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A grain shipment is loaded at the Port of Churchill. Investments in the Port of Churchill project will receive a provincial sales-tax exemption, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced Monday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese new capital incentives make it easier for investors to get in on the ground floor of the largest project featured at the Canada investment summit. The grain and critical minerals we are already shipping out of the port are reaching Europe faster than the Port of Vancouver. With the right investments we can ship commodities year-round, strengthening trade between reliable partners and creating good jobs,\u201d the premier, who was not made available for an interview, said in the release.<\/p>\n
The new tax measure would apply to a new energy corridor and liquefied natural gas facilities, upgrades to the Hudson Bay Railway to support a Class 1 rail line, and marine icebreaking capacity or ice-class ships to support year-round shipping, which new studies estimate would cost $100 million to $130 million. It would also apply to other upgrades that are part of the Port of Churchill Plus project, the release said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a good message to deliver \u2014 \u2018Here\u2019s an incentive if you\u2019re looking to make an investment in Manitoba in a specific project,\u2019\u201d Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of Winnipeg Economic Development and Tourism, said from the summit in Toronto. \u201cI think it\u2019s important for (potential) investors, that may have no knowledge of Manitoba, may have no knowledge of Churchill, to understand it and get their attention,\u201d Davidson said. He\u2019s part of the province\u2019s delegation meeting with proponents and investors at the summit that includes Finance Minister Adrien Sala and Mining, Trade and Job Creation Minister Jamie Moses.<\/p>\n
The premier will hold bilateral meetings with multiple global investment firms at the two-day summit, pitching the Port of Churchill to investors, as well as mining, infrastructure and agriculture projects totalling more than $85 billion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is really the first time that there\u2019s been an event like this that Canada has hosted,\u201d Davidson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a big deal. And so it\u2019s important that we have a profile from Manitoba \u2014 to fly the flag for the province and talk about the projects that we do have,\u201d said the former head of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce who just stepped into his new role five days ago.<\/p>\n
Manitoba M\u00e9tis Federation President David Chartrand said at the start of the two-day gathering that they hope to woo some of the trillions in investment to expand both a Manitoba potash mine that the federation has an interest in, and the Port of Churchill.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a flagship \u2026 if it doesn\u2019t get caught this round, it\u2019s probably going to be finished \u2014 that dream will never come again \u2014 probably not till 100 years from now,\u201d Chartrand said of the favourable political and economic climate for expanding the northern port.<\/p>\n
Strengthening Manitoba\u2019s trade routes by tapping into Canada\u2019s $35-billion defence fund to fortify Arctic defense, expand northern sovereignty and invest in dual-use infrastructure such as roads and rail over the next 12 years, could pave the way for economic growth and jobs in Manitoba, Chartrand said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf all those things can align, Manitoba is going to be a hell of a player.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Nathan Denette \/ The Canadian Press<\/p>\n Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic, left, shakes hands with Prime Minister Mark Carney. Former prime ministers Stephen Harper, second from left, and Jean Chr\u00e9tien, also attended the investment summit.<\/p>\n Last year, the MMF signed a royalty agreement with the developer behind Manitoba\u2019s first potash mine. The Potash and Agri Development Corporation of Manitoba (PADCOM) is on site in Harrowby, approximately 16 kms west of Russell, extracting and shipping the product. Chartrand said he had a meeting with Export Development Canada Monday to discuss expanding it.<\/p>\n \u201cPADCOM is, right now, a small player. But one thing we do know is that there\u2019s enough potash there for the next 50 to 100 years. We also know that the world cannot live without potash to nourish the land. There\u2019s only so much land in the world and people need to grasp that,\u201d Chartrand said at the summit.<\/p>\n \n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t It\u2019s taking place at several locations in downtown Toronto at the same time as the Toronto International Film Festival, Davidson said.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s events everywhere and you\u2019re trying to figure out, where do I need to be next?\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s great excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n The delegation also includes Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson, Anisininew Okimawin Grand Chief Alex McDougall, Southern Chiefs\u2019 Organization Grand Chief Jerry Daniels and representatives from Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.<\/p>\n The premier\u2019s business and jobs committee representatives, including Gustavo Zentner, Ash Modha and Stacy Kennedy are there, as well as business community representative Bram Strain, president and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba, and Elisabeth Saftiuk, acting president and CEO at the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce.<\/p>\n carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Carol Sanders Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Carol produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n
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