Issue link: http://tourismwpg.uberflip.com/i/887850
A combination of factors gives Winnipeg a highly competitive cost structure: • a productive, well-educated and multilingual labour force that consistently generates competitive labour costs, among the lowest unemployment rates, the highest overall labour force participation rate, low turnovers and high productivity rate in Canada; • a favourable business cost environment, including competitive office and land costs, reasonable construction costs and affordable taxes; • an extensive network of R&D facilities and communication infrastructure supporting innovation and productivity enhancements; • a convenient mid-continent location with cost-effective transportation links and intermodal facilities, providing shipping by road, rail, air and sea, enhanced by CentrePort Canada, the country's first foreign trade zone and inland port; and • among the lowest electricity costs in North America. COMPETITIVE L ABOUR COSTS When compared to other large metropolitan areas specializing in the ICT sector, Winnipeg has very competitive labour costs. The following table summarizes the median wages per hour for a sample of key ICT occupations across Canada. Annual Salary Comparisons – Selected Occupations, 2016 QA Software Software Software Software Systems Programmer / Design Design Engineer Programmer Analyst Tester Manager Supervisor Halifax $85,605 $131,531 $121,451 $96,405 $82,098 $77,669 Regina $89,118 $135,359 $124,959 $99,317 $85,453 $81,356 Winnipeg $88,854 $136,250 $125,975 $99,951 $85,157 $80,598 Saskatoon $89,583 $137,292 $125,589 $99,859 $85,872 $81,714 Quebec City $89,878 $138,273 $126,674 $100,678 $86,203 $81,870 Edmonton $92,921 $141,369 $130,057 $103,605 $89,138 $84,819 Vancouver $92,811 $141,594 $130,244 $103,771 $89,067 $84,621 Toronto $94,317 $144,849 $132,476 $105,421 $90,480 $85,978 Montreal $94,550 $145,067 $133,230 $105,836 $90,669 $86,095 Calgary $96,751 $148,423 $136,014 $108,316 $92,773 $88,028 Oklahoma $109,355 $167,025 $153,526 $131,505 $108,516 $100,900 Kansas City $113,706 $174,254 $159,656 $136,289 $113,407 $105,910 Cleveland $113,683 $179,479 $159,645 $136,305 $113,355 $105,816 Austin $114,455 $179,346 $163,111 $138,233 $114,686 $107,008 Raleigh $115,443 $180,162 $163,623 $139,215 $115,376 $107,534 Minneapolis $118,588 $183,010 $165,966 $141,611 $118,482 $111,024 Richmond $118,785 $183,125 $166,577 $142,593 $118,333 $110,354 Chicago $124,820 $188,369 $172,643 $148,677 $124,406 $116,448 Seattle $129,215 $196,631 $178,992 $153,785 $129,014 $121,007 Boston $129,250 $198,065 $179,685 $154,001 $129,284 $121,377 San Francisco $141,617 $217,116 $196,172 $168,833 $141,344 $132,375 All costs are in U.S. Dollars, Exchange rate per U.S. Dollar: CDN$ 1.2900 Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives 2016 A M A Z O N P R O P O S A L 27