Media Release
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. Hosts 2017 Annual General Meeting Showcasing 2016 Highlights and Focusing on the Future
May 7, 2017: Winnipeg, MB – Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) will host its annual general meeting today highlighting the results of EDW’s operations, including YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg. Guests will hear greetings from the co-chairs of EDW’s board of directors, Michael Scatliff and Dean Schinkel. Dayna Spiring, EDW’s president and CEO, will deliver the keynote address. Following these remarks, a moderated panel discussion will take place between Spiring; Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen; and His Worship Mayor Brian Bowman.
EDW serves as Winnipeg’s principal economic development agency responsible for promoting and fostering business and economic growth, as well as tourism development, in and around the city. In 2016, a restructuring of the corporation resulted in a new level of internal alignment. Three collaborative teams began working together with a heightened focus on priority sectors. The market intelligence team does the homework, and it provides the foundation for everything EDW does. The sales team, consisting of YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg experts, works together to identify relevant leads. And the marketing and branding team’s role is to weave data and statistics into a larger contextual fabric in a way that best highlights Winnipeg’s key advantages.
“Before EDW can maximize its ability to influence the city’s economy by attracting external investment, we first needed to look inward at our own operation. Streamlining made a lot of sense, and the results of this effort are already being felt by our public and private stakeholders,” said Dayna Spiring, president and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. “Influencing economic development cannot happen without consistent collaboration at the municipal and provincial government levels, and I’m pleased to say this process has begun in earnest. There’s lots left to do together, but we’re kicking in the same direction in a way that’s new for all of us. And private-sector leaders here and elsewhere are stepping up to the plate as well, with multiple high-profile investments occurring citywide.”
Working with representatives from the provincial government, EDW has refocused its key industry sectors to concentrate attention on the areas most likely to be amenable to investment. Although all industry sectors add value, the corporation can no longer afford to be distracted by low-hanging fruit at the expense of harder to reach but lasting sustenance. If EDW can help attract specialized firms that employ highly educated, well-paid workers, other support-level jobs will follow.
EDW’s impact at the civic level is equally encouraging. Over the course of many meetings throughout 2016, Spiring and the mayor established a rapport that laid the groundwork for important alliances in 2017 and beyond. Whether it’s a joint press conference announcing Winnipeg’s official winter-city status—with important recreational and economic implications—or the mayor’s decision to establish an on-demand business advisory team led by EDW, a fresh energy between the city and EDW is making good things happen for the benefit of all Winnipeggers.
To be the most effective partner possible to government and business, EDW must take full ownership of the data needed to drive the kinds of investment the city’s census metropolitan area needs to continue its march toward a population of one million by 2035. This is the expertise EDW must be known for moving forward, and 2016 saw important inroads made on this front that have since materialized early this year in a new content management strategy that will exponentially improve the corporation’s ability to offer fast, relevant information to public and private stakeholders contemplating a Winnipeg investment.
An electronic copy of EDW’s 2016 annual report will be available following the AGM via its website at www.economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com.
Media is invited to attend today’s AGM at the Richardson Conference Centre, located in downtown Winnipeg at One Lombard Place. The event starts at 11 a.m. Interviews will be welcomed immediately following formal proceedings.
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About Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) is the lead economic development agency for Winnipeg, encompassing EDW, YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg. EDW champions Winnipeg’s economic growth and facilitates investment promotion and attraction, capacity building and the management of market data. EDW articulates Winnipeg’s value proposition and supports targeted sector analysis, encourages community and social development, and promotes Winnipeg’s diverse economy and high quality of life. EDW works collaboratively with government, academic and industry partners to stimulate Winnipeg’s economy and mobilize the city’s tourism attraction activities.
www.economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com
For further information, please contact:
Croft Petersmeyer
Director, Corporate Communications
Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.
Phone: 204.954.1961 Cell: 204.898.4866
Email: croft@economicdevelopmentwinnipeg.com
