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Major Projects in Manitoba

Innovation

St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre

WD has been instrumental in the development of the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre, which is recognized internationally for its research into aging, cardiovascular sciences and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) applications. WD's investment of over $17.8 million includes:

• $3 million towards the Clinical Cardiology Research Initiative to assist in financing the capital equipment necessary to establish a new cardiovascular sciences clinic, designed to attract and retain in ternationally renowned cardiology research specialists.
• $2.1 million for the Centre of Health Research for the Elderly, which investigates degenerative disorders associated with aging.
• $1.25 million towards a $5 million, 3-year pilot project to establish wide-area computerized network that provides secure desktop radiology images and a picture archiving system.
• $5 million towards the capital costs of the I.H. Asper Clinical Research Institute, a 100,000-square-foot facility that includes a specialized unit to conduct e arly human trial testing of new drugs and medical devices.
• $4.5 millionto establish a demonstration site of MRI technology use for neurological research. The MRI services are offered to 5,000 patients annually.

Institute for Advanced Medicine (IAM) - Health Sciences Centre
WD investment: $9.5 million

A $48 million, 100,000-square-foot research facility will be constructed at the Health Sciences Centre. Designed to establish a centre of excellence in medicine, the IAM will focus on medical informatics, advanced imaging and "surgery-of-the-future" such as minimally invasive surgery and computer-assisted surgery.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Centre - Health Sciences Centre
WD investment: $1 million

A new MRI suite was established at the Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre that will serve as a commercial demonstration site to market the latest medical technology developed by the National Research Council Institute for Biodiagnostics in Manitoba.

Smartpark, University of Manitoba
WD investment: $2.8 million

Located at the University of Manitoba, this $5.6-million research park fosters research collaboration between the University and industry to increase the transfer of new technologies to the marketplace. Progress has been significant since its start: three buildings have been completed in the park with a total private-sector investment of $15 million. The new buildings are home to four new private-sector firms, TRLabs and a business incubator.

Centre for Media and Digital Entertainment
WD Investment: $2.125 million

With the help of WD funding, media and creative arts students in Manitoba have access to a state-of-the-art media training centre offering the latest in digital technology. Located at Red River College - Princess Street Campus, the Centre for Media and Digital Entertainment will benefit the approximately 365 full-time students enrolled in the program.

University of Manitoba Engineering Labs
WD Investment: $1.1 million

University of Manitoba's Engineering Faculty is home to three cutting-edge research facilities with the help of WD support. The nanofabrication, ice spray-wind tunnel and electromagnetics research facilities are contributing to key industry clusters in Western Canada such as biotechnology, electrical utilities, aerospace and information technology.

Virtual Reality Research and Innovation Centre
WD investment: $750,000.

This $1.5-million facility enables Manitoba industry to design, test and simulate products and processes in a fully immersive and interactive 3-D environment.

Entrepreneurship

Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre

Since 1998, the Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre has responded to over 325,000 inquires, opened 30 Regional Access Sites, developed main and specialized Web sites which have received millions of requests for information, increased its research holdings, and offered a wide selection of seminars on business topics. Special efforts are being made to focus on e-business, home-based business, Aboriginal business development, trade support for new exporters, and youth business.

Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs)

CFDCs take a grassroots approach to community and economic development with the primary focus on job creation in areas outside major urban centres. There are over 90 CFDCs throughout the West and since 1995, Manitoba's 16 CFDCS provided over 1,800 loans, totalling in excess of $42.5 million, which helped create or maintain 6,000 jobs.

Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba

Since 1994, the Women's Enterprise Centre of Manitoba has provided 193 business loans totalling more than $ 6 million. This financing helped create 379 full-time and 363 part-time jobs. In addition, the Centre has assisted over 190 entrepreneurs access $ 8.8 million in financing from other lenders.

Francophone Economic Development Organizations (FEDO)

In April 2001, WD welcomed FEDOs to WD's Western Canada Business Service Network. Le Conseil de développement économique des municipalités bilingues du Manitoba has provided 56 loans worth over $5.2 million in direct and leveraged funding to francophone entrepreneurs, resulting in 227 full and part-time jobs created in the province.

Loan Investment Fund Program

WD established the Loan Investment Fund Program to help emerging and export-oriented small businesses gain access to financing. Since 1995, through partnerships with financial institutions, 2,100 loans totalling over $176 million have been approved in Western Canada, leveraging an additional $94 million. Manitoba's share of this activity is over 400 loans totalling $ 23 million. S ince 1998, a major part of Manitoba's activity has been generated under the micro loan fund, which has resulted in over 350 loans valued at $ 4.3 million, with an average loan size of $ 12 ,000.

Virtual Incubator of Manitoba (VIM)

WD's contribution of $50,000 helped VIM provide mentoring and support to five start-up businesses in the IT sector. These businesses include technology readiness training for Aboriginal people, and the expansion of a northern newspaper to the World Wide Web, among others.

Sustainable Communities

Canadian Museum for Human Rights

The Government of Canada has committed $30 million towards the Canadian Museum for Human Rights to be located in Winnipeg. The museum will examine the development of human rights in a historical and global context, focusing on the experience of Canadians. It will have an important education component, teaching how human rights can be respected, as well as the consequences of denying them. All federal funds will be administered through WD.

Urban Development Agreement (Memorandum of Understanding)

In January 2003, representatives from the three levels of government signed a memorandum of understanding to negotiate a renewed urban development agreement for the City of Winnipeg. Community development, technological innovation, opportunities for increased participation by the Aboriginal community, and downtown renewal are the key focuses of plans to finalize the agreement. Its predecessor, the Winnipeg Development Agreement (1995-2001) provided $75 million-including $5 million from WD-for 700 projects, leveraged $77 million from the private sector and an additional $49 million from other complementary government program sources, benefiting neighbourhoods, industry, and businesses throughout the city.

Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) – Winnipeg

Established to help meet the needs of Aboriginal people living in cities, the $50-million Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) will build partnerships among all levels of government, local Aboriginal organizations, non-government organizations and the private sector to better address the needs of urban Aboriginal people in Canada. Winnipeg is one of six western Canadian cities involved in the UAS Pilot Projects Initiative, which will test new ideas on how to better respond, through partnership, to the local needs of urban Aboriginal people.

Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program (CMIP)

Through the Canada-Manitoba Infrastructure Program over 132 projects are in progress or have been completed representing a total investment of over $151 million in Manitoba. Recent projects include:

• Rural Municipalities of Stuartburn and Franklin – A contribution of $300,000 will provide flood protection to 24 homes and 32,000 acres of productive farmland.
• Rural/Northern Recreation Centres - Three recreation centres located in rural and northern Manitoba each received $2.5 million towards their respective expansion and renovation plans: the Parkland Recreation Complex (Dauphin), The Pas Community Multiplex and the Thompson Regional Community Centre.
• RM of Kelsey – Over 100 households were connected to the new water supply system in the RM of Kelsey with $800,000 through CMIP.
• Winnipeg Ethno-cultural Centres - The three levels of government partnered with local cultural organizations to make a $2.6-million investment in four ethno-cultural centres in Winnipeg. The Manitoba Sikh Cultural and Seniors Centre, the Hindu Centre, the Manitoba Islamic Association Community Centre, and the Manitoba Hellenic Cultural Centre each received $500,000 through matching contributions from the federal and provincial governments and the ethno-cultural centres. The City of Winnipeg also contributed $166,666 per project, matching the one-third shared contribution made by project partners under CMIP.

Aerospace/Aviation Training Centre (Aircraft Maintenance Engineers)

Located in the Winnipeg International Airport, this expanded training facility addresses Manitoba's shortage of aviation maintenance engineers. WD contributed $2.25 million to this $7.4-million project, which involves a partnership between Red River Community College and the Stevenson Aviation Technical Training Centre.

Canada-Manitoba Partnership Agreement on Red River Valley Flood Protection

Following the devastating Red River floods in 1997, WD partnered with the province to help individuals and businesses with flood proofing and protection, and to minimize future damages. WD contributed $65 million, matched by the province.

Port of Churchill

In partnership with the province and the Hudson Bay Port Company, WD contributed $13.6 million to support capital improvements to the port, which included wharf stabilization and harbour dredging.

Whiteshell Community Adjustment Fund

In 1999, WD set up the Community Adjustment Fund to assist non-profit economic development initiatives in communities impacted by the closure of AECL's Whiteshell Laboratories. The Winnipeg River Brokenhead Community Futures Development Corporation delivered the fund, to which WD contributed $3.75 million.