aug 3, 2007, 12:09 AM

newflyer

Aug 3, 2007, 1:14 AM

:previous:

That's interesting news..

But like the Agricore merger before it I must ask, why didn't they choose Winnipeg as the HQ of the new amalgamated company?

I think there's a serious issue with the business climate in our city. Unlike the Sask Wheat Pool this company had no loyalties to either community, and still it chose Tempe Arizona over Winnipeg Manitoba.

It's unfortunate that this issue isn't discussed in the press.

To the best of my knowledge .. there has been no final decision made and probibly won't be made for months. The operations will remain in Regina until then.. while the finance will be located in Winnipeg, until the long term plans can be made for this new (soon to be renamed) company.

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 3, 2007, 7:41 PM

Tempe, Arizona is simply the parent company HQ (staff of 5), everything else is WPG.

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 3, 2007, 7:50 PM

Hydrogen Olympic buses to be built in Winnipeg

Fri Aug 3 13:07:00 CDT 2007

VICTORIA (CP) -- A well-known Winnipeg company will build the world’s first fleet of Hydrogen buses under a $46 million contract awarded by B.C. Transit.
New Flyer Industries will build the 20 green machines, promising delivery by the end of 2009.

The fuel-cell powered, low-floor buses will have a top speed of 90 kilometres an hour and a range of 500 kilometres.

The zero-emission fleet will be based in Whistler, B.C.

The B.C. government, which has promised to cut the province’s greenhouse gas emissions by one-third by 2020, says the hydrogen buses will be a visible part of public transportation during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Ballard Power Systems of Burnaby will provide the fuel cell modules and Calgary’s Dynetek Industries will supply the hydrogen storage system.

1ajs

Aug 3, 2007, 10:02 PM

great news for newflyer and sweet news for winnipeg :)

newflyer

Aug 4, 2007, 5:32 PM

great news for newflyer and sweet news for winnipeg :)

Well it might not be great new for me personally... then again maybe it is.:D

1ajs

Aug 4, 2007, 9:36 PM

Well it might not be great new for me personally... then again maybe it is.:D
now if we could stop burning coal to make power then hydrogen would be even better for the enviroment....

newflyer

Aug 7, 2007, 12:55 AM

now if we could stop burning coal to make power then hydrogen would be even better for the enviroment....

I can't remember the last time I saw a coal burning bus ... but I have seen a few burning excessive amounts of blue smoke.

Boreal

Aug 7, 2007, 6:02 AM

I always find it comical how Manitobans rant and rave about Hydro power. Aside from all the debates about costs and grids, what about this simple conundrum. WHAT DO WE DO, IF A MAJOR DROUGHT HITS AND THE RESEVOIRS RUN DRY?

...Would it not be pertinent to invest in a nuclear reactor (near Pinawa, if I recall correctly, we passed by a quality opportunity ...I could be wrong on this). Excess can still be sold (grid; pushed eastward) and can be used in spot situations. Imagine investing, what is it? $800 million? In the the new dam, and then seeing it run dry for a short (or long???) duration a few years down the road. We would have indebted ourselves as a province with ZERO alternative or insurance policy. An energy crunch in the USA and Ontaio means our neighbours won't have a helping hand to lend. Unless we cover the province with photo-voltaic cells or dress it in turbines, the wind and the sun are laughable options.

For our sake, I hope Hydro can hum along.

Winnipegger

Aug 7, 2007, 5:43 PM

drew

Aug 7, 2007, 5:56 PM

^ no we don't. Candu reactors are designed to operate using the less volatile grade of uranium. The kind that isn't used in weapons.

Nuclear energy will never get off the ground in this province. It costs too much to build - and it is (rightly or wrongly) villafied by the public and media.

tygunn

Aug 8, 2007, 1:05 PM

I always find it comical how Manitobans rant and rave about Hydro power. Aside from all the debates about costs and grids, what about this simple conundrum. WHAT DO WE DO, IF A MAJOR DROUGHT HITS AND THE RESEVOIRS RUN DRY?

For our sake, I hope Hydro can hum along.

Actually, Hydro CAN hum along in the face of water shortages in its reservoirs.

In the South there are coal and natural gas generating plants in Selkirk and Brandon. Brandon's capacity is around 360 MW, and Selkirk is 160 MW.

Check out this PDF on hydro's website about the Selkirk station: http://www.hydro.mb.ca/corporate/facilities/gs_selkirk.pdf
Quoting from it:
As a primarily hydroelectric utility,
Manitoba Hydro is dependent on
river flows for over 95 per cent of its electricity
and is, therefore, vulnerable to low
river flows or droughts. To protect customers
from the impacts of low water
flows and meet demand during times of
peak usage, Manitoba Hydro maintains
two thermal generating stations in the
southern part of the province – one at
Selkirk and another in Brandon.

Adding large amounts of wind energy to the grid certainly helps provide yet more reserve when required.

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 9, 2007, 12:17 PM

good news story on the medical equipment business in Winnipeg

...

Companies spawned by city research centres

THE Winnipeg company that makes an expensive automated machine that fills intravenous bags and syringes has just hired one of the top U.S. experts on handling hazardous drugs.
Intelligent Hospital Systems has about 40 employees and has enough customers for its robotic IV automation system (RIVA) to sell out its 2008 production run at about $1 million each. Its CEO, Kevin McGarry, figures they will sell about 50 by the end of the year.

Not too far away from IHS's brand new production facility near Kenaston and McGillvray boulevards, another medical technology company, IMRIS (which used to stand for Innovative Magnetic Resonance Imaging Systems), has recently moved into a large space formerly occupied by Gendis Inc.

IMRIS has close to 100 people on the payroll, several with post-graduate degrees, including its vice-president of technology, Steve Huschek, who has a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Both companies are experiencing a flush of success after many years of expensive development with the certainty of commercial viability only a recent phenomenon.

Success in the globally competitive medical-device field almost automatically brings with it the ability to recruit world-class talent. These high-tech Winnipeg operations prove that attracting the best people from around the world has more to do with the quality of jobs than where the company is located.
Both of these Winnipeg companies have grown out of research based at a couple of the city's research centres -- IHS from the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre and IMRIS from the National Research Council's Institute for Biodiagnostics.

The research and development process was a process lasting more than 10 years and on top of the difficult challenges in continuing to finance development before there were any paying customers, it also required a certain amount of luck to keep them in Winnipeg.

IMRIS has developed a surgical imaging system for use in brain surgery and spinal and soft-tissue procedures and has the only system of its kind in the world designed so that the magnet moves over the patient for imaging and then is retracted to allow complete surgical access to the patient.

After its successful demonstration in Calgary's Foothills Hospital earlier this decade and new ownership led by Winnipeg technology entrepreneur David Graves arrived in 2005, IMRIS has ramped up operations dramatically. It has installed about a dozen units all over the U.S. -- with a pricetag of about $5 million each -- and is in the process of designing new applications and configurations that will expand its marketing potential even further.

The NRC wasn't as lucky when it came to its other most successful spin-off company, Novadaq Technologies. Another company that has developed imaging technology that surgeons can use in the midst of operations, it moved its operations to Toronto about five years ago primarily to be closer to investors and potential investors.

But in addition to IMRIS and IHS there are several smaller Winnipeg medical and technological device companies in the works including another spawn of the NRC that will make smaller, less expensive magnetic resonance imaging machines that would be marketed to communities not large enough (or rich enough) to afford the larger multi-million dollar versions.

The creation of companies like these is a lengthy, costly, risky process that requires luck along the way.

But these are the companies that create the kind of jobs a city like Winnipeg needs keep pace with the world. Nothing breeds success like success so maybe the next round of medical device companies will find the road just a little shorter and less dirty.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

newflyer

Aug 10, 2007, 11:46 PM

Its great to see the biomed city take off!!

There seems some very things happening in the area. :D

Only The Lonely..

Aug 11, 2007, 2:05 PM

:previous:

Dad showed me that robotic arm when I was 10.

That device has so much potential, but it's been an uphill battle trying to find private capital to finance the idea. It just doesn't exist in Winnipeg anymore.

The big banks abandoned this city years ago, and Crocus collapsed. It's just Ensis right now.

The NRC wasn't as lucky when it came to its other most successful spin-off company, Novadaq Technologies. Another company that has developed imaging technology that surgeons can use in the midst of operations, it moved its operations to Toronto about five years ago primarily to be closer to investors and potential investors.

What people have yet to figure out is that without money to finance new ideas our city dies.

Only The Lonely..

Aug 11, 2007, 3:15 PM

An interesting dialogue between former Free Press editor Nick Hirst and Leonard Asper.

Missing out on 'Media City'

Thu Aug 9 2007 | Winnipeg Free Press Commentary

THERE was a brief, shining moment a few years ago when it appeared that Winnipeg was about to gain a national importance that had eluded it since its glory days in the early 20th century.

Winnipeg was poised to become a media centre. There was a national buzz about what was happening here. A convergence of events, largely driven by home-grown entrepreneurs, had placed the headquarters of the largest media empire in the country in Winnipeg, with a number of other smaller, but important entities centred here as well.

CanWest Global Communications was the dominant player. The Craig family of Brandon had the A-Channel stations, WTN, the women's television network was headquartered in Winnipeg, so was the Aboriginal People's Television Network. In modern economic parlance, it looked like Winnipeg had developed a "cluster" of economic interests: exactly what many pundits say drives growth. Not only did we have the appearance of a cluster, it was a cluster of the best kind --intellectual property businesses for the post-industrial era. In addition, Winnipeg was busy developing an active, if relatively small, film and television production industry. The National Screen Institute, a pre-eminent adult film training program and film festival organizer and sponsor moved from Edmonton to Winnipeg. It was an exciting time.

Now, much of the promise has evaporated. CanWest remains a powerhouse in television and newspapers and still has its headquarters in Winnipeg, but Leonard Asper, its chief executive, has moved, at least temporarily, to Toronto and Global television is very much a Toronto-based operation. CanWest's support of Winnipeg has been exemplary, but the heart of the business isn't here.

The Craigs sold their business to CHUM, a Toronto-based company, which has now been bought by CTV. WTN's ownership changed and it moved to Toronto. Aboriginal television is still here, so is the National Screen Institute and the film and television sector has continued to grow, but Winnipeg is not "Media City" and hasn't got as much national bounce from the media businesses as Atlanta received from Ted Turner's building and centring CNN there.

Could it have been different? Could the city and provincial governments have created conditions that would have made the promise become a reality? If not governments, then how about private-sector organizations or even the companies themselves? Why was it that a cluster broke apart just as it was forming?

I raise the questions because I believe it is fundamental to the future of the city and the province. The convergence of events that brings together a major economic cluster in a single city happens rarely, and grasping the opportunity may spell the difference between spectacular growth and relative decline.

If there were an opportunity missed, it would not be unique to Manitoba. Canada is littered with similar missed opportunities. Our mining businesses: Inco, Falconbridge and Alcan have slipped into foreign hands rather than combining into a national "cluster" and international force. BCE, the heart of Canada's communications industry, is being purchased by pension funds backed by American buy-out specialists rather than combining with its rival Telus into another potential international powerhouse.

Not that foreign takeovers are wrong or bad for the economy -- they haven't proved to be so. However, strong national companies and vibrant clusters are keys to economic success.

To give the Manitoba government its due, it was instrumental in at least two aspects of potentially creating "Media City": it brought the NSI to Winnipeg and it created financial conditions to build television and film production. It can also claim some credit for the aboriginal network.

Could it have done more? Arguing that government failed to take advantage of a business situation is dangerous. Governments' attempts at business and industrial strategies are a litany of failures and misspent cash.

Government can, however, create conditions for economic success. Their fiscal, regulatory and promotional powers all influence whether a nascent cluster grows or fails. The recent trends of foreign takeovers and the failure of the potential Manitoba cluster suggest that Canada is not doing very well at creating the kind of economic powerhouses that are emerging from globalization.

That's not to let business off the hook. But business itself doesn't create the framework for economic success, it builds on natural advantages and the economic policies provided by government. To blame the Manitoba government or individual businesses for the failure of "Media City" would be foolish. The important questions are: Has the near miss taught us any lessons? And if an opportunity came again, would business and government grasp it with both arms?

Nicholas Hirst is CEO of Winnipeg-based television and film producer

Original Pictures Inc.

Winnipeg did not miss becoming 'Media City'

Sat Aug 11 2007 | Winnipeg Free Press Commentary

Leonard Asper

NICHOLAS Hirst's musings (Aug. 9) as to why Winnipeg is not a "media city" deserve a response so that Manitobans do not look around for someone to blame, as we are often wont to do (although I see far fewer Manitobans reflecting that state of mind today, and more actually doing something proactive to improve our lot).

There are a number of reasons why Winnipeg is not a "media city", and they are the same reasons that Calgary, Regina and Halifax are not media cities. Media are driven by advertising and programming. The advertising agencies and most national advertisers are generally based in Toronto. The production sector, while more spread out, is still largely based in Toronto, and all the major U.S. and other program distributors are based in that city as well. In other words, the suppliers and customers are located there, which requires people to be located there. In fact, though, media are everywhere, because much of it is local. So there are media jobs in all cities where there is media, and then there are cities like Toronto or New York, which attract other jobs in media for the reasons I articulated above. Winnipeg has at least 12 radio stations, five TV stations and dozens of local publications.

For CanWest's part, we have actually moved jobs here and created hundreds more, wherever it has been possible. The net effect is that CanWest now employs close to 500 people in Winnipeg, up from 100 in Mr. Hirst's "glory days". We have also maintained our head office here notwithstanding that it would save us money to move it to, say, Alberta.

To Mr. Hirst's larger point, provinces, states or countries develop industries based on natural advantages they have, such as resources, or where there is no natural advantage, through government policy, as Mr. Hirst acknowledges. Conversely, they do not develop industries for which there is a natural disadvantage such that the policies required to develop a particular industry would result in subsidization at a net cost to its taxpayers. Certain aspects of the media industry are more naturally suited to Toronto and we are not going to convince Rogers or CTV to move its offices here. Mr. Hirst cites CNN in Atlanta, but in fact much of their operations are located, not surprisingly, in New York.

Rather than trying to dream up "media city" and wonder why it is not happening, Mr. Hirst should instead prescribe that we focus on industries where we Manitoba can grow from our natural advantages, being our farming, hydroelectric power, tourism, and manufacturing sectors , to name a few. In other words, he should prescribe policies that could actually work.

Manitoba can be as strong and prosperous as any province. But I would argue that it starts with deciding what we can be best at, and then making the people who create jobs in those industries feel welcome, both in an economic sense and in a social one. The media industry is not very labour intensive. There are other industries that can create tremendous prosperity for the province, and developing those industries is where we should be making good industrial policy in addition to having competitive legislation in general areas such as labour and corporate and personal taxation. Winnipeg is a great city in which to live, and one that has plenty of opportunity. Many of the people we moved here from Toronto and other parts will testify to that. All Winnipeg and Manitoba need is an industrial development plan and a commitment to see it through. At last year's City Summit, which I co-chaired with Lloyd Axworthy and Ida Albo, we saw plenty of examples of cities such as Kansas City that did just that.

In case there is any doubt, we remain committed to maintaining the head office of the company in Winnipeg, and the CanWest Global Foundation's activities will continue to reflect that. Our recent $3 million donation to the University of Winnipeg Theatre School and the fact that CanWest's Winnipeg employees are leading contributors to the United Way should confirm that, as should our many other activities here. I do not agree that Winnipeg missed what I consider to be a small and elusive opportunity in not having a "media city" here, but I do agree with Mr. Hirst that with targeted economic policy and a can-do attitude, Manitoba can reach its full potential.

Leonard Asper is president and CEO of CanWest Global Communications Corp.

newflyer

Aug 11, 2007, 11:54 PM

:previous:

Its good to see CanWest Global continue to invest in the city.

newflyer

Aug 11, 2007, 11:56 PM

Mayor Pledges to Eliminate Business Tax at Chamber Breakfast

At a special breakfast held last week at the Fairmont Hotel sponsored by Peak of the Market Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz outlined his formal response to the Economic Opportunity Commission report. The Chamber was delighted to hear that after being in existence for close to a century, Mayor Katz has promised to eliminate the business tax within six years.

http://www.samkatz.ca/pdf/Chamber%20speech.pdf

----------------------------------------------------------

Great news!!! .... this will pay big dividends to the city economy. :yes:

.... now where did I put those moving boxes. ;)

1ajs

Aug 12, 2007, 2:50 AM

what no post from the buisnes pages about newflyer...

Only The Lonely..

Aug 12, 2007, 4:33 AM

Mneh, we need to get rid of the payroll tax too! Then we can start seeing real investment.

newflyer

Aug 14, 2007, 1:58 AM

Mneh, we need to get rid of the payroll tax too! Then we can start seeing real investment.

... oh you can read my mind. Eliminate the payroll tax and the capital tax ... and this city and province would be on the economic fast track on the backs of private investment. Both those taxes reduces the incentive to invest in new businesses and expand current ones, which also deters the development of new properties.

I am very pleased that the City is on side .. and looking to develop the local economy through business expansion and economic growth. Both the payroll tax and the capital tax are provincal .. and since Manitoba just embraced the NDP I just don't see any progress on that front for another 4 years. It woul be nice if Manitoba had a pro-business government but instead it will be locked in the big government status quo track to no where, but excuses.

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 14, 2007, 12:17 PM

Great sales at the "bus company", but poor profits :<

New Flyer looks for ways to boost unitholder value

Tue Aug 14 2007

THE CEO of bus maker New Flyer Industries Inc. says the company's board is looking at how to boost unitholder value after non-cash charges and income tax provisions drove the firm deep into the red during the second quarter.
"The board is currently looking at all the available options to best execute an enhanced unit value for the company and we expect that review to be concluded no later than our October board meeting," John Marinucci told analysts in a conference call Monday.

Those choices could include paying down company debt or buying back units.

Winnipeg-based New Flyer -- which makes heavy-duty buses used for public transit, airports and park-and-ride services -- posted a second-quarter loss of US$84.9 million on Friday, reversing a year-ago profit of $7.2 million.

Net income was wiped out by non-cash charges for future income taxes, as the federal government will start taxing income trusts like regular corporations as of 2011.

newflyer

Aug 14, 2007, 11:25 PM

Donovanf

Aug 15, 2007, 1:34 PM

Clearline Technology expanding
City company triples its manufacturing space

Wed Aug 15 2007

By Murray McNeill

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS
Neil Krovats says U.S. sales of the company's rooftop support products have been growing by 75 to 80 per cent a year over each of the past three years.
A three-year-old Winnipeg firm has more than tripled the size of its manufacturing space as it scrambles to keep up with a growing U.S. demand for its recycled-rubber construction products.

Clearline Technologies has spent more than $2 million to acquire the three former Motor Coach Industries buildings in the city's West End and intends to spend another $500,000 renovating them.

The company plans to use the largest of the three buildings -- a 110,000-square-foot facility at the corner of St. Matthews Avenue and Wall Street -- to house its manufacturing operations, as well as its head office and three other related companies.

However, the lion's share of the space -- about 95,000 square feet -- will be used for manufacturing, company founder Neil Krovats said in an interview Tuesday. That will be a huge improvement over the 25,000 square feet of production space Clearline had in another Wall Street building it was leasing before it acquired the Motor Coach buildings late last month.

"We were busting at the seams in the other building," Krovats said, noting U.S. sales of the company's rooftop support products have been growing by 75 t0 80 per cent a year over each of the past three years. He said that growth could have been even greater if there had been room in the old building to expand the company's production operations.

Clearline plans to convert the second largest of the three buildings -- a 60,000-square-foot structure at the corner of Erin Street and St. Matthews Avenue -- into a storage facility where people can rent space to store things like boats, recreational vehicles and household goods.

By the numbers

Here are the three firms within the Clearline group of companies:

Clearline Technologies -- designs and manufactures steel, pre-engineered, rooftop walkways, catwalks and platforms, as well as rooftop support products made from recycled rubber. The recycled-rubber products are used to support heating, plumbing, electrical and air conditioning pipes and equipment found on the rooftops of commercial buildings.

Clearline Construction -- Builds and develops residential and commercial buildings and designs and manufactures wooden wall-frame systems used in the construction of these types of buildings.

Clearline Web Systems -- Designs websites.
The third building, a 15,000-square-foot facility on Erin Street, will be resold. Krovats said negotiations are underway with a prospective buyer.

The company designs and manufactures two main types of rooftop construction products. One is a line of modular-designed, pre-engineered, steel walkways, catwalks and platforms. The other is a line of rooftop support products made from recycled rubber. The products, called C-Port products, are used to support plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical pipes and equipment found on the rooftops of commercial buildings.

Krovats said it's the C-Port products that are in big demand right now in the United States, partly because of the growing popularity of environmentally friendly, recycled building products.

"C-Port is the core of the business," he said. "That is the golden goose that has propelled our company and allowed us to get into these other things."

The "other things" Krovats refers to are two new business ventures Clearline has launched in the past year -- a website development company called Clearline Web Systems, and Clearline Construction, a firm that builds and develops commercial and residential buildings.

Clearline Construction also designs and manufactures wooden wall-frame systems that can be used in the construction of residential and commercial buildings. It currently manufactures the systems at a plant outside the city, but that work will also be shifted to the newly acquired building on St. Matthews.

Krovats said Clearline Web Systems and Krovats Distributing, another family owned business that distributes heating and plumbing supplies, are also moving into the St. Matthews building. He said there's enough room in the building to all for all four companies to expand their operations.

The three Clearline companies currently have a combined staff of about 22 employees, and Krovats said he expects that number to grow to about 40 by the end of this year.
He said the combined revenues of Clearline companies grew five fold in the past year, and he expects them to double again over the next year.

Gloria Cardwell-Hoeppner, executive director of the West End Business Improvement Zone, said she's thrilled that Clearline has moved into the former Motor Coach buildings.

"To me it just reaffirms that the West End is undergoing a revitalization," Cardwell-Hoeppner said.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca

drew

Aug 15, 2007, 1:47 PM

^ now that is a good news story. I drive by there all the time and have often thought to myself about when and if those massive buildings would ever get re-used.

Hopefully now they can get someone in the old bakery buildings near Portage and Arlington...

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 16, 2007, 12:38 PM

Provincial economy depends on global markets

ANY discussions about the provincial economy will usually include the word aerospace.
A lot of the aerospace enterprise in Manitoba revolves around maintenance, repair and overhaul, and even though that might not be so sexy it still requires a highly skilled and well-paid workforce.

But when we talk about the Manitoba aerospace industry we're really talking about elements of a global industry that just happened to have touched down in Manitoba.

Four aerospace companies in Winnipeg represent the lion's share of the work force and the value of work done.

Two of them -- Air Canada Technical Services (ACTS) and Standard Aero -- are in the process of being sold to non-Canadian buyers.

One of the others, Bristol Aerospace, is owned by an Ontario-based public corporation and the other, Boeing Canada Technology, is wholly owned by the U.S. aircraft manufacturer.
The point is that a major pillar of the provincial economy -- along with bragging rights that allows us to say we have the third largest aerospace sector in the country -- is entirely dependent on the global market and in almost all cases by non-Canadian owners.

A local product designer recently said that when it comes to designing any kind of product in Manitoba -- consumer or industrial -- the global market has to be considered the target audience because there aren't any products exclusive to the Manitoba marketplace except maybe a Salisbury House Nip.

The sale of the ACTS to a couple of U.S. private equity firms also underlines the folly in assuming there is any long term guarantee that a company will remain operating in one place or another. It was not long ago that ACTS was owned by a federal Crown corporation and its presence in Winnipeg had a measure of political imperative as well as any operational or strategic value in being located here.

Now there are concerns, not entirely unfounded, that work that had been done in Winnipeg might move to a lower cost centre in El Salvador.

The other side of the coin is the way Standard Aero has evolved. It is now on its fourth owner in a little more than 10 years -- two were British-based, and two were international private equity firms. But rather than become compromised, its power base in Winnipeg has been enhanced. Standard's CEO, Paul Soubry, Jr. is now also head of a Tempe, Ariz. company that was also purchased by the new owners, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise. It has proven to be a valuable investment for two previous owners whose interest were purely financial. Now it is owned by a company whose executives are veteran operators of high- tech aerospace firms. There is justified expectations that it could mean greater market leverage for Standard Aero.

But that is not to say that's the way these things will always work. Agricore United was recently acquired by Regina-based Saskatchewan Wheat Pool in a deal that was meant to create a large Prairie agriculture company that would be able to compete globally. That might be achieved, but it is likely to come at the cost of perhaps as many as 500 jobs from Portage and Main.

Buhler Industries is currently considering an offer to sell to a Russian company, Rostelmash Ltd., a virtual unknown in North America.

Like just about any manufacturing company that has grown over the past decade, Buhler Industries worked hard expanding its market reach. In Buhler's case the introduction of its large tractors into the Russian and eastern European market brought it to the attention of Rostelmash, a combine maker, giving it the idea to try to acquire the whole company. Officials from the Russian company have said their intention is to keep the Manitoba company operating here, but there is no guarantee that will happen.

A think tank report this week rated corporate Canada poorly when it comes to international mergers and acquisitions.

There has been much press over the past couple of years about international take-overs of Canadian companies. While there would be an obvious downside were that trend to continue unabated, it might be even more important for the sustained prosperity of a regional economy like Manitoba to ensure greater levels of operational efficiency and excellence regardless of who owns the enterprise.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 16, 2007, 5:11 PM

S.I.R. sold to Cabela's

A 83-year-old hunting and fishing retail institution in Winnipeg has been bought by one of the industry's giants.
S.I.R. Mail Order and Warehouse Sports Store has been acquired by Cabela's, Inc., a Nebraska-based outfit with 26 locations and a massive mail-order business across the U.S., for an undisclosed sum.

The closest Cabela's store to Winnipeg is located in East Grand Forks, Minn.

Earl Robinson, 77, president of the family-run enterprise on Ellice Avenue, said the capital investment to keep growing the business required a deep-pocketed owner and Cabela's fit the bill.

"S.I.R. needed the expertise of an organization that handles similar merchandise," he said.

Dennis Highby, president and CEO of Cabela's, said the company will use S.I.R.'s location near Polo Park Shopping Centre as its headquarters north of the border and its spring board into the Canadian market.

He said the Winnipeg store will feature both the S.I.R. and Cabela's brand

Boreal

Aug 16, 2007, 9:58 PM

I drive by the ex-MCI buildings 6 days a week enroute to work. It is fantastic to hear that someone is moving in.

Since the Agricore deal, most of the business news in Winnipeg has been positive.

1ajs

Aug 19, 2007, 2:13 PM

going threw yesterdays paper (saturday paper) i see wce had another offer made for it Friday

also artisreit is a partner in the winnipeg square deal who ever that is

and it also mentions canwest has gotten the go ahead to own an Australian tv network

newflyer

Aug 23, 2007, 9:34 PM

From the Chamber website:
Another sign that the Biomed industry in Winnipeg is gaining greater attention by the scientific sector.
------------------------------------------------------------

Chamber to Host Launch of National Biotechnology Week

The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has partnered with BIOTECanada and the Life Science Association of Manitoba to launch National Biotechnology Week (Sept. 22-29, 2007).

To kick off the week The Chamber is hosting a Membership luncheon on Thursday, September 20th at the Convention Centre where emcee David Asper will be joined by our feature speaker, Dr. Moira Gunn.

h0twired

Aug 27, 2007, 1:56 PM

drew

Aug 27, 2007, 2:04 PM

^ SIR recently expanded to a much larger stand-alone building.
That being said - it probably still isn't quite big enough or nice enough for Cabela's.
I hope they put a cool aquarium in the one here...

wags_in_the_peg

Aug 28, 2007, 4:58 PM

Winnipeg based The North West Company Fund has entered into an agreement to buy Cost-U-Less Inc. an operator of mid-sized warehouse stores in remote island communities in Hawaii, the South Pacific and the Caribbean for $52.2 million.
North West Company operates 206 stores in remote northern Canada and Alaska and Cost-U-Less has 11 stores. North West Company officials say that even though the operations are in different parts of the world, "there is an exceptional strategic fit with our capabilities in serving unique, physically distant markets."

North West Company will pay a 13 per cent premium to acquire all the shares of Bellevue, Wash.-based Cost-U-less which trade on the Nasdaq exchange.

The North West Company is about four times as large as Cost-U-Less.

1ajs

Sep 5, 2007, 4:33 AM

Growth Works Buys Ensis
SEP 04 2007 02:10 PM
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A retail venture capital manager has finally entered the Manitoba market. BC fund manager Growth Works was denied by a court when it tried to buy the remains of Crocus two years ago, in an attempt to expand to the province.
Now Growth Works has made its way to Manitoba by purchasing the lone Manitoba labour sponsored fund, Ensis. Growth Works CEO David Levi feels the move will help increase price shares while adding value to the companies in the Ensis portfolio.
(play audio)

Financial details of the transaction, expected to be finalized in November, were not made public.
CJOB's Jeff Keele reporting.

Donovanf

Sep 5, 2007, 2:38 PM

Franklin Electric Co. Inc. Announces the Acquisition of the Pump Division of Monarch Industries Limited
PR Newswire
September 05, 2007: 07:55 AM EST

BLUFFTON, Ind., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Franklin Electric Co., Inc. , the world's largest manufacturer of submersible electric motors and a leading supplier of water pumping and fuel pumping systems, announced today that it has completed, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Franklin Electric Canada, Inc., the acquisition of the pump division of Monarch Industries Limited, Winnipeg, Canada ("Monarch") in an asset transaction. Franklin Electric expects the transaction to be accretive to its earnings per share in the first year of ownership. Monarch's pump division revenues for 2006 were approximately $30 million.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000223/FRANKLOGO )

R. Scott Trumbull, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Franklin Electric, stated, "The Monarch acquisition is an excellent strategic fit for Franklin. It will incrementally expand both our product line and distribution coverage in the North American market."

Gene Dunn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Monarch stated, "This transaction represents an exciting opportunity for our Pump Division and its employees. Equally as important, this step will provide the resources and focus necessary for us to accelerate the expansion and modernization of our Hydraulics and Custom Casting & Machining Divisions."

Franklin Electric is a global leader in the production and marketing of systems and components for the movement of water and automotive fuels. Recognized as a technical leader in its specialties, Franklin serves customers around the world in residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal, and fueling applications.

About Monarch Industries Limited: Established in 1935, Monarch currently operates plants in Winnipeg and Winkler, Manitoba. The Company will continue to manufacture and market hydraulic cylinders; raw and machined iron castings and residential cement mixers across North American under the trade names, "Monarch"; "Lion Hydraulics"; "Big Cat"; and "Black Lynx".

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein involve risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, general economic and currency conditions, various conditions specific to the Company's business and industry, market demand, competitive factors, changes in distribution channels, supply constraints, technology factors, litigation, government and regulatory actions, the Company's accounting policies, future trends, and other risks which are detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These risks and uncertainties may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements.

Donovanf

Sep 5, 2007, 2:39 PM

Double post, stupid forum

wags_in_the_peg

Sep 12, 2007, 9:08 PM

YIKES!!!!!

Winnipeg's attractiveness as a place to do business slips: survey

Wed Sep 12 13:11:00 CDT 2007 - By Geoff Kirbyson

A decline in building permit growth and an increase in the unemployment rate has reduced Winnipeg’s attractiveness as a place to do business, according to an annual survey by Canadian Business magazine.
The Manitoba capital ranked 23rd in this year’s Top Places to do Business in Canada poll, down from 13th last year. Winnipeg has also fallen compared to other cities in Western Canada, placing fourth this year, down from second a year ago.

Canadian Business uses five criteria in compiling its list — annual operating costs, cost of living index, building permit growth, change in unemployment rate and crime rate.

Sherbrooke, Que. was the top-ranked city for business while Abbotsford, B.C., was the best city in Western Canada (14th overall).

flatlander

Sep 12, 2007, 9:39 PM

That sounds dumb. How can more people looking for work be less attractive? I would think it would be hard to conduct business in a city with 0% unemployment.

newflyer

Sep 13, 2007, 12:43 AM

That sounds dumb. How can more people looking for work be less attractive? I would think it would be hard to conduct business in a city with 0% unemployment.

An increase in unemployment is a sign that the economy is slowing down realitive to its capacity. It is also reflective of consumer capacity and job growth, which is a partial indicator of the current economy. ie: more jobs, more demand for people... more consumption of goods and services.

This line of thought works as long as local inflation is kept in check... or a heavy shortage of workers can hurt an economies ability to grow. Its a fine line, but one which is the goal of nearly every progressive economy (ie: not socialist)

1ajs

Sep 14, 2007, 12:44 AM

Buhler Deal Still In The Works
SEP 13 2007 03:40 PM
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Winnipeg-based Buhler Industries says it has negotiated an improved offer from a Russian Combine Factory Rostselmash Ltd. with a five-year time element eliminated, in a 145-million dollar deal to acquire 80 per cent of the farm equipment firm. Trading in Buhler stock was temporarily halted this afternoon on the TSE pending dissemination of the news.
The closing date has been set for Oct. 31st, subject to completion of procedural requirements. Buhler's Board of Directors is scheduled to meet Tuesday to discuss the revised offer, and to issue a recommendation to shareholders.
CJOB News

1ajs

Sep 14, 2007, 12:45 AM

Flight Training Complex Officially Opens
SEP 13 2007 02:50 PM
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The Southport Aerospace Centre is officially welcoming its new flight training complex.It's a multi-million dollar facility, that Allied Wings site manager Ken Carr tells CJOB, has a lot to offer.
[CLIP]
The multi-plex and grand theatre are dedicated to two World War Two heroes from the Portage la Prairie area.
CJOB News

newflyer

Sep 14, 2007, 3:01 AM

CJOB News

Manitoba 3rd in Economic Growth
SEP 13 2007 02:40 PM

The Conference Board of Canada is bullish on the west.
In it's report released Thursday, spokesman Mario Lefebvre tells CJOB, the Western provinces including Manitoba are firing on all cylinders:

(play audio)

Lefebvre says Saskatoon is now outpacing Calgary in economic growth. Winnipeg is 3rd. He says for the first time in the report's history, the top 7 spots belong to Western Canadian cities. The bottom 6 positions are in Eastern Canada.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Winnipeg is really picking up steam!! :tup:

1ajs

Sep 14, 2007, 3:25 AM

yes it has

also somthing funny i have noticed is all the trades plp from alberta are coming here yo work and the people from here are going there to work wtf?

h0twired

Sep 14, 2007, 1:32 PM

yes it has

also somthing funny i have noticed is all the trades plp from alberta are coming here yo work and the people from here are going there to work wtf?

All of them? That is a pretty big claim.

I still see over 40 cranes in Calgary and a whole bunch of buildings getting cranes too. Not to mention the thousands of houses currently being built.

I would think that there are still a few trades people here in Calgary.

flatlander

Sep 14, 2007, 7:05 PM

Winnipeg's growth rate cracks Canada's top 3
Board forecasts highest growth in nine years thanks to megaprojects, manufacturing

Fri Sep 14 2007

By Martin Cash

KEN GIGLIOTTI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS archives

A busy construction industry, public-sector megaprojects and an over-heated Alberta market that is driving people back to Winnipeg is helping to generate the strongest economic growth rate in this city since 1998.
The Conference Board of Canada forecast released Thursday said Winnipeg will have the third-fastest-growing economy among the 13 largest cities in the country this year -- up from an eighth-place ranking last year.

While large-scale construction projects such as the Floodway expansion, airport terminal, Wuskwatim hydroelectric generating station and reconstruction of the Pointe Du Bois station are torching up the already busy construction sector, the city's manufacturing industry is also growing counter to the national trend.

Manitoba will gain 6,300 factory workers this year compared with last year while across the country the manufacturing sector is expected to shed about 75,000 jobs, according to the report.

"There is a lot of good news here," said Stuart Duncan, CEO of Destination Winnipeg, the city's economic development marketing agency. "This is as buoyant an economy as we have seen in this city for many years."

Ron Koslowsky, Manitoba vice-president of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters association, said the city's manufacturers have worked hard to meet the challenges brought on by low-cost international competition and a Canadian dollar that increased in value by 50 per cent over the last five years.

THE UPSIDE TO RED-HOT LOCAL ECONOMY

* Residential and commercial construction will increase by about 7.4 per cent in 2007 -- about half of last year's growth rate -- with housing starts 30 per cent higher than the year before and more than twice the average of the previous 10 years.

* Major infrastructure projects will boost construction through 2008. Manitoba Hydro projects slated for the medium term could keep construction activity high for many years.

* Fuel prices and environmental issues have increased bus ridership across North America, boosting the order books of both New Flyer Industries and Motor Coach Industries. Boeing Technology Canada is nearing record high employment in Winnipeg as the aircraft manufacturer gets ready to roll out its latest model, the 787.

THE DOWNSIDE TO RED-HOT ECONOMY

* The continuing tight labour market could constrain some growth in the future.

* If a slowdown in the U.S. economy occurs, as many analysts expect, many Winnipeg exporters could feel the pinch.

* Some analysts fear the economy is too reliant on public sector spending. Out of 10 sectors examined by the Conference Board, the largest increase in employment in 2007 will be in public administration.

Cross-Canada comparison

City Forecast GDP growth (2007)

1. Saskatoon 4.7% -- up from 2.6% (7th*)

2. Calgary 4.4% -- down from 7.7% (1st)

3. Winnipeg 3.7% -- up from 2.6% (7th)

4. Edmonton 3.6% -- down from 6.4% (2nd)

5. Regina 3.5% -- up from 1.9% (11th)

6. Vancouver 2.9% -- down from 3.7% (3rd)

7. Victoria 2.8% -- down from 3.7% (4th)

8. Toronto 2.7% -- up from 2.4% (9th)

9. Quebec City 2.6% -- down from 2.7% (6th)

10. Halifax 2.5% -- up from 2.1% (10th)

11. Ottawa 2.3% -- down from 2.8% (5th)

12. Montreal 2.1% -- up from 1.6% (12th)

13. Hamilton 1.3% -- up from 1.1% (13th)

* bracketed numbers represent ranking in 2006,

preceded by GDP growth rate in 2006.

Source: Conference Board of Canada

"At a recent board meeting everyone around the table mentioned they were busy in one way or another," Koslowsky said.
While there have been some casualties, Winnipeg's broad-based manufacturing sector has relied on cyclical upswings in demand for some companies and plucky competitiveness from others to increase shipments this year by three per cent,

"I am just amazed at the resiliency of our members," Koslowsky said.

For instance, Cascades Folding Cartons, a 50-year-old paperboard carton manufacturer has increased employment and sales by about 50 per cent over the last three years.

"We have worked on lean manufacturing processes for almost 10 years now and we've seen a dramatic increase in productivity," said Herb Vielhaber, company general manager.

Mario Lefebvre, director of the Metropolitan Outlook service at the Conference Board of Canada, said Prairie cities such as Winnipeg, Regina and Saskatoon had significant spikes in their ranking this year and at least some of the growth may well be sustainable.

For instance, Winnipeg is expected to have only minimal provincial out-migration this year (compared with a loss of about 6,000 people last year) and Regina and Saskatoon will experience net positive interprovincial migration.

"People are entering rather than leaving," Lefebvre said. "Housing is constrained, producing record-breaking housing starts, which means more people in the shopping malls and better manufacturing results. I'm not prepared to say that it will last forever, but there are strong fundamentals. The migration trends bode very well for the future."

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca

1ajs

Sep 15, 2007, 12:30 AM

All of them? That is a pretty big claim.

I still see over 40 cranes in Calgary and a whole bunch of buildings getting cranes too. Not to mention the thousands of houses currently being built.

I would think that there are still a few trades people here in Calgary.

lol talking indsutrial trades people sorry shoulda been more specific alota the guys are sick of fort mac

1ajs

Sep 15, 2007, 5:12 AM

Assiniboine Credit union getting bigger
SEP 14 2007 10:40 PM
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In September of last year members of the Assiniboine, Vantis and Astra Credit unions voted to merge..
And now... the members of the Buffalo Credit Union have voted 90 per cent in favour of joining the Assiniboine group..The Buffalo credit union chair says the members wanted a partner that was financially strong and shared their values and goals..
The merger takes effect January 1st, 2008..
CJOB's Robert Holland reporting

good_dude

Sep 15, 2007, 5:06 PM

Winnipeg Going Strong
Ranked third-fastest growing city economy
By PAUL TURENNE, SUN MEDIA

The new Manitoba Hydro building rises over downtown Winnipeg. Only Saskatoon and Calgary outstripped the city in growth. (MARCEL CRETAIN/ SUN MEDIA)

Winnipeg has the third-fastest growing economy among Canada's major cities, according to a report released yesterday by the Conference Board of Canada.

The Ottawa-based, market-oriented think tank forecast real gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 13 of Canada's largest cities for the year 2007, pegging Winnipeg's real GDP growth at 3.7%, its strongest growth since 1998.

Real GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced, adjusted for inflation.

Only Saskatoon, at 4.7%, and Calgary, at 4.4%, were forecast by the Conference Board to have faster growing economies this year.

IMMIGRANTS

"You're getting a very strong overall picture in Winnipeg," said the Conference Board's Mario Lefebvre. "It's not just a rosy year where you can point to one element and say 'it's because of this.' I think the fundamentals are sound."

Lefebvre said Winnipeg's economy has been bolstered by the province's efforts to attract international immigrants, which has led to an increased rate of population growth. Population growth means more demand for housing, furniture, appliances, and other retail goods.

Housing starts and other construction mega-projects like the new airport terminal and the floodway also have huge spinoff effects.

EAST-WEST DISPARITY

Fletcher Baragar, an associate economics professor at the University of Manitoba, said other elements beyond the province's control, like high commodity prices and low interest rates, have also been good for Winnipeg.

Baragar said the city's economy is in pretty good shape, although the effects of a high Canadian dollar on the city's manufacturing sector remain to be seen, as do the effects of the mortgage crunch in the U.S.

The report showed a clear East-West disparity in Canada, with the top seven fastest growing economies all in Western Canada. Lefebvre said that is mainly due to the east's higher reliance of manufacturing, which suffers because of the dollar.

wags_in_the_peg

Sep 19, 2007, 5:58 PM

good news of sorts...

Maple Leaf to create 550 new jobs at plant

Maple Leaf Foods unionized employees at its Lagimodiere plant have endorsed a new contract that will give them wage increases and a $40-million investment that will create 550 new jobs.
Robert Ziegler, president of Local 832 United Food and Commercial Workers, said Maple Leaf Foods has agreed to set up a new hamboning operation at the Lagimodiere plant -- an operation it was once considering to move to its Warman Road plant before employees there refused to re-open their contract.

‘Maple Leaf has stated during negotiations that they will be investing close to $40 million into the Lagimodiere plant,’ Ziegler said in a prepared statement this morning. ‘With this investment, Maple Leaf is making a commitment to the province by keeping jobs here.’

The new agreement is a major win for the Maple Leaf Lagimodiere employees. In addition to wage increases that will take affect in January, Maple Leaf will create an additional 550 new jobs with the hamboning operation -- jobs were workers will be paid $1 to $2 more per hour than what the employees are making now. All the current Lagimodiere employees can bid on the higher-paying jobs that will be created.

But the announcement this morning still provides no answers to what will happen to Maple Leaf Food’s state-of-the-art cutting plant at Warman Road. Maple Leaf wanted to set up its hamboning operation there in September 2009 but wanted employees to re-open the contract -- which expires May 2008 -- first. The employees rejected the company’s demand, opting to determine their future through regular bargaining.

‘I’ve talked to the company about its intentions for the Warman facility and they presently are unsure what they will do,’ Ziegler said in a prepared statement released this morning. ‘Bargaining for a new collective agreement is scheduled to begin in early 2008 for the Warman plant. Hopefully by then (Maple Leaf) will know what they want to do there.’
Maple Leaf employees 600 unionized employees at the Warman Road plant, where most workers have a skilled 2 classification, earning almost $17 per hour.

There are 350 unionized employees at the Lagimodiere plant, where most of them are classified as general workers earning $10-$12 per hour.

The new hamboning operation at Lagimodiere will employ most workers at a semi-skilled rate that ranges from $11-$14 per hour.

The old contract at the Lagimodiere plant was set to expire Dec. 31, 2008. Members voted Tuesday night and this morning in support of a contract that now expires in 2011.

Donovanf

Sep 21, 2007, 10:19 PM

The South African Company King Pie is Setting up in Winnipeg, perhaps we will become then central meat pie manufactoring centre in North America. I can't wait till their Portage Place location opens.

The Time Has Come
King Pie pies is pioneering the fast food industry in other parts of the world. The time has come to bring this product and the concept of the King Pie franchise to North America, where consumers are demanding healthier, high quality, good food fast.

The Art of Pie Making
The art of pie making, perfected in South Africa, is coming to Canada. The manufacturing facility, located in the heart of the country in, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, will produce and freeze the entire pie product line. They will then be efficiently distributed across the continent.

This new, state of the art manufacturing facility will capitalize on the 14 years of experience of its South African parent to skillfully recreate the special recipe for the puff pastry that envelops every pie produced. The highest quality meats, vegetables, fruits and dairy products are then combined to create pies like:

* Ham & Cheese
* Pepper Steak
* Spinach & Cheese
* Chicken & Mushroom
* Breakfast Pies
* Dessert Pies

Beauty in Simplicity
Each Franchisee benefits from years of experience in optimum kiosk set-up. Equipped with a prep table, walk in freezer, oven and a patented “Chip Machine,” food preparation doesn’t get any easier. The frozen puff pastry pies are baked fresh on demand, prepared salads are served and “Chips” are cooked and served fast, all with minimal human resource requirements.

The beauty of the process is its simplicity, low cost and efficient use of people and space.

newflyer

Sep 25, 2007, 3:24 AM

The new issue of the Chamber magazine will be coming out soon.. :cool:

Greco Roman

Sep 29, 2007, 1:55 PM

'Toba draggin' bottomNDP must do something about miserable average yearly job growth
By TOM BRODBECK

Manitoba was tied for dead last among Canadian provinces in job growth over the past five years, according to the province's own statistical agency.

Despite claims by the Doer government and other economic cheerleaders that the province's economy is "booming," Manitoba's average yearly job growth from 2002 to 2006 was 1.14% -- tied with Newfoundland and Labrador at the bottom of the list.

It's a harsh reality for those who claim Manitoba's economy is firing on all cylinders.

And it should be a wake-up call for those who don't think this province needs to make drastic changes in areas like taxation policy, labour laws and regulations to attract more and better-paying jobs here.

If we don't, we'll continue to fall further behind not only economic powerhouses like Alberta and British Columbia, but provinces like Saskatchewan, Quebec and New Brunswick, too.

According to the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics' most recent quarterly economic summary, Canada's average yearly job growth was 1.98% from 2002 to 2006. That's nearly twice the rate of Manitoba's workforce increase.

Manitoba fared reasonably well in 2002 with a 2.3% job growth rate, ranking fourth among the provinces that year.

But it's been all down hill since then. Manitoba fell to ninth spot the following year and placed eighth among the provinces in 2004, according to the MBS.

The province's worst year during that period was in 2003 with a job growth rate of only 0.5%, well below the national average of 2.4% that year.

We're also earning less than in most other provinces, too.

The MBS's same economic summary shows Manitoba continues to have among the lowest average weekly earnings in the country at $677 in 2006. Only P.E.I. at $607 and Nova Scotia at $659 had lower earnings than Manitoba last year.

The national average was $747.

Boosters of the Manitoba economy usually cite glowing, short-term economic forecasts for the province to make their case -- predictions that often end up being wrong.

When you look at the hard data once it's compiled by Statistics Canada -- once the year is over -- the real numbers usually paint a different story.

For example, boosters of Manitoba's economy tell us virtually every year about how Manitoba is poised to outpace the national average in economic growth.

But if you look at Manitoba's gross domestic product -- the standard benchmark used to measure the growth of an economy -- you'll see the province has fallen below the national average four of the past five years.

Which means Manitoba's economy is shrinking compared to the rest of Canada.

It's not good.

Instead of wasting time on useless branding campaigns like Spirited Energy, I'd like to see our provincial government -- in consultation with the business community -- come up with a 10-year economic plan on how to improve our economic fortunes, including targets for things like job growth and earnings.

Stumbling from one year to the next with no road map isn't working.

JOB GROWTH

Average annual job growth 2002-2006:

Province Growth

1 Alberta 2.76%

2 British Columbia 2.72%

3 Ontario 1.86%

4 Quebec 1.82%

5 P.E.I. 1.52%

6 New Brunswick 1.48%

7 Saskatchewan 1.34%

8 Nova Scotia 1.28%

9 Nfld and Labrador 1.14%

10 Manitoba 1.14%

Canada 1.98%

- Data from Manitoba Bureau of Statistics/Quarterly Economic Summary

newflyer

Sep 29, 2007, 7:21 PM

:previous:

That stat is very concerning!!!

This is a sign of an unsustainable economy... because it indicates among other things .. that the economy may not be able to absorb the many workers once the mega-projects are complete.

This is the impact of having a high tax business environment.. where local businesses are penalized for increasing the number of employees employed.. aka: the payroll tax.

If Manitoba wants to build a real sustainable economy it needs to encourage private investment..... and encouage more business activity.

While the city of Winnipeg is doing its part, by eliminating the local business tax, and creating new incentives ... the NDP is dragging it heals. Manitoba needs to gets it act together if its every going to have a strong economy. Its really too bad Manitoba voters choose to ignore economics when voting.

newflyer

Oct 2, 2007, 12:11 AM

newflyer

Oct 2, 2007, 12:14 AM

FYI
... a little comparison .. here is the tourism page of Destination Winnipeg.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/4913/destinationpegwe4.jpg

http://www.destinationwinnipeg.ca/play_ctc.php

Where the hell is the promotion?? .. this is suppose to promote tourism?? It says nothing..

This needs ALOT of work... :yuck:

I am sure most could be a much better job with a little effort. Come On!!

J-MAN

Oct 2, 2007, 12:53 AM

newflyer

Oct 2, 2007, 5:49 AM

Yes .. eliminate the payroll tax... cut the provincal corporate business tax rates... provide incentives for companies who add high skilled positions .. incentives towards tech and biotech companies who expand operations ... eliminate the capital tax ( tax on bricks and mortar... and equipment investments) Incentives for companies which invest in upgrading there employees through education. Provide incentives for small business startups in certain industries.

This is just a small example of what a progressive government would be doing if they wanted to focus on adding new jobs to the economy.

Alas ... in Manitoba we penalize companies.. instead of encouraging them. :koko:

TSN

Oct 2, 2007, 6:26 PM

I would throw out the comparisons with BC/Alberta. They are largely resources oriented economies in which their industries require a ton of manpower, hence the high employment growth rates. Manitoba should outperform anybody out east and IMO, the best measuring stick would be Ontario/Quebec since they are diversified economies, much like Manitoba, albeit on a bigger scale.

If you look at payroll/corporate taxes, Manitoba's are quite comparable today to those in Ontario and Quebec, and that's only been fairly recently. They were higher before, which could explain the drag on the economy. I think it'll be interesting to see how Manitoba stacks up against these place over the next few years. According to the Conference Board, the three provinces are projected to be quite comparable.

No doubt, taxes could be 'tweaked' a bit more but taxes are only part of the cost of doing business. If they were the only thing, you'd see everybody stampeding to Alberta, I don't see anybody flocking out of Toronto to come to Calgary anymore. And I don't see companies moving en masse from NYC to Dallas either.

Andy6

Oct 2, 2007, 7:16 PM

I have always admired how well Chicago markets itself. He's an example from ChooseChicago (Homepage)... the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau.

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/199/choosechicagojw1.jpg

http://www.choosechicago.com/

It seems a bit rich for Chicago to congratulate itself on an achievement that isn't achieved yet. Winnipeg's version isn't all that bad, although it could certainly stand to have a positive statement of some sort on the main page. Maybe Winnipeg could congratulate itself for really, really wanting to have an enormous human rights museum, or for forming a committee to look into possibly getting an NHL franchise.

newflyer

Oct 3, 2007, 1:54 AM

It seems a bit rich for Chicago to congratulate itself on an achievement that isn't achieved yet. Winnipeg's version isn't all that bad, although it could certainly stand to have a positive statement of some sort on the main page. Maybe Winnipeg could congratulate itself for really, really wanting to have an enormous human rights museum, or for forming a committee to look into possibly getting an NHL franchise.

They beat NYC for the honour of bidding for those Games .. which isn't too shabby.... and it will take a massive effort by the whole city to land the Olympics, even for that mega-metropolis.. so a little bragging doesn't hurt the cause.

As for Winnioeg .. as few positive comments if not bragging comments on there page would definatly help inspire some attention.

wags_in_the_peg

Oct 3, 2007, 12:36 PM

doesn't say how many jobs, but good news for the 'Peg!

Cangene consolidating research and development operations at Winnipeg head office

WINNIPEG - Cangene Corp. (TSX:CNJ) says it will consolidate all of its research and development activities at its Winnipeg head office location.
The move, which means consolidating and transferring those operations from Mississauga, Ont., will result in a four per cent reduction in staff and expected operating saving of $1.5 million a year, the company said Tuesday.

The company said other functions at its offices in Mississauga will not be impacted.

"Having a consolidated group will help to strengthen the links between research, product development and manufacturing activities, and increase operational effectiveness," Cangene said in a statement.

It said much of the research and development done in Mississauga was for a contract with the Apotex Group that is now complete.

Cangene, founded in'84, uses patented manufacturing processes to produce plasma-derived and recombinant therapeutic proteins.
It has U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada-approved products and a fourth that has been approved in Canada only

drew

Oct 3, 2007, 4:13 PM

^ I used to work at Cangene in another life... I would imagine that the net job gain for Winnipeg from this "consolidation" will be anywhere from zero to somewhere in the single digits.

newflyer

Oct 7, 2007, 2:40 AM

The fall issue of the Winnipeg Chamber Wire Magazine is out...

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/7108/chamberfall07pj3.jpg

http://www.winnipeg-chamber.com/PDF/Wire/Wire%20fall%202007.pdf

The is a good article about Downtown revitalization.... another one about growth driven by declining business taxes.

Also a great article about the growth of the biomed industry in the city..

vid

Oct 8, 2007, 2:06 AM

Not really Winnipeg news, but it has to do with Agricore, so..

Brunt of Viterra layoffs are here
By Tom Hamilton, Thunder Bay
Friday, October 5, 2007

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=68573

Recently, a senior Viterra executive made a statement that “the Thunder Bay grain operations of Viterra are no different than any other of Viterra‘s operations.” (“Viterra contemplates layoffs,” Regina Leader-Post, Sept. 26).
The following points illustrate the differences that are currently affecting Thunder Bay employees and their families.
• Layoffs of over 50 per cent of the AgricoreUnited workforce began in August and continue to this day.
• Viterra has already informed the employees, in a meeting in mid-August, that the AU “S” house is to be closed by Dec. 31.
• Viterra has projected tonnage for the AU “A” house at 380,000 tonnes, with no work in the spring of 2008 except for the loading of vessels, which requires a minimum number (from eight to 12) of employees to perform. The above tonnage is in comparison to the 1.3-1.5 million tones that the facility would normally handle. This is a decrease in volume of from 72 to 75 per cent.
• Thunder Bay is the prime operation affected by the reduced tonnage. There has been no negative effect in Vancouver or in country operations.
• The tonnage referred to above will only go to the AU “A” terminal as long as the SWP (Saskatchewan Wheat Pool) “A” terminal continues to handle grain volumes of around 1.7 million tonnes. If projections go below that, the grain destined for the AU terminal will be redirected to the SWP terminal, resulting in even lower numbers and employment levels there.
• The type of grain is also a factor. The AU “A” house is capable of handling and processing both Canadian Wheat Board grain and non-board grain. Normally, we concentrated on wheat and durum, with the peas, oil seeds, etc., going to the AU “S” house, which is a smaller terminal employing much fewer people. “A” house will no longer process board grain. It will handle only non-boards, with a consequent drop in employment levels.
There is no other Viterra operation that has been affected or will be affected in the way that the former AgricoreUnited terminals have been affected in Thunder Bay. Viterra still struggles to admit this, as is apparent in the comment referred to above. We are in a unique situation here in Thunder Bay and, specifically, at the AU terminals. This unique and exceptional situation requires exceptional measures and Viterra does not admit that necessity.

Tom Hamilton
President - USW Lodge 650
(Grainhandlers)

Agricore already has three vacant elevators, and SWP has two. So Viterra will have 6 vacant elevators on the waterfront. Agricore was taking care of the old UGG terminal but I bet they'll just let it fall apart now, if they're closing S, which is beside it.

Greco Roman

Oct 10, 2007, 4:21 PM

Another small, but important missed opportunity for Manitoba to advertise itself on a Global scale.

Manitoba comes off looking Mickey Mouse
O Canada! at EPCOT fails to even mention province

Wed Oct 10 2007

WALT DISNEY WORLD, FLORIDA: There is no Manitoba at the Happiest Place on Earth.
The Disney folks gathered scores of international journalists at EPCOT last week to view the new version of O Canada!, a 14-minute film shown at the theme park's Canadian pavilion.

Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila sang for the crowd. Young people dressed as farmers, lumberjacks, hockey players and Anne of Green Gables waved and smiled. Speeches were made, a band played and paper maple leaves were shot into the air.

It was classic Disney --- well-organized, fun and flashy.

The new 360-degree panoramic movie replaces a 1982 version that was outdated and heavy on stereotypes. Much of the original film was reshot, although some images were reused. The idea was to give Disney's millions of visitors a snapshot of our country, its people and its natural beauty.

Too bad we're not part of the story.
The fault is not Disney's. This province lacks both the money and the technology to play with the big boys.

The content of the movie was decided jointly by the Canadian Tourism Commission (CTC) and Walt Disney staff. Tourism boards from Ontario, Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Vancouver, Alberta and the Calgary Stampede were all involved.

The boards had to come up with approximately $500,000 each to cover the cost of fresh filming by Disney in their region. Additional high-definition footage was provided by tourism boards in other provinces.

There was no input from Manitoba and the province is not mentioned in the film.

There's footage of Niagara Falls, the Bay of Fundy, Vancouver Island's Butchart Gardens, the Rideau Canal and sailing in Nova Scotia. Vancouver gets credit as Canada's film capital. Even Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat get mentions. The Calgary Stampede gets footage. Toronto, Quebec City and Montreal are all included.

Nothing on Manitoba --- no Royal Winnipeg Ballet, The Forks, Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Folklorama or Corydon Avenue. No mention of our countless rural and northern attractions.

How does something like this happen?

Well, there are a couple of explanations, neither of which reflect well on Travel Manitoba. First, they couldn't afford to participate. Second, they don't have up-to-date, industry-standard film of our province. "We sat the players at the table and asked them, 'Do you have the money to pay for these expensive shots?'" explains Gisele Danis, the CTC's executive director of global brand integration. "We also needed high-definition images, B-roll. We can't take ordinary film. That's where the world is going today. Manitoba, unfortunately, doesn't have high-definition."

Danis hastened to point out that Disney kept in a shot of a wheat field being plowed to represent the Prairie provinces. That's a pretty small bone to be tossed.

"Part of me, my heart goes out to the little guy who didn't get the cut," says Danis, explaining the CTC and the major tourism agencies contributed $1.2 million to the project but Disney decided on the final script.

Linda Whitfield, Travel Manitoba's vice-president of advertising and marketing, says it's true Manitoba doesn't have high-definition images, adding there is no money to add it in the current budget.

"Frankly, we haven't felt the need," Whitfield says. "In light of the trend of people using the Internet for travel information we've looked at upgrading our website."

As well, the $500,000 required to come to the Disney table was simply too rich for the province's blood. The organization has only $1.2 million in its $8.2-million budget for advertising and communications.

Whitfield says Manitoba's exclusion is not the fault of the CTC.

"The CTC's mandate is not to promote any province or city," she says. "They promote all of Canada."

They do it well. The Disney movie, narrated by Martin Short, is witty, exciting and makes Canada look like a place you'd want to visit. The fact that Manitoba isn't in it makes us look, well, Mickey Mouse.

lindor.reynolds@freepress.mb.ca

Only The Lonely..

Oct 11, 2007, 1:23 AM

As well, the $500,000 required to come to the Disney table was simply too rich for the province's blood. The organization has only $1.2 million in its $8.2-million budget for advertising and communications.

Whitfield says Manitoba's exclusion is not the fault of the CTC.

Fuck, you mean the province / Tourism Manitoba really couldn't afford $500,000 amortized over 25 years?!? Assuming this video runs until 2032, that's $20,000 a year for exposure to millions of U.S. and international tourists who have never heard of a place called Manitoba. Talk about an opportunity lost!

How many millions has the provinced wasted preaching to the converted (i.e. those already living in MB) with the Spirited Energy campaign?

NDP, friggin lousy amateurs..

J-MAN

Oct 11, 2007, 10:46 PM

:previous:

wow,

NDP = newbs driving parliment :jester:

J-MAN

Oct 11, 2007, 10:47 PM

or just big fags :shrug:

Greco Roman

Oct 11, 2007, 11:47 PM

or just big fags :shrug:

Dude, you really need to be careful what you say around here.

vid

Oct 12, 2007, 9:30 AM

or just big fags :shrug:

http://www.smokefree.org.uk/wwwdev/images/contentPics/tanker%20cigarette%20Star%20city%20LU3W1918(3).JPG (http://www.smokefree.org.uk/wwwdev/content_pages.asp?id=78)

A big fag, indeed.

Only The Lonely..

Oct 18, 2007, 3:46 AM

Russian Ship Arrives in Churchill

By PAUL TURENNE, SUN MEDIA | Oct 17, 2007

Churchill has welcomed its first-ever shipment from Russia, marking the first manifestation of the Arctic Bridge trade route that the northern Manitoba port has been working on for some time.

The Russian container ship Kapitan Sviridov has arrived from the northwestern Russian port of Murmansk, located on the Kola Peninsula near Finland, carrying a shipment of fertilizer for North American farmers.

The ship will now load 20,000 tonnes of wheat from the Canadian Wheat Board and bring it to Italy.

"This season has been an excellent demonstration of the possibilities for this northern port," said Mike Ogborn, managing director of OmniTRAX, which owns the port facility in Churchill.

vid

Oct 21, 2007, 1:54 PM

Why is Canada subsidizing our American competition?
By Dan Burgoyne, Thunder Bay | Friday, October 19, 2007 | The Chronicle-Journal | Letter to the Editor (http://www.chroniclejournal.com/stories.php?id=70834)

I have noted with interest the feedback from Thunder Bay residents concerning the joint pledge of $40 million between the Manitoba and federal governments to repair the 1,300 km of railway that runs from The Pas to Churchill, Man. (letters, Oct. 17, 18)
This is the route used primarily by the Canadian Wheat Board to deliver produce and commodities for shipment through the Port of Churchill.
This promise of $40 million with another $3 million being allotted to increase storage at the grain handling facility in Churchill will certainly not bode well for the Port of Thunder Bay.
However, when I read the story (Chronicle-Journal Oct. 5) outlining the government‘s intentions to improve rail transportation and storage facilities at the Port of Churchill, it dawned on me how the article skirted around a very important piece of information.
The rail line, which is earmarked for $40 million that services Churchill, was purchased from the CNR in 1997 by a newly formed company, Hudson Bay Railway.
This railway is owned and operated by OmniTrax, Inc., one of North America‘s leading transportation services company with its headquarters in Denver, Colorado.
At the same time in 1997, OmniTrax also took over the operation and marketing of the Port of Churchill from the federal government‘s Department of Transport with the intent of running it privately.
Aren‘t the Canadian taxpayers generous when it comes to subsidizing American interests in Canada at the expense of their own well being?

Greco Roman

Oct 23, 2007, 10:32 PM

From The Sun today:

Manitoba wages grow slowest west of Que.

By SHANNON VANRAES, SUN MEDIA

We're making progress, but it's so slow it's hard to tell.
That's according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Manitoba, which released the work portion of its Manitoba Check-Up 2007 yesterday.
The study -- which looked at Alberta, B.C., Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan -- indicates Manitoba has the lowest real wages of the five provinces, although wages in Manitoba did increase by .05% in 2006.
"I think certainly part of the reason we've been losing people to other provinces is because of the wage level here," said Gary Hannaford, CEO of the institute.
The real wage rate in Manitoba is $19.91, compared with $23.15 in Alberta. The Canadian average is $21.60.

Manitoba also showed the least job growth and lowest educational attainment rates among the five provinces examined in the study.
Hannaford believes the number of Manitobans leaving for other regions is also lowering the number of educated individuals in the province.
Heading to Alberta
Although 48,000 people received degrees in Manitoba between 2000 and 2005, that same period saw nearly 17,000 people leave the province, with 72% heading to Alberta.
The report also noted a shortage of skilled workers in Manitoba.
"What we're really trying to do is get some discussion and debate going," said Hannaford, adding copies of the report have been sent to the provincial NDP government, the Opposition Tories and many business organizations.
He said the best way to ensure growth and keep people in Manitoba is to ensure a strong economy.

1ajs

Oct 23, 2007, 11:58 PM

not sure if any are closing in peg city but still
HSBC Financial closing 30 Canadian branches

Last Updated: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 | 12:32 PM ET

CBC News (http://www.cbc.ca/news/credit.html)

HSBC Financial Corp. Ltd. is shutting down 30 of its 140 small branches in Canada as it tightens credit and discontinues some of its lending business.
The closures on Oct. 31 will affect about 300 employees, some of whom will be moved to other jobs in the company.
Company spokesman Michael Edmonds said HSBC Financial is discontinuing its non-prime, broker-based mortgage services in Canada and is tightening its credit policies as part of a "repositioning."
The consumer finance firm, once known as HFC and Household Finance Corp., was acquired in 2003 by HSBC Group, one of the world's largest financial services companies.
Its business has included personal lines of credit, term loans and mortgages, including home equity loans. A subsidiary, HSBC Retail Services Ltd., also provides retail credit through a private-label credit card program.
The company said it has more than one million customers in Canada.

vid

Oct 24, 2007, 12:04 AM

HSBC just opened a new branch here. They put it at the intersection of two highways, nice and far away from people, so that they couldn't get to it.

Andy6

Oct 24, 2007, 12:46 AM

HSBC just opened a new branch here. They put it at the intersection of two highways, nice and far away from people, so that they couldn't get to it.

Couldn't they use one of the two highways to get to it?

1ajs

Oct 24, 2007, 4:25 AM

Couldn't they use one of the two highways to get to it?
ya as a gost after you were plowed into by a semi :P

wags_in_the_peg

Oct 24, 2007, 12:59 PM

Russians take over at Versatile - New owner plans to double production at tractor plant

THE past, present and future of the last tractor factory in Canada were present on the shop floor at the Buhler Versatile plant in Fort Garry on Tuesday, marking the 50,000th four-wheel-drive tractor coming off the line.
Current owner John Buhler used the occasion to effectively pass the torch to the future owner, the Russian company Combine Factor Rostselmash Ltd., with Paul Soubry, the former long-time head of the Versatile tractor company, on hand.

The $145-million purchase of Buhler Industries by Rostselmash, the Russian harvester manufacturer, is set to close on Monday evening.

Officials from both sides say the deal is all but complete, with the money sitting in a Winnipeg lawyer's trust account and more than enough shares already locked into the deal.

Rostselmash has agreed to pay $7.25 a share for 80 per cent of the Buhler shares. The remaining float will continue to be traded on the TSX.

Buhler shares closed Tuesday at $6.85.

With the 240 plant and head office workers enjoying cake and coffee on the factory floor on Tuesday afternoon, most expressed optimism about the future of the company that has been making tractors in Winnipeg since 1966.

"We plan to continue operating the plant the same way, only with twice the volume," said Dimitry Lubimov, the 33- year-old Russian who will become president of Buhler Industries when the deal closes.

Buhler acquired Versatile in 2000 in a challenging deal that came about after previous owner New Holland merged with Case, another global agricultural equipment manufacturer.

Although the North American market for large tractors has struggled throughout much of this decade, the increase in commodity prices has provided a bit of a boost.

Buhler Versatile makes about 1,500 tractors a year (about 1,000 four-wheel drive and 500 two-wheel drive models).

Rostselmash has made it clear it intends to lever Buhler's dealer network in North America to try to introduce its combines and forage equipment into this market and use its own extensive network in Russia and Eastern Europe to sell Buhler tractors and other equipment into the European market.

In the takeover bid circular it is stated that Rostselmash's goal within the first year is to sell 500 Canadian built Buhler tractors in the Russian market, and then double this number within the next two years.

"If we can sell 400 tractors over there with about three people, their team should be able to sell 1,000," said John Buhler, who will effectively retire after 37 years of growing the business that will continue to bear his name. He said he will likely continue to hold some shares in the company, but suggested it wouldn't be right if he were to stick around after the deal closes.

"I'll still be on the sidelines," he said. "But the new owners know what they are doing. They made $45 million in profit last year, more than I ever made. I wouldn't have sold to them if I was not totally comfortable."

wags_in_the_peg

Oct 24, 2007, 1:02 PM

Buhler lends purchaser $50 million

NEAR the end of July the Russian company Rostselmash, a former Soviet-era combine manufacturer that survived privatization to control a substantial share of the Russian agricultural equipment market, made a formal offer to buy 80 per cent of Buhler Industries.

But the Russian company only had $95 million in cash available. Its first attempt to structure a deal with Buhler was to buy 51 per cent at $7.50 a share, with cash up front, and then acquire another 29 per cent at $7.25 a share over five years in four scheduled take-ups.

The market did not look favourably at the unusual configuration of the deal which one analyst referred to as "bizarre."

But John Buhler, founder, chairman and CEO of Buhler Industries, was convinced that Rostselmash was for real. Since Buhler and his family controlled 78 per cent of the shares of the company, he took it upon himself to help the Russian company find the cash needed to restructure the deal. It came down to Buhler lending the Russian company $50 million himself.

The president of Buhler Industries, Ossama AbouZeid, has a long history of doing business in Russia and he helped Rostselmash find proper security for the $50- million, five-year loan from Buhler (not wanting the loan to be secured by the Canadian assets the Russian company was buying).

Rostselmash eventually acquired a letter of credit for the $50 million from a large Russian bank which was "confirmed" by the Bank of Montreal.

Greco Roman

Oct 24, 2007, 6:33 PM

Another sun article:

Downtown Winnipeg a 'no-go zone,' says Empire Cabaret shooting victim
No security measures visible when he entered the club, man says
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 | 9:12 AM CT
CBC News
A Winnipeg man who was one of four people shot at the Empire Cabaret on the weekend is raising issues about security at the Exchange District club — and in Winnipeg's downtown in general.

In a matter of minutes, Scott Smith, 35, went from the dance floor to the emergency room early Sunday morning.

He had arrived at the club with a half-dozen friends celebrating a birthday just 20 minutes before the shooting began at about 2 a.m. at the upscale Main Street club.

"I just saw a flash, and a bang and then another bang, and my girlfriend was saying to get down and I couldn't get down, I thought someone was standing on my foot. The poor girl beside me, I think I shoved her pretty good because I thought she was on my foot," he said.

"I looked down and there was blood shooting out the side of my foot … and the blood was pouring out the bottom of my foot like a fountain."

A bullet tore through the side of Smith's foot and exited out the bottom. Bullet fragments remain in his shattered foot, and he underwent surgery Tuesday night to deal with an infection.

Continue Article

Smith was on a stretcher and on his way to the hospital within minutes of the shooting.

'Didn't see any security'
On Monday, a spokesperson for the Empire Cabaret told news media that the bar regularly pats down club-goers and checks their identification. The club has a "fully-functioning, state-of-the-art" metal detector in place, the club said.

But Smith said he didn't see any evidence of those security measures when his group arrived at the club Saturday night.

"I didn't see any security. I was not frisked. There was no metal detectors. I didn't see any bouncers or security until I'm actually on the stretcher going out," he said.

"There was no security at the front door. The only person that I saw at that time, when we had walked in, was a girl taking money for cover charge, and that was it."

Clubs should improve their security to prevent the same thing happening to others, he said.

"There has to be, I think, better measures taken in the bars so guns cannot get in there," he said. "If the guns aren't there, the worst thing you'll have to worry about is a black eye."

Officials with the Empire Cabaret say the club plans to increase security this weekend, including turning on their security cameras, which were not operating at the time of Sunday's shooting.

'Downtown area is a no-go zone'
Smith recently moved back to Winnipeg after living for 10 years in Massachusetts. The city has changed in the years he's been gone, he said, but in some ways it's been slow to adapt to the changes.

"It seems the city, as much as it's changed, a lot of it has stayed the same. It's still a big city with a small-town attitude — which I love — but now we're getting that big-city influence of whether it's gangs, I'm hearing, or guns in the bar," he said.

"When I was living here, you didn't hear about guns in a bar, guns going off. The worst thing you had to worry about was seeing a fistfight and someone else jumping in. Maybe a knife here and there. But now you hear about these guns. It just seems there's too many guns. And you can't win a fight against a gun."

The shooting has changed the way he feels about Winnipeg and the city's downtown area, he said.

"In Boston, we have 'no-go zones.' You know not to go here. In New York, there's areas you don't go. I lived in [Washington,] D.C., you don't go here. It seems in Winnipeg, the downtown area is a no-go zone," he said.

A 41-year-old woman and two other men, both 32 years old, were also injured in the Empire Cabaret shooting. As of Tuesday, one other victim was still in hospital.

Police have not identified any suspects, but investigators believe the gun was fired during a fight between two groups of men in the club.

None of the victims was involved in the altercation, police said.

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Well, he needs to come to downtown Edmonton and Calgary; you get the same "bang" for your buck.

vid

Oct 24, 2007, 10:41 PM

Couldn't they use one of the two highways to get to it?

Yes, but they can't take a bus, or bike, or walk to it, because walking and biking are prohibited in that area, and buses don't go anywhere near there.

I call it the "Let's run away from the customers and hide in the bush by the road" approach to capitalism. It's quite hilarious.

Andy6

Oct 24, 2007, 10:54 PM

Yes, but they can't take a bus, or bike, or walk to it, because walking and biking are prohibited in that area, and buses don't go anywhere near there.

I call it the "Let's run away from the customers and hide in the bush by the road" approach to capitalism. It's quite hilarious.

If it doesn't work, obviously the location will close and the problem will solve itself. I think your fear is that it will work and thereby confirm the obvious fact that most people don't really want to bike to their bank and that Thunder Bay is not destined to become some sort of Paris or Amsterdam of civilized walkability anytime soon.

newflyer

Oct 28, 2007, 1:13 AM

Booming Boeing seeks new building in city

Fri Oct 19 2007

By Martin Cash

Ted S. Warren / the associated press
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner has helped boost production at the Winnipeg facilities.

THE new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is such a success that Boeing's Winnipeg operations are full to the rafters and looking for more space.
The aerospace company's Winnipeg composite parts plant -- the largest aerospace composite parts plant in the country -- has produced a feasibility study to lease another building in Winnipeg and is waiting for approval from head office in Chicago to proceed.

A company official said if it gets the go-ahead, the new building will be sought before the end of the year. No other details were disclosed.

The company has about 600,000 square feet of space at its Murray Industrial Park location and another leased building on Saskatchewan Avenue.

But with 1,400 people on staff, the 35-year-old plant is bursting at the seams. Company officials have said those staffing levels represent maximum capacity at the plant.

Boeing spokeswoman Terry Trupp said the new space is being sought for additional production capacity.
The need to expand is evidence the Winnipeg plant is not being adversely affected by the recently announced six-month delay in delivery of the first 787, originally scheduled to be delivered to All Nippon Air in May 2008, but now pushed back to November or December 2008.

The first flight for Boeing's first new plane this century -- which features 50 per cent of its parts built with carbon composites rather than aluminum to decrease the weight and increase fuel efficiency -- was originally scheduled for this fall, but has been pushed back to sometime before the end of March.

With 710 orders already on the books worth about $115 billion, company officials said the delay in delivering the first planes off the Everett, Wash., assembly line will not affect the aerospace giant's earnings forecast for the year.

Winnipeg is a Tier I supplier of wing-to-body fairings, the main landing gear doors and the vertical fin fairing for the 787 and a Tier II supplier of composite shear ties and forward and aft pylons to Dallas-based Vought.

Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace industry analyst at the Washington, D.C.-area Teal Group, said production schedules at the Winnipeg plant have had nothing to do with the delay in 787 production.

The 787 is being manufactured by integrating parts that have been designed and built by several major suppliers from around the world, including Boeing Canada Technology in Winnipeg. Aboulafia said a significant component of the delay has been on the software front.

"The Everett plant is short on some of the parts like fasteners and castings, but I think that stuff is dwarfed by software challenges," he said.

Vic Gerden, executive director of the Manitoba Aerospace Association, said the 787 production has been a complex undertaking. "Integrating sub-systems from all sorts of third-party suppliers is a formula that has not be used before," he said.

Earlier this week, Boeing replaced its senior executive in charge of the 787 and said it still expects to meet production runs of 109 planes by the end of 2009.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca