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Selling Winnipeg to the World
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Since last fall, The Chamber's Business Call Team has been on a fact-finding mission, meeting with more than 200 local businesses to determine what are Winnipeg's strongest attributes as a place to do business, some of the barriers to attracting other businesses and what sectors should be promoted to ensure a vibrant economy.
At a reception last week, Chamber Senior Vice-President Bill Morrissey provided an initial report on the findings, based on random input - no pre-determined questions. The No. 1 reason for businesses wanting to stay in Winnipeg is our people/our workforce, mentioned by 67 per cent of those we met with, followed by: |
#2 - Quality of life (63 per cent)
#3 - Long company history and legacy based in Winnipeg
- loyalty to customers and employees (44 per cent)
#4 - Diversified and stable, strong economy (43 per cent)
#5 - Economics - competitive costs of operating a business
here (24 per cent)
#6 - Location (15 per cent)
The Chamber felt these reasons should be embedded in all our promotional materials, and together with Destination Winnipeg and the Province, created a new brochure, Winnipeg - Build Your Business on Solid Ground.
Although the intent of Selling Winnipeg to the World is to stay focused on the positive, we needed to ask the question about the barriers and obstacles to doing business here, so we can take action to make Winnipeg an even more attractive location. Responses included:
#1 - Taxation - payroll tax (66 per cent)
#2 - Government attitude toward business (47 per cent)
#3 - Reputation and how perceived (35 per cent)
#4 - Workforce shortages in certain key skills/positions
(28 per cent)
#5 - Excessive anti-business regulation (23 per cent)
#6 - Transportation limitations (15 per cent),
#7 - Aesthetics/first impressions (15 per cent)
And we wanted to know which sectors are perceived as our key strengths:
#1 - Transportation and related services (23 per cent)
#2 - Agriculture related (13 per cent)
#3 - Manufacturing (13 per cent)
#4 - High technology and science (12 per cent)
#5 - Energy related (8 per cent)
#6 - Life sciences (8 per cent)
#7 - Aerospace (5 per cent)
#8 - Call centre and back office (4 per cent)
#9 - Financial services (3 per cent)
First and foremost, the Business Call Team asked for leads on businesses that might be considering opening, expanding or relocating, so we could convince them that Winnipeg is a great choice. Twelve leads are actively being pursued, which could result in the creation of 550 new jobs in life sciences, financial shared services, agriculture/food processing, food distribution, manufacturing and aerospace.
The Chamber also intends on launching a six-month fundraising campaign to support the formation of an Economic Partnership, under The Chamber's umbrella, but at arm's length, to pursue these leads. It is hoped the Economic Partnership will be in place by March 2010.
A special thank you to the 60 Business Call Team volunteers and the 200 business leaders who met with us and gave us their leads, feedback and insight. | 
