Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/1249269
You may hear from people who just moved back to Winnipeg or who came home for a recent visit that this isn't the Winnipeg they remember. It isn't. Across this great city there are new investments and new start-ups. Of our top three tourist attractions, two didn't exist a decade ago and one was a mere shadow of its current self. This past year was all about building on the momentum we have created and making sure our organization is well positioned for the future and the growth of this city. Though we only occupy a small corner of it, we're big on making an impact and making the world better. In Winnipeg, we make. We make things go, like electric busses, motor coaches and plane parts. We make discoveries, in microbiology labs and polar bear conservation centres, and in our top universities. We make things better, improving everything from video game player experiences, to payroll processing efficiencies, to mobile food delivery. We make noise, with an outsized impact on the music world and a film industry that's growing at an unprecedented pace. This year, Economic Development Winnipeg was named a key partner in the Province of Manitoba's Economic Growth Action Plan. Through greater collaboration, we are proud to be moving the needle and bringing investment and economic development opportunities to our city and province. This year major business developments made headlines as SkipTheDishes solidified Winnipeg as its home base, True North Square opened our city's first privately developed Class A office space in three decades and Merit Functional Foods started to build its 94,000 sq. ft. facility. On the tourism side, Winnipeg punched above its weight by hosting more large national conventions and events such as the National Gathering of Elders, Diabetes Canada and Western Canada Softball championships. In November, Winnipeg made history when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers brought home the Grey Cup after 29 years and EDW's President and CEO was the first woman to have her name engraved on the Grey Cup as Chair of the Winnipeg Football Club. The following pages cover the highlights of the last year and showcase the team that we have here at EDW and the strategy we are pursuing. We are the experts on Winnipeg and we are continually looking for ways to leverage that expertise to create economic growth. This year we have tackled talent attraction and foreign direct investment in more fulsome ways than we have before. We did that at the request of the private sector, which drives our strategic focus. We are excited by what's in store for 2020. We ask you help us by being ambassadors for our great city and showcasing to the world what Winnipeg has to offer. Message from Chair & CEO Igniting passion for our story Dean Schinkel Chair Office Managing Partner, Deloitte Dayna Spiring President & CEO Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. 5 2019 Annual Report