$32M land development near Winnipeg airport to draw investment, jobs and housing: mayor | CBC News
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Manitoba and the federal government are teaming up on a project to develop lands next to Winnipeg’s airport with the hope of attracting major industries, and discussions are already underway with a potential tenant.
On Friday, the federal and provincial governments, along with the airports authority, announced $32 million total in funding for the first phase of what they call the West Lands development.
The Winnipeg Airports Authority is spending $17 million, Canada is spending $10 million and Manitoba is spending $5 million to help develop 127 acres of direct-access runway lands next to the airport, the federal government said in a news release.
The hope is that, once complete, the land will attract tenants in the aviation, distribution and manufacturing sectors.
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham says the city’s central location makes it a prime spot.
“Today’s announcement is about getting our trade and supply chain infrastructure ready for what is next,” Gillingham said at a Friday news conference. “From the city’s point of view it also comes down to a simple idea: if you want investment, you have to be ready for it.”
Winnipeg city council approved a deal to develop the lands west of the airport last month. Under the agreement, the airports authority will pay to build infrastructure serving a plot of land along Moray Street, north of Saskatchewan Avenue.
Gillingham said the area holds “the kind of land that aerospace, defence and advanced manufacturing companies actually need if they rely upon immediate runway access.”
The development will bring thousands of jobs, new housing and services to Winnipeg, he said.
The project is also a way for Winnipeg to “compete for the next wave of investment as Canada strengthens its defence capacity,” said Gillingham.
Nick Hayes, CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, wouldn’t say who might take up residence on the land, but said it will draw customers from aerospace, manufacturing, trade-enabling infrastructure and aviation.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest, a lot of demand,” Hayes said.
BSources from the City of Winnipeg told CBC News that a WestJet maintenance facility is a potential tenant.
A WestJet spokesperson told CBC News the company continually evaluates its need for maintenance capacity and regularly communicates with airports across the country, including in Winnipeg, but “no decisions have been made” and they had no further information to share.
No timeline has been set for when the project would be finished.
Work on extending city sewer and water services to the land is expected to wrap up by the end of September, with construction on the airport project beginning after.
Winnipeg West MP Doug Eyolfson says the airport’s geographic location is desired for shipping and transit.
“This project will generate $940 million in GDP activity during construction, and $270 million in recurring annual GDP activity once fully built,” he said at the news conference.
The federal and provincial governments say they will help fund infrastructure work on airport-adjacent land, aimed at attracting aerospace and logistics companies. Sources tell CBC News WestJet has been in discussions about a possible maintenance facility, though no decisions have been made.