Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/1471293
YES! Winnipeg highlights YES! Winnipeg (YW) is Economic Development Winnipeg's business development team, promoting the city as the ideal location for new business, expansion, investment and top talent. The team's experts serve as a concierge service for businesses, making it easy to grow and invest in Winnipeg through a suite of specialized services, market intelligence and business connections. YW is driven by a community of local business leaders and responds directly to the needs of the industry. Dan Harper YES! Winnipeg successes Physical site visits and face-to-face meetings were hindered in the first half of 2021, but towards the end of the year, as vaccination rates increased and restrictions loosened, it allowed for more in-person meetings including our first investor meet-up in two years, held in November. Our YW team worked hard to support 331 businesses in 2021. We helped eight companies establish and expand operations in Winnipeg, which at maturity will create more than 1,307 direct jobs. These impacts will also mean an estimated $74 million in new or retained annual payroll. Neo Financial creates second headquarters in Winnipeg The tech sector story in Winnipeg just kept getting better in 2021, as Neo Financial announced it would be creating a second headquarters in Winnipeg and hiring people for more than 300 technology jobs. Neo says it is using technology to build a better and more rewarding financial experience for Canadians. Since its inception in 2019, the company has launched a Neo Mastercard, a no-fee and unlimited transaction high-interest savings account as well as a cashback network of more than 3,000 retail partners across Canada, including local retailers in Winnipeg. The financial technology company that set out to change the way Canadians bank was started by two of the co-founders of SkipTheDishes, Andrew Chau and Jeff Adamson. Neo said it would be building out its team within the former offices of SkipTheDishes in Winnipeg's Exchange District. Maple Leaf expansion Maple Leaf Foods invested $182 million to expand its northeast Winnipeg plant—the company's primary pre-cooked bacon production facility in Canada. The expansion is 73,000 sq. ft. and houses three lines; two for pre-cooked bacon strips, the other for bacon bits and chips. A smokehouse is also part of the expansion. In total, approximately 350 jobs will be added to the site. Hiring is ongoing and will continue over the next year as the facility ramps up. InnovoXL InnovoXL is a technology development company that specializes in commercializing promising new technologies that have strong commercial potential in the life sciences sector. YES! Winnipeg assisted InnovoXL in its site selection process and then in navigating funding and incentive opportunities. At maturity, the company will hire people for 500 jobs. 16 2021 ANNUAL REPORT