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Projects that make a difference … Manitoba
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St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre
WD Investment: $17 million
The St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre (SBGHRC) is a state-of-the-art medical research facility. It has 300 staff and attracts $20.5M in outside financing a year. WD’s investment of over $17M includes $3M for the Clinical Cardiology Research Initiative; $2M for the Centre of Health Research for the Elderly; $1.25M to establish a wide-area computer network; $5M to the I.H. Asper Clinical Institute and $4.5M for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in neurological research. WD helped to build the R&D infrastructure for researchers to secure funding from granting councils in Canada and around the world. This resulted in international recognition for the Centre’s research work. The Centre is now launching spin-off technology companies.
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals Cluster
WD Investment: $12.5 million
This new cluster builds on Manitoba’s strength in agriculture and creates new markets for farm products. Its pillars are the Food Development Centre in Portage la Prairie, the Cereal Research Centre and two new centres that were established with WD support: the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Medicine at the St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre and the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals at the University of Manitoba. These research centres will research, develop and commercialize new foods and supplements, stimulating manufacturing and agriculture in Manitoba.
Smartpark – University of Manitoba
WD Investment: $2.8 million
WD worked with the University of Manitoba to establish a research park to stimulate Manitoba’s economy. Smartpark now has 20 tenants with 800 staff, seven research buildings, 380,000 square feet of science and technology space and $100M in capital developments. Its tenants include a high tech incubator, TRLabs, the Composites Innovation Centre, ProfitMaster Canada, IDERS, Imris, the Industrial Technology Centre, Cangene and RCFFN. By creating a high tech cluster, Smartpark encourages entrepreneurs and university researchers to work together, building synergies that stimulate innovation and growth.
The Forks
WD Investment: $10 million
The Forks is Winnipeg’s number one tourist destination, with more than four million visitors a year. Over the last 20 years, this 49-acre riverbank site has been transformed from an abandoned railway yard to an urban oasis, featuring shops, gardens, promenades, a port, a national historic site and other attractions. WD played a major role in the transformation, through participation on the Forks Board and by funding for the port, festival park, Oodena Celebration Circle, Children’s Museum, Manitoba Theatre for Young People and the historic rail cars. WD’s funds have levered significant private investment in this downtown revitalization initiative.