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AT IO N:
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Amazon.com Investo
on-ir@amazon.com
Darin Manney, amaz
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www.amazon.com
Relations
Amazon.com Public
@amazon.com
Ty Rogers, amazon-pr
/about
www.amazon.com
nt Winnipeg
Economic Developme
edwinnipeg.com
a@
yn
Dayna Spiring, da
g.com
elopmentwinnipe
www.economicdev

 MEDIA BACKGROUNDER

WINNIPEG –
AMAZON’S SPARK
ON THE PRAIRIES
At the centre of North
America – easy access, short
commutes, clean air, highly
educated workforce.
(continued on next page)

 LOW COST

GREEN CITY

•  Least expensive city to operate a tech company
and a more affordable place for potential employees
to call home

•  99 per cent renewable energy from one of world’s
largest hydro-electric generating jurisdictions

•  #1 – Winnipeg was ranked the most Cost-Competitive
City in the U.S. and Western Canada by KPMG in 2016
•  According to KPMG Competitive Alternatives 2016, the
overall effective corporate income tax rate in Winnipeg
is 7.0 per cent, the lowest rate among the major
metropolitan areas in Canada
•  15.1 per cent lower operating costs than U.S. average
•  4.18 cents/kwh (less than 1/3 the cost of Boston)
•  Lowest industrial and commercial land costs
among major Canadian markets
HIGH LIFE
•  $330,000 average home cost (two-storey detached)
•  $250,000 average condo cost (2 bdrm)
•  20 minutes – average commute time
•  One to two hours – time to the beach and
cottage country
•  Home to BellMTS Place, a top concert venue
•  Home to NHL’s Winnipeg Jets and CFL’s
Winnipeg Blue Bombers

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
TRAVELER NAMED WINNIPEG

ONE OF THE WORLD’S

20

BEST
TRIPS
FOR 2016

•  One of the world’s largest untouched boreal forests
within a two hour drive
•  More than 400 km (250 miles) of active
transportation paths
•  Four miles of skating trails on our rivers
•  Over 1,300 urban parks

HOME TO INTERNATIONAL
INSTITUTE FOR

SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
CONNECTED

•  Direct flights to most major North American cities
•  Largest air-freight distribution centre in Canada
•  Direct rail connections to Pacific, Atlantic,
Arctic oceans and Caribbean
•  One of North America’s largest truck
transportation centres
EDUCATED
•  20+ universities and colleges within an easy drive,
including 7 major provincial and state schools
•  18,400 IT workers in Winnipeg today

TOP 7
RANKING

ON THE INTELLIGENT COMMUNITY FORUM’S
LIST OF THE MOST INTELLIGENT

COMMUNITIES IN
THE WORLD. TWICE.
A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 9

 1.2 
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER

HOME OF CULTURE

OTHER SUPPORT

•  Canadian Museum for Human Rights

City of Winnipeg

•  World renowned Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet

•  Tax Increment Financing grant. Value to be based
on real estate valuation. Requires City Council review.

•  One of the world’s largest collections of modern
Inuit art at the Winnipeg Art Gallery
•  Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra

•  The City is prepared to assist with land assembly
including possible inclusion of surplus City land.

•  Assiniboine Park: Journey to Churchill

•  The City is prepared to consider financial support
for infrastructure investments.

THE CAMPUS

Government of Canada

Option 1 - Downtown Winnipeg

•  Strategic Innovation Fund – flexible funding options
with repayable and non-repayable options

•  22 acres of land area
•  Heritage buildings, new buildings
•  Connected campus (all weather)
•  15 minutes to airport
•  Campus airport extension
Option 2 - University of Manitoba

•  BDC Capital – Invests directly into companies to help
commercialize new tech.
•  Canada Infrastructure Bank – Helps attract investment
to revenue-generating infrastructure projects.
•  Export Development Canada – Financing support
for new facilities like the Amazon HQ.

•  107 acres of land area
•  Greenfield site
•  Connected campus
•  25 minutes to airport
•  Campus airport extension
•  Adjacent to U of M Smartpark
THE INCENTIVES
Province of Manitoba
•  Manitoba Research & Development
Tax Credit – $918.0 M

3RD
LARGEST

AEROSPACE CENTRE
IN CANADA

•  Paid Work Experience Tax Credits – $10.0 M
•  Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit – $16.0 M

OUR CITY

•  Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit – $5.3 M

•  812,000 + in metro area

•  Manitoba Training Support – up to $30.0 M

•  1.3 million in province

•  Total Manitoba – up to $979.3 M

•  454,900 in workforce

Government of Canada

•  7.8 per cent workforce growth (2011-2016)

•  Scientific Research and Experimental Development
Tax Incentive Program (SR&ED) – $780.3 M

•  6.6 per cent unemployment

•  Total Canada – $780.3 M

•  Low median age of 38.1 years

•  Combined Total – $1.76 B
10 

TEAM MANITOBA

•  Strong immigration: +18,000 in 2016

 100

STRENGTH THROUGH DIVERSITY.

MORE
THAN

LANGUAGES SPOKEN HERE.
DIVERSE, STABLE ECONOMY
Some of our corporate leaders:
•  Great-West Lifeco (global headquarters)
•  Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
• BellMTS
• TelPay
•  Skip the Dishes
•  24-7 In Touch
•  James Richardson & Sons, Limited (conglomerate)
•  Monsanto Canada
•  Cargill Limited
•  Farmers Edge
• Boeing
• StandardAero
•  GE Aviation
•  New Flyer Industries (North America’s
largest bus manufacturer)
•  Winpak (global packaging leader)
• Cangene

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

11

 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY WINNIPEG?
Many reasons, but four
stand out:
1. location
2. access to talent
3. low cost of business
4. high quality of life
for less money.
(continued on next page)

 WHY WINNIPEG?
1.  Winnipeg is at the geographic centre of North America.
As one of the world’s leading logistics and distribution
companies, that means something. The city is a short
direct flight to most major North American cities and
is connected to three oceans and the Gulf of Mexico
by direct rail links. Winnipeg is also home to a large
concentration of trucking companies including several
of Canada’s largest fleets.
2. Amazon already knows Winnipeg. Home to Amazon
company Thinkbox, the city has more than 18,400
IT workers now and hosts vibrant aerospace and
biotech sectors.
3. Amazon loves frugality and there were few other cities
that gave us the kinds of cost savings that Winnipeg
did. It has among the lowest hydro electric rates in
North America (important for running offices, and vital
for heating and cooling AWS operations). When we did
the math, the Winnipeg location showed the potential to
save hundreds of millions of dollars on an annual basis.
4. While our Seattle employees may love the condo
they bought last year for $395,000, their Winnipeg
colleagues will be living in a detached home for more
than $100,000 less. Some may enjoy kicking back
on the beach or at the cottage an hour away.
All of them will love the 20-minute commute
and 2,372 annual hours of sunshine.
WHAT ELSE TIPPED THE BALANCE
TOWARDS WINNIPEG?
With Winnipeg we found a civic partner who truly
understood our Day 1 philosophy. The city and province
established a joint special office dedicated to providing
Amazon with concierge-style services for site selection,
planning, permitting and recruiting. That office functioned
as a critical part of our decision-making as it became clear
the city was going to help us expedite the entire process.
HOW WILL THIS STRATEGICALLY IMPACT
AMAZON’S BUSINESS?
Amazon’s long-term mission is to be the world’s most
consumer-centric company. To achieve that goal, we
feel strongly that we need to set down roots in other
countries. Having some corporate functions located in
jurisdictions outside the United States symbolizes our

mission to make Amazon a truly global company.
Canada is close to home, making travel and
communications seamless. It is also a jurisdiction
with friendly relations globally, a top-rated education
system and a highly respected immigration system
that draws talent from around the world.
Additionally, Winnipeg offers Amazon a gateway to the
north. The city is already a main staging area for shipping
to Arctic regions. And its northern latitude gives it
relatively short air links to northern Europe and Asia.
Locating our second corporate headquarters in Winnipeg
helps insulate the company against dangers of natural
and other disasters.
WHAT WILL THE CAMPUS LOOK LIKE?
Winnipeg pitched us two campus options: downtown or the
University of Manitoba. Both included an airport extension.
The Downtown Campus plan features millions of sq. ft.
of office space spread through a mix of seven heritage
buildings and new LEED certified high-rises. The buildings
are connected by an all-weather walkway except the airport
extension which is a 15-minute drive away. The downtown
campus is well served by transit and bike paths.
The University of Manitoba Campus is a greenfield option
of up to several million square feet of office space in the
city’s south end. It features 12 buildings in the
university’s SmartPark, home to research labs and
businesses. The campus is nestled in a bend in the Red
River, is served by rapid transit and is surrounded by
leafy neighbourhoods featuring condos, detached homes,
restaurants and shopping. It is a 25-minute drive to the
airport extension.
WHAT CAN WE DO IN WINNIPEG?
Winnipeg has long been known as having a vibrant music
and arts scene. Major festivals and top touring music
acts fill the calendar. Recent concerts included Miranda
Lambert, Deadmau5, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roger Waters,
Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber and Kanye West. Canada’s
Royal Winnipeg Ballet is one of the most famous ballet
companies in the world. The city is home to the NHL’s
Winnipeg Jets, the AHL’s Manitoba Moose and the CFL’s
Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Its minor league baseball team,
the Winnipeg Goldeyes, won the American Association’s
championship this year.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

13

 1.3 
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

DOESN’T IT GET COLD IN WINNIPEG?
LIKE REALLY COLD?
We cannot tell a lie. Winnipeg gets cold in winter with
bright blue skies and fine white snow that glistens in
the sunshine. The city has made winter cool with miles
of skating trails lined with international architecturallydesigned warming huts, a lavish Scandinavian-style outdoor
spa and vibrant winter festivities. There’s plenty to do
indoors too from restaurants with nationally-renowned
chefs to art museums, clubs and dazzling concerts.
WHAT ABOUT SALARIES?
Our Winnipeg employees will be paid the same as their
colleagues at Day One and elsewhere. What you do with
the savings is up to you. Did we mention there is an
international airport in Winnipeg?
WHAT ABOUT BENEFITS?
It’s Canada, so, you know, free health care. Did you know
that Canada’s government health care system is ranked
among the top 10 in the world and having it stands to
save Amazon nearly $600 million a year once the campus
is at full capacity. Plus Amazon will provide competitive
benefits packages.
MORE ABOUT THE INCENTIVES?
The governments of Manitoba and Canada have
generous tax credit programs that we anticipate will
bring up to $1.76 billion in cash incentives over time.
Additionally, the City of Winnipeg is prepared to consider
Tax Increment Financing and other programs to assist
Amazon in assembling and developing real estate.
TIF funding is not yet quantified, but could be significant.
A recent $400 million development in Winnipeg qualified
for nearly $20 million in TIF funding.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO CALL THE WINNIPEG HQ?
Jeff liked the idea of calling it Aurora Borealis HQ.

14 

TEAM MANITOBA

  

October 13, 2017

Dear Jeff:

There is no better place to do business than Canada. In an increasingly complex and uncertain
world, Canadians have embraced change while staying true to their values. Canadians are bold
innovators and good neighbours, bound together by a spirit of openness and hard work. Every day we
demonstrate that these values are sources of strength, and that better is always possible. I can imagine
no better place for Amazon to call its second home.

As the first country in the world to adopt a policy of multiculturalism, we have shown time and
time again that a country can be stronger not in spite of its differences, but because of them. Diversity
is a fact, but inclusion is a choice. Canada has made its decision and our cities have become windows
to the world.

We believe in building a cleanngrowth economy that is as inclusive as it is innovative. We have
embraced technological change, while also helping our citizens adapt to the changing nature of work.
That is why we have boosted investment in skills and training and introduced an ambitious Innovation
and Skills Plan to make Canada a world-leading centre for innovation.

This plan includes actions that will bene?t everyone, from students looking to get work
experience to adult workers hoping to improve their skills. It delivers simpler and more efficient
support to entrepreneurs, while making it easier for both domestic and global companies to invest in
Canada and Canadians. We have simplified our business support programs and designed strategic
funds to spur innovation and support high?quality business investments. Our government is a ready
and willing partner, with the tools already in place, to make bold and strategic investments to create

high?quality jobs.

Mr. Jeff Bezos

410 Terry Avenue
Seattle, Washington
98109
United States of America

Canada is also committed to reinforcing our in education. Our world?class colleges
and universities have graduated the most highly educated workforce within the OECD. In the new
economy, however, we recognize that we must also have access to the best talent in the world,
wherever it is. We have therefore introduced dedicated immigration services, allowing companies to

attract highly?skilled global talent through an expedited review process to quickly recruit for the skills
they need.

Canadian cities are progressive, confident, and natural homes for forward-thinking, global
leaders. They are consistently ranked as the best places to live, work, and play in the world. They are
welcoming, walkable communities with vibrant arts and culture scenes, connected by ever-improving
public transportation networks. Canadians enjoy a universal health care system and a robust public
pension plan which help support our excellent quality of life and also mean lower costs for employers.
Our cities offer welcoming and predictable business environments, with the lowest overall business
costs in the G7, underpinned by the soundest banking and legal systems in the world. They are great
places to work, invest, and live all with unmatched global market access and within a short ?ight of
major American cities.

Throughout our history, it is in one another that Canada and the United States have found
their closest friend and ally. We enjoy the longest, most peaceful, and mutually bene?cial relationship
of any two countries in the world. Canada is the largest foreign customer for goods and services made
in the United States. We are the number one customer of the majority of American states, and among
the top three customers of 48 states. Our economic integration and partnership are unparalleled.

As Amazon decides on the location for its second North American headquarters, I am certain
that Canada will stand out. With all our advantages and a government that is willing to invest in the
future, the business case is simple.

Amazon has already established roots in Canada, creating thousands of good jobs, and taking
advantage of leading technologies in areas such as artificial intelligence and drones. We are grateful for
the confidence Amazon has placed in our cities and people. We look forward to growing this
partnership.

The Government of Canada is committed to working closely with Canadian cities in providing
Amazon a second home. The full support of our government stands behind them.

Please accept my warmest regards.

Sincerely,

 

2

CITY
OVERVIEW

HELLO WORLD,
DAY 1 IN WINNIPEG
We solved Ebola here.
More than 10,000 people died during the
West Africa Ebola outbreak of 2015. Thanks
to scientists half a world away in Winnipeg,
that outbreak may be the last time humanity
will need to battle that horrific disease.
(continued on next page)

 Why should Amazon care about where the Ebola vaccine
was created? Because it’s symbolic of how Winnipeg
solves problems and succeeds. And it’s symbolic of how
Amazon will thrive when it selects Winnipeg for its
second corporate headquarters.

The restaurant industry didn’t even know it needed Skip
the Dishes. Now thousands of restaurants depend on it
as a more efficient home delivery option while millions
of consumers enjoy the convenience of a good curry
or bento box or poutine at home.

We are smart. We collaborate. We cooperate. We care.
We have a global perspective.

Likewise, Chris Bond founded Thinkbox Software (an
Amazon company) in Winnipeg, which provides creative
tools and software for many different kinds of projects
including the world’s largest feature films. Backed by a
team of talented software developers and visual effects
experts, Thinkbox technology has gone on to be used in
engineering and medical industries to create, visualize
and modify datasets as large as city streets and as
small as microscopic cells.

Winnipeg has been a centre of commerce for more
than 6,000 years, and while we have enjoyed great leaps
forward during that time, we are reaching a zenith as
a major centre of commerce and innovation. Amazon
will prosper here like our virology lab has.

The seeds of the Ebola vaccine were planted here more
than 30 years ago. Our city leaders came together to
clear the way for the National Virology Lab (the only Level But you know about Thinkbox already.
Four Bio Security facility in Canada). Winnipeg is now
home to some of the world’s leading virology experts.
This critical mass was possible because of the talent
that existed beforehand, but also because the
governments, universities and private enterprise
collaborated to make it happen.

WE ARE SMART.
WE COLLABORATE.
WE COOPERATE.
WE CARE.

GLOBAL
PERSPECTIVE.

WE HAVE A

Winnipeg born Dr. Frank Plummer led the team
that created the Ebola vaccine. A world-renowned
HIV researcher first, Dr. Plummer is typical of the
kind of world-leader you’ll find here: humble, amazingly
intelligent, truly collaborative and transformative.
BRIDGING THE LAST MILE FOR EVERY
RESTAURANT EVERYWHERE
Joshua Simair is a Winnipeg leader of a different kind.
As the co-founder of Skip the Dishes, Josh led a team
determined to radically improve restaurant delivery
service. His vision was to give customers better choice
and better service, while also giving a delivery service
to every restaurant who wanted one.

SHORTENING YOUR FIRST AND LAST MILE
We can help you make your first mile (into the office
every morning) amazing and the last mile (to your
customers) as effortless as possible.
Imagine the new Amazon Canadian headquarters
in a dynamic downtown campus. Thousands of your
employees in leafy neighbourhoods that let them get
into the office with an average commute time of just
20 minutes. Cycling to work will be popular with miles
of dedicated bike lanes leading into the core from around
the city. Transit offers clean, low-stress ways into the
core every day too, including on the city’s expanding
rapid transit system.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 19

 2 
HELLO WORLD, DAY 1 IN WINNIPEG

SPEED TO MARKET
Speed to market is key. We get that.
Winnipeg is at the geographic centre of North America.
We’re an hour from the U.S. border and our airport is the
largest freight distribution centre in Canada. We are
a major North American rail hub with direct access
to ports on three oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic) and
the Gulf of Mexico. And we are home to some of the
continent’s largest trucking operations because we
are remarkably well connected by road.

The power grid is fed by renewable hydro-electric
generating stations in the province’s north. Manitoba
Hydro is a net exporter of this clean energy to nearby
jurisdictions including Minnesota and Wisconsin. The grid
is so reliable that your engineers forget about it; your
power bills are so low, your CFO (almost) forgets about
them. AWS loves everything about it.
Diverse restaurants line the streets around the campus
while food truck wars and farmers’ markets provide a
change of pace. The downtown indoor walkway system
becomes popular in winter months and offers a different
way to explore the downtown. Multiple hotels are linked
to the campus, making it easy to host visitors.

Our location has always made us a trading hub. Today
we have CentrePort Canada, North America’s largest
inland port, growing next to our airport. CentrePort
offers 20,000 acres of high-quality, affordable access
to tri-modal transportation including three Class 1
railways and our 24/7 global air cargo routes.
DEDICATED AMAZON SUPPORT OFFICE
Amazon will have a dedicated office – jointly sponsored
by the City of Winnipeg and the Province of Manitoba –
to provide complete support for government relations,
recruiting, community outreach and more.
Think of it as the Amazon concierge office. It will be there
to help expedite issues such as site selection, planning
and permits. It will have tight relationships with local
downtown development and business organizations
as well as the federal government.
The mission of the
office will be to
facilitate a fast,
smooth move.

The Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International
Airport is just 15 minutes from your downtown offices.
You can stop in to visit the Amazon campus airport
extension building while offering you a highly secure
facility that is plugged into your distribution network –
or go board a flight to Seattle, San Francisco, New York
or Washington. All major North American centres are
less than three hours away by plane.

20  T E A M M A N I T O B A

THINK OF IT AS THE

AMAZON
CONCIERGE
OFFICE.

COLLABORATIVE, CONNECTED BUSINESS
AND POLITICAL COMMUNITY
We pull together. And we can do it in a hurry if we need to.
When there’s an urgent issue to discuss, it’s routine for
our business and political leaders to meet to advise one
another and act to resolve the issue. The offices of the
mayor and premier have a close working relationship,

 IN 2017,
TECHCRUNCH
NOTED

and they periodically call on CEOs and other community
leaders to weigh in with their counsel. Similarly, federal
ministers are routinely briefed and invited to participate
in local planning.
We get things done when we pull together like this.
We’d love to show you what we mean.
REGIONAL TECH HUB FOR CENTRAL CANADA

“WINNIPEG HAS MANAGED
TO REINVENT ITSELF INTO
A TECH HUB FOR CENTRAL
CANADA, A REGION
LARGER THAN IRAN.”
The article singled out Winnipeg-based companies
such as Farmers Edge, a precision agriculture operation
that grew from Wade Barnes’ basement into an
international company by being nimbler than its
much larger competitors.
The city already boasts more than 18,000 IT workers
and the region boasts more than 20 post-secondary
institutions within an easy drive. That includes five major
provincial universities in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Ontario, and four major state universities in Minnesota
and North Dakota.
As a city, Winnipeg has also been growing faster than
that national average due to immigration. The city has
a diverse population base with large communities of
Chinese, Indian and Filipino families. Winnipeg is also
proudly known for its large Indigenous population,
which constitutes more than 10 per cent of the city.
VIBRANT FOUR-SEASON LIFESTYLE

Amazon is a world leader
in artificial intelligence
and using big data for
new, innovative purposes.
You won’t be alone.
Winnipeg is already home to several cloud computing
operations including those operated by BellMTS, Canadian
Tire as well as Hewlett Packard’s regional delivery centre.
Those companies selected Winnipeg in part because of
its central location, educated labour pool and availability
of inexpensive, renewable power. Servers don’t need to
be cooled when the temperature outside is -10 degrees
Fahrenheit, and cooling them in summer is less expensive
here than just about anywhere else in North America.
In 2017, TechCrunch noted “Winnipeg has managed
to reinvent itself into a tech hub for central Canada,
a region larger than Iran.”

When you ask a Winnipegger about the benefits of living
here, lifestyle will be at the top of the list. There are few
places that can compete with the value for money offered
here. You’ll find affordable housing in a vibrant four-season
city with one of the largest urban forests in Canada and
plenty of parks spilling over into leafy streetscapes.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

21

 2 
HELLO WORLD, DAY 1 IN WINNIPEG

OUR WINTERS ARE

MAJESTIC WITH
BRIGHT BLUE
STRETCH
SKIES THAT
IMPOSSIBLY
FAR.

We have a passion for the Winnipeg Jets (I’m sure you’ll
agree that Patrik Laine should have won rookie of the
year last year), for living well and making the most
of every moment.
And in summer, our historic rivers offer boating and water
sports, and are lined with jogging paths leading us to
artistic pursuits, top-notch concerts and world-renowned
festivals. Cottage country is all around us, with its long
sunny days spent floating on pristine lakes or lounging
on miles of white sand beaches.
Come for the clean air, stay for the most spectacular
sunsets on the planet.
And we’re just getting started.

WINNIPEG IS
AN ANCIENT
PLACE THAT
NURTURES

Our winters are majestic with bright blue skies that
stretch impossibly far. Going for a skate on our river
system in February is a health tonic like no other.
There is nothing like the feeling of your blades digging
into the ice, your breath steaming, your friends smiling
and laughing. We predict ear to ear smiles on the
Amazon employees who commute to work this way.
The world’s top architects compete every year for the
privilege of designing warming huts along our river’s
skating trails. We made winter cool again. We have one
of the largest winter festivals in North America and we
draw visitors from hundreds of miles around to shop,
visit our galleries, dine in pop-up restaurants on the
ice and take in a hockey game.
You should know that we love hockey. We should get
that out of the way. What’s not to love? It’s fast, exciting
and delivers crunching hits in equal parts with amazing
feats of athleticism. We would love to take you to a
game. Our arena – BellMTS Place – has been named the
#1 fan experience in the NHL. The fans make it that way.

22 

TEAM MANITOBA

THE MIND,
BODY AND
SOUL.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY
Winnipeg is the home of the Canadian Museum for
Human Rights. This is the only museum in the world
dedicated to this vital theme, rights that people
have been striving towards for thousands of years.
The spectacular building
designed by architect Antoine
Predock is now our skyline’s
most impressive jewel. And
it’s no accident that Winnipeg
was selected as the home of
this special museum. We are
a place and people of peace
and tolerance.

OUR PEOPLE
COME FROM

AROUND
THE
WORLD.

Our people come from around the world. More than 10
per cent of our population is Indigenous. Over the past
300 years, they have been joined by waves of immigrants.
Early settlers were French, English and Scottish. Later,
they were joined by Ukrainians, Polish, Russians, Dutch

 and Germans. More recently more immigrants have come
from the Philippines, China, India, and Latin America.

Transportation and Distribution

It’s noteworthy too that Winnipeg is home to the National
Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and has the only
dedicated Research Chair in Human Rights (residing
at the University of Manitoba).
ECONOMIC DIVERSITY
Strategically located at the geographic centre of both
Canada and North America, Manitoba boasts one of the
most diverse economies to be found. With its rich natural
resources, vast hydro-electric capacity, fertile land for
farming, mature manufacturing base, and enterprising
and highly educated people, Manitoba has something for
every business person seeking steady economic growth.
It’s easy to see why discriminating investors in search
of excellent investment opportunities and an exceptional
quality of life make Manitoba home.

MANITOBA HAS ONE
OF CANADA’S MOST
DIVERSE ECONOMIES,

AND IS MOST
STABLE ECONOMIC
PERFORMER IN
THE COUNTRY.

With a long history as a transportation hub, Winnipeg
is serviced by a global 24/7 cargo and passenger airport
(James Armstrong Richardson International Airport), three
Class I railways (Canadian National, Canadian Pacific and
BNSF Railway); and an international trucking hub that
includes two of Canada’s largest trucking companies
(Bison Transport and TransX).
More than 45,000 people are employed in Winnipeg’s
transportation and distribution sector, which is
comprised of 5,900 business establishments. The border
crossing south of Winnipeg at Emerson is the top-ranked
border crossing in Western Canada, processing more
than $20 billion in trade traffic annually.
Aerospace

Manitoba has one of Canada’s most diverse economies,
and is the most stable economic performer in the country.
Real GDP growth in the Winnipeg CMA in 2016 was
2.4 per cent, exceeding that of Canada (1.3 per cent).
As of 2016, Manitoba’s population is 1.3 million, with Winnipeg
being the largest city in the province at a population of
812,000 – projected to exceed 1 million by 2035.
MAJOR BUSINESS SECTORS
The Manitoba economy is highly diversified, with a
balanced presence in several industries and consequent
economic growth that is among the most stable in
Canada. As a result, the province remains well positioned
in the face of changing global economic conditions.

The home of Western Canada’s largest aerospace hub,
Winnipeg is the most cost-effective city for aerospace
manufacturing among Western U.S. and Canadian cities.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

23

 2 
HELLO WORLD, DAY 1 IN WINNIPEG

Winnipeg’s aerospace industry currently employs nearly
4,300 highly skilled workers, which grew by 30 per cent
between 2009 and 2014. More than 60 aerospace firms are
either headquartered or have major centres of operation in
Winnipeg, including Boeing Canada, StandardAero, Magellan
Aerospace and Cormer Aerospace. Winnipeg’s aerospace
companies produce and sell products and services valued Agribusiness
at nearly $2 billion per year.
Agriculture nourished Winnipeg’s initial growth and continues
The world’s three largest aircraft engine manufacturers
to feed its success. James Richardson & Sons, the Canadian
– General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce –
Grain Commission and ICE Futures Canada (Canada’s leading
operate engine test and certification facilities here, in
agricultural exchange) are rooted in the city.
which approximately 85 per cent of the world’s new large
While commodity markets like grain and livestock are
commercial aircraft developmental engines are tested
substantially mature, extraordinary potential for growth
before they are approved for flight.
exists with functional foods, biocomposites and biofuels.
R&D efforts are fertilizing innovative new products for
Advanced Manufacturing
the agri-food and fibre industries, for value-added food
processing firms, for manufacturing and technology
companies, and for the life sciences and biotech industries.
Annual sales within the food processing sector are about
$4 billion. Key companies include Archer Daniels Midland,
Diageo Canada Inc., McCain Foods, Peak of the Market,
J.R. Simplot Company, Nestle Canada Inc., Maple Leaf
Foods, Bunge Canada and Pillsbury Canada Ltd.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

Advanced manufacturing is Winnipeg’s largest industrial
sector, representing 13 per cent of the city’s GDP and
11 per cent of all employment or more than 65,000 people.
In 2014, manufacturing sector wages in Winnipeg were
16 per cent lower than the Canadian average.
Heavy-duty vehicle and equipment manufacturing
accounts for about 10 per cent of Manitoba’s annual
exports. Manitoba is home to North America’s largest
bus manufacturers (New Flyer Industries and Motor
Coach Industries), Canada’s largest fire truck
manufacturer (Fort Garry Fire Trucks), Canada’s largest
manufacturer of harvesting equipment (MacDon
Industries) and Canada’s only manufacturer of tractors
(Buhler Versatile), as well as many other manufacturers
of truck trailers, recreational vehicles, and mobile
equipment for agricultural and resource-based industries.

24  T E A M M A N I T O B A

Winnipeg’s large and small ICT firms contribute to
a vibrant, entrepreneurial and diverse sector serving
growth markets throughout the world. The city’s low
business costs help ICT companies competing in these
global markets achieve better profit margins. Major ICT
firms – including IBM and HP Enterprise Services – have
operational hubs in Winnipeg. The city is also the
headquarters of BellMTS, one of Canada’s largest
telecommunications providers.

 There are more than 1,400 companies operating in the
ICT industry in Winnipeg. There are more than 18,000
professionals employed in various technical, non-technical,
management and support occupations. ICT professionals
are employed across all sectors, impacting productivity and
innovation across all of Manitoba’s most important industries.
Interactive Digital Media

largest insurance company – and its subsidiaries, it
serves the financial security needs of 12 million Canadians.
Winnipeg-based IGM Financial Inc. has approximately
$142 billion in total assets under management.
Life Sciences
Manitoba is home to more than 170 active life science
companies, about 70 per cent of which are in Winnipeg,
a city that boasts the highest concentration of life science
professionals of any city in Western Canada. Winnipeg
is a centre of excellence in the areas of infectious disease
identification and management, and a significant
concentration of the province’s activities in these areas
resides in the Canadian Science Centre for Human and
Animal Health, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and
the International Centre for Infectious Diseases.

An emerging industry, Manitoba’s interactive digital media
(IDM) industry is made up of some 200 local firms and
employs roughly 2,300 local professionals. Manitoba’s
local IDM companies develop websites and web apps,
mobile apps, video games, virtual reality (VR) games
and products, visual effects and motion graphics, and
interactive educational software. A large segment
of the industry is also focused on interactive marketing
and social media.
Financial Services
Canada’s largest mutual fund company and largest
insurance company are the cornerstones of our financial
services sector. With subsidiaries in Canada, the U.S. and
Europe, Great-West Lifeco Inc. and its companies have more
than $1.2 trillion in consolidated assets under administration.
Through its Great-West Life Assurance Company – Canada’s

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

25

 3

CAPITAL
OPERATING
COSTS

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 LABOUR 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
 
 
 
Halifax 
Regina 
Winnipeg 
Saskatoon 
Quebec City 
Edmonton 
Vancouver 
Toronto 
Montreal 
Calgary 
Oklahoma 
Kansas City 
Cleveland 
Austin 
Raleigh 
Minneapolis 
Richmond 
Chicago 
Seattle 
Boston 
San Francisco 

QA  Software Software Software Software  Systems
Programmer /  
Design 
Design 
Engineer  Programmer 
Analyst
Tester  Manager Supervisor 
$85,605  $131,531  $121,451 $96,405 $82,098  $77,669
$89,118 $135,359 $124,959  $99,317  $85,453  $81,356
$88,854 $136,250  $125,975  $99,951  $85,157  $80,598
$89,583  $137,292 $125,589  $99,859  $85,872  $81,714
$89,878 $138,273 $126,674 $100,678  $86,203  $81,870
$92,921  $141,369  $130,057 $103,605  $89,138  $84,819
$92,811  $141,594 $130,244  $103,771  $89,067  $84,621
$94,317 $144,849  $132,476  $105,421  $90,480  $85,978
$94,550  $145,067 $133,230 $105,836  $90,669  $86,095
$96,751 $148,423  $136,014 $108,316  $92,773  $88,028
$109,355  $167,025 $153,526  $131,505  $108,516 $100,900
$113,706  $174,254 $159,656 $136,289  $113,407  $105,910
$113,683 $179,479 $159,645 $136,305 $113,355 $105,816
$114,455 $179,346  $163,111 $138,233  $114,686 $107,008
$115,443  $180,162 $163,623  $139,215  $115,376  $107,534
$118,588  $183,010 $165,966  $141,611  $118,482  $111,024
$118,785  $183,125 $166,577 $142,593  $118,333  $110,354
$124,820 $188,369  $172,643  $148,677 $124,406  $116,448
$129,215 $196,631 $178,992 $153,785  $129,014  $121,007
$129,250 $198,065  $179,685  $154,001 $129,284  $121,377
$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 ZO N P R O P O S A L 27

 3 
CAPITAL OPERATING COSTS

CLEAN, RELIABLE AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY
When it comes to energy, Winnipeg stands apart from other
jurisdictions for three main reasons:
•  among the lowest electricity rates in North America
•  one of the most reliable power delivery systems in Canada
•  surplus of existing power generating capacity
Average prices of electricity in North American cities ($CDN) 2016
Power: 50,000 kW, Consumption: 30,600,000 kWh, Voltage: 120 kV, Load Factor: 85%
EDMONTON

4.02

WINNIPEG

4.18
4.52

OTTAWA
CALGARY

4.80

ST. JOHN’S

4.90

MONTREAL

4.90

TORONTO

4.99
5.40

CHICAGO

6.08

VANCOUVER

6.71

REGINA

6.85

MIAMI

7.25

MONCTON
HOUSTON

7.54

DETROIT

7.62
8.21

PORTLAND

8.52

SEATTLE

8.85

NASHVILLE

9.12

CHARLOTTETOWN

10.02

HALIFAX

13.56

SAN FRANCISCO

14.10

NEW YORK

15.68

BOSTON
0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Electricity Average Prices - Cents per kWh
Source: Hydro Quebec, April 1, 2016

28  T E A M M A N I T O B A

14

16

18

20

 Natural Gas
For Commercial users of less than 680,000 m^3 annually of natural gas, these are the current natural gas rates from
Manitoba Hydro’s subsidiary Centra Gas. Larger users of natural gas have a more complex rate structure.

Commercial Natural Gas Rates as of August 1, 2017
Rate Class 
 

Units of  
Measurement 

Small General 
Service (SGS) /1 

Large General
Service (LGS) /2

Basic monthly charge 
Primary Gas – quarterly rate service 
Supplemental Gas 
Transportation to Centra 
Distribution to customer/ customer sales service 

$/month 
$/m^3 
$/m^3 
$/m^3 
$/m^3 

$14.00 
$0.0921 
$0.1559 
$0.0538 
$0.0866 

$77.00
$0.0921
$0.1559
$0.0516
$0.0357

/1 SGS: is available to customers who use less than 680,000 m^3 of natural gas annually. Typically more
economical for customers using 13,770 m^3 or less vs the LGS class.
/2 LGS: available to customers who use less than 680,000 m^3 of natural gas annually. LGS is typically more
economical for customers using more than 13,770 m^3 annually.
https://www.hydro.mb.ca/regulatory_affairs/energy_rates/natural_gas/current_rates.shtml

Low-cost Renewable Energy

16.00

•  Manitoba has the lowest published
energy costs in North America for
business

14.00

14.56

12.00

•  Power SMART program: savings
incentives for businesses

10.00

Figure 1: Hydro Cost Comparison for General Service

Cents/kWh

•  99% of electricity generated in Manitoba
is from reliable and renewable sources

8.40

8.52

7.47

8.00
6.48

(Medium Loads) – 300kW (333KVa) 120,000 kWh

6.00
Source: Manitoba Hydro

4.00

2.00

0.00

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

29

 3 
CAPITAL OPERATING COSTS

LEAST EXPENSIVE CITY FOR TECH
According to the CBRE Research 2016 Scoring Canadian Tech Talent Report, Winnipeg is the least expensive city to
operate a tech company and a more affordable place for potential employees to call home. Based on a company with
500 employees and a 75,000-square foot office, the cost is $30.7 million per year, $9 million cheaper than Calgary and
$6 million cheaper than Toronto.
Office rent, which is the second highest cost for tech
companies besides employee salaries, is one of the lowest
in the country. The average asking rent per square foot
in Winnipeg is $23.54, compared to almost $40.00 in
Vancouver. Meanwhile, the average rent there for a purpose
built apartment is $925 per month, and roughly $1,200 in
Vancouver and Toronto.
Estimated 1-year costs by market: wage and rent
obligation for typical tech firm in Canadian cities ($M)
Typical Tech Firms Estimates: 500 Employees, 75,000 Sq. Ft.

“WINNIPEG IS THE
LEAST EXPENSIVE CITY
TO OPERATE A TECH
COMPANY… AND A MORE

AFFORDABLE PLACE FOR
POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES
TO CALL HOME.”
– CBRE

Note: Total estimated cost consists of rent cost, tech talent wages,
support non-tech wages, and management wages.
Source: Statistics Canada, CBR Research

30  T E A M M A N I T O B A

 LABOUR FORCE
2016 average weekly wages by CMA, all industries
MONTREAL, QC
QUEBEC, QC

OTTAWA-GATINEAU, ON/QC

Source: Statistics Canada

Annual Salary Comparisons – Selected Occupations, 2016
Occupation  
Management occupations [0]  
Senior management occupations [00]  
Managers in engineering, architecture, science and information systems [021]  
Administrative and regulatory occupations [122]  
Administrative officers [1221]  
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers [1311]  
Computer and information systems professionals [217]  

Winnipeg Canada
$34.50 $40.25
$51.65 $52.40
$33.50 $47.80
$26.80 $28.80
$29.40 $27.65
$22.05 $24.80
$36.45 $36.40

Source: Canada Job Bank

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

31

 3 
CAPITAL OPERATING COSTS

2016 Average Job Tenure by Province, All Industries

Source: Statistics Canada

TRANSPORTATION & DISTRIBUTION AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGES
Winnipeg offers access to a labour force comprised of hardworking and stable professionals, technicians and other
manufacturing workers. Low attrition rates help Winnipeg’s manufacturing firms reduce costs related to workforce
turnover and knowledge loss. Due to Winnipeg’s lower costs of living, labour rates for local employers are among the
most reasonable of any major city in Canada. Compared to the national average, wages in Winnipeg are competitive
for all transportation- and distribution-related subsectors.
Transportation and Warehousing Average Weekly Wages 2016
Location 
 
Winnipeg 
Canada 

Truck 
Air  
Rail 
Warehousing
Transportation Transportation Transportation  and Storage
$915.99  $959.06 $1,362.29  $780.06
$979.78  $987.78 $1,395.41  $805.50

Source: Statistics Canada (Canadian Business Patterns, 2012)

Overall and ICT Sector Average Weekly Wages
ICT Average Weekly Earnings by Province, 2016
Location 
 
Canada 
Manitoba 
Source: Statistics Canada

32  T E A M M A N I T O B A

Computer and   Telecommunications  
Electronic Manufacturing  

Computer
Systems Design

$1,147.41 $1,222.87 $1,378.57
$968.47  
$1,007.10 
$1,235.96

 ICT Labour Productivity
•  Manitoba’s labour productivity in ICT increased from $67 per hour in 2010 to $74 per hour
in 2015 representing a 2.1 per cent increase per year on average.
•  Manitoba’s ICT labour productivity was the third highest among the other provinces.
ICT Industry Labour Productivity by Province, 2015

Source: Statistics Canada

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

33

 3 
CAPITAL OPERATING COSTS

WINNIPEG OVERALL OPERATING COSTS

WINNIPEG WAS RANKED

THE MOST
COST-COMPETITIVE
CITY COMPARED
TO THE U.S. AND
WESTERN CANADA
BY KPMG IN 2016

KPMG 10-year Total Cost Index,
Overall Business Costs

Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives

Connectivity and Competitive Telecom Rates
Broadband connectivity
The availability of broadband in Winnipeg is at 100 per
cent with an 88.8 per cent adoption rate. A competitive
telecommunications environment, with several alternative
long-distance carriers, keeps rates low in Winnipeg. With
a central time zone location, Winnipeg’s business hours
are accessible and cost-effective across the continent.

34  T E A M M A N I T O B A

 A

MAJOR
TAXES IN
MANITOBA

FEDERAL PROVINCIAL

4 
MAJOR TAXES IN MANITOBA

Federal Value Added Tax (Goods and Services Tax)
Individuals, businesses and other entities pay the
five per cent federal Goods and Services Tax (GST)
on most goods and services. Most businesses, including
manufacturers and processors, qualify for full input
tax credits on the amount of GST paid on purchases
made for business purposes where the firm is not
the final consumer.
Manitoba Retail Sales Tax
The Retail Sales Tax is an eight per cent tax applied
to the retail sale or rental of most goods and certain
services in Manitoba. The tax is calculated on the
selling price, before the federal GST (Goods and
Services Tax) is applied.

Manitoba Health and Post-Secondary
Education Tax Levy
The Health and Post-Secondary Education Tax Levy (HE Levy)
is a tax imposed on remuneration that is paid to employees.
The HE Levy is paid by employers with a permanent
establishment in Manitoba. Employers with total
remuneration in a year of $1.25 million or less are exempted.
Associated groups (associated corporations/certain corporate
partnerships) must share the $1.25 million exemption based
on the total of their combined yearly payroll.
CORPORATE TAX RATES COMPARISON
Manitoba ranks on average when it comes to corporate
income and investment income taxation in Canada.

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Rates
   

Income Tax Rate: Canadian
   
Controlled Private Corporations
 
Income Tax      
 
Rate: General,  
Active business   
 
Manufacturing  income earned   
 
and Processing  in Canada to 
Investment 
 
(M&P)  
$500,000 
Income Tax 

Capital-Tax
Rates Financial
Institutions
(except 
Payroll 
Insurance) 
Tax 

Provincial
Sales Tax

Federal Rate 
15%  11%  34.67%  1.25%  – –
 

Prov. Comb.  Prov. Comb.  Prov. Comb.

Manitoba 
12% 
27% 
0% or  10.5% or  12% 
50.67% 
0% to 
    12%* 
22.5%*    6% 
Source: Price Waterhouse Coopers, Tax Facts and Figures, Canada 2017

36  T E A M M A N I T O B A

0% to 
4.3%

8% PST

 Effective Corporate Income Tax

ACCORDING TO KPMG COMPETITIVE ALTERNATIVES 2016, THE OVERALL
EFFECTIVE INCOME TAX RATE IN WINNIPEG IS 7.0 PER CENT,

THE LOWEST RATE AMONG THE MAJOR
METROPOLITAN AREAS IN CANADA

AND 3.0 PER CENT PERCENTAGE POINTS BELOW THAT OF CANADA.

Detailed Results by City – Overall Effective Tax Rates
Location Corporate
 
Income Tax
Canada 10.0%
Winnipeg, MB 7.0%
Source: Competitive Alternatives, Focus on Tax 2016

WORKFORCE
Winnipeg’s workforce in 2016 is 454,900 strong and grew by 7.9 per cent over 2011-2016,
more than double the national average of 3.5 per cent.
Workforce Breakdown by Age Group

Source: Statistics Canada

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

37

 5

SUMMARY OF
PROPOSED SITES

 

nowmow 




 



  

5.1 
DOWNTOWN CAMPUS

Potential Sites

Sports, Hospitatlity & Entertainment District

Active Transportation

Parks & Open Space

Transit Network

Buildings

Transit Stop

Rails

Weather Protected Walkway System

CentreVenture Mandated Area

0

100

Source:
CentreVenture
200

300

Meters

October 2017

400

500

 DOWNTOWN CAMPUS
Winnipeg’s downtown is the entertainment, cultural and
economic heart of our city and our window to the world.
Occupying the northwest corner of downtown, the
Amazon campus will occupy multiple buildings and will
be connected with a redeveloped walkway system and
concourse. The campus will include existing structures
which will be redeveloped and vacant sites that will have
new facilities constructed.

THE BAY,
A MARQUEE
HERITAGE
BUILDING,

WILL BE ONE OF THE
CAMPUS ANCHORS.

The Bay, a marquee heritage building,
will be one of the campus anchors.
This beautiful, historic seven-floor
department store will be redeveloped
with additional floor plates added to
the facility creating a mix of heritage
and modern building design.

A redeveloped walkway system to the north of The Bay
connects to a large downtown retail shopping centre and
office complex which will be redeveloped with the addition
of two new towers to be located on each end of the mall.
To the south, a redeveloped walkway system will connect
The Bay to Winnipeg’s preeminent entertainment venue the
BellMTS Place home to the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets. The arena
and walkway system also connects to the new $400 million
True North Square which includes a new large public
gathering space with numerous commercial retail locations
and two large office towers.
Winnipeg’s downtown is in the process of constructing
several high-rise housing developments providing multiple
housing options for staff within a short walk to the Amazon
downtown campus.
The Downtown Campus is connected to Winnipeg’s public
transit hub. The transit hub is also connected to the
expansion of Winnipeg Transit’s Bus Rapid Transit system
that will connect to all quadrants of the city.
The campus will also include an airport extension building
at the James A. Richardson International Airport. A proposed
BRT line will give staff easy access to the airport extension
and to arrival and departure lounges. The facility is being
proposed as an extension of the Downtown Campus to
enable future development of Amazon distribution and
fulfillment centres.
Zoning and Permitting
Winnipeg’s downtown is pre-zoned to allow most
development by right and without the need for public
hearings or Council approvals.

These bulk standards may include a floor area ratio
maximum number of storeys.
Downtown’s Zoning District is defined as “Multiple Use
Sector” that is intended to encourage the range of uses,
sites, activities, and buildings typical to a diverse and
vibrant central business district. This sector demonstrates
a diversity of uses, including: office, retail, services,
restaurants, entertainment opportunities, public
institutions, multiple-family residential, and mixed-use
parking facilities.
Level of Transit Service
The downtown campus is well served by Winnipeg Transit.
Most city routes converge on downtown within a short
walk of one or more of the downtown campus buildings.
These corridors have the most frequent transit service in
the city (buses every two to five minutes at peak times),
and the longest span of service hours in the city (at least
06:00 am to 01:30 am, 7 days per week).
Downtown is connected to the James A. Richardson
International Airport by two direct transit routes – the
No. 15 Sargent-Mountain on Portage Avenue and the
No. 20 Academy-Watt on Graham Avenue.
Winnipeg’s radial transit network connects every
neighbourhood in the city with downtown.
Integration with Future Rapid Transit Plans
In addition to Stage 1 of the Southwest Transitway that has
been in operation since 2012, Winnipeg has 6 Rapid Transit
Corridors outlined in its 2011 Transportation Master Plan:
•  Southwest Transitway Stage 2 (Pembina & Jubilee to the
University of Manitoba – under construction and set to
open in 2020)
•  Eastern Corridor (downtown to Transcona)
•  Main Street (downtown to Inkster)
•  Portage Avenue (downtown to Polo Park, with further
extensions beyond)
•  Northeast Corridor (from the Eastern Corridor
to the Perimeter Highway)
•  Southeast Corridor (from the Eastern Corridor
to Island Lakes/Royalwood)
All routes for current and future Rapid Transit Corridors
converge on Downtown Winnipeg, and will serve multiple
sites within the downtown campus directly.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 41

 .H ?i .. . 


--.- - -




- 
?H

Potential Site - 107 Acres

University of Manitoba Campus

Active Transportation

Parks & Open Space

Transit Network

Buildings

Transit Stop

Rails

0

100

200

300

Meters

October 2017

400

500

 5.2 
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA SMARTPARK

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA SMARTPARK
This site is located at the University of Manitoba, the
province’s largest post-secondary institution with more
than 29,000 students.
The U of M has leading Canadian faculties of science and
engineering providing a pipeline of talent for Amazon.
This site creates the opportunity for direct collaboration
between Amazon and the key faculties reflective of the
skill needs for the company.
Smartpark is home to numerous globally respected
research facilities including the Richardson Centre for
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, RTDS Technologies
and Emergent BioSolutions. It has helped launch many
successful ventures including IMRIS, the Composites
Innovation Centre and BASF Canada.
This site has first-class recreation facilities as part
of the campus including Investors Group Field home
to the CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers as well as numerous
concerts and other events.
Winnipeg’s expanded BRT system connects Smartpark to
Winnipeg’s downtown core as well as other quadrants of the
city providing access to multiple housing options for staff.
Transportation infrastructure for car and public transit
provide easy access to the James A. Richardson
International Airport.

a weekday rush hour express service only. The No. 162/170
operates from 05:30 a.m. to 02:00 a.m. on weekdays, and
from 06:00 a.m. to 02:00 a.m. on Saturdays. The No. 170
operates on Sundays from 06:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
The eastern end of Smartpark is served by most transit
routes coming into the University of Manitoba. Service
on this side of the site operates 7 days per week, from
at least 06:00 a.m. to 01:00 a.m. and offers excellent
connections to downtown.
Smartpark is connected to the James A. Richardson
International Airport by either taking a No. 78 Crosstown
West to Polo Park and transferring to a No. 20 AcademyWatt, or else taking a Route No. 160 or No. 161 Rapid
Transit bus to downtown, and transferring to either
a No. 15 Sargent-Mountain or a No. 20 Academy Watt.
Integration with future Rapid Transit plans
In addition to Stage 1 of the Southwest Transitway that
has been in operation since 2012, Winnipeg has 6 Rapid
Transit Corridors outlined in its 2011 Transportation
Master Plan:
•  Southwest Transitway Stage 2 (Pembina & Jubilee
to the University of Manitoba – under construction
and set to open in 2020)
•  Eastern Corridor (downtown to Transcona)
•  Main Street (downtown to Inkster)

Time to Operations – Planning Policy
Context & Zoning

•  Portage Avenue (downtown to Polo Park, with further
extensions beyond)

U of M Smartpark is appropriately zoned to support
Amazon’s proposed uses.

•  Northeast Corridor (from the Eastern Corridor
to the Perimeter Highway)

Level of Transit service

•  Southeast Corridor (from the Eastern Corridor
to Island Lakes/Royalwood)

Transit service varies significantly throughout the large
Smartpark area. Smartpark has two transit routes that
pass directly through it – Route No. 51 and the No. 78
Crosstown West. Route No. 51 operates on weekdays from
06:30 a.m. to 1:15 a.m., and on Saturdays from 07:00 a.m. to
09:00 p.m. The 78 Crosstown West operates on weekdays
from 06:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 07:00
a.m. to 07:00 p.m. Neither route operates on Sundays.
The periphery of the Smartpark site is served by
numerous additional routes.
Along Pembina Highway, it is served by three Rapid Transit
routes – the No. 137, No. 162 and No. 170. The No. 137 is

44  T E A M M A N I T O B A

Only the far eastern end of Smartpark is served
by the Southwest Transitway.

 TIME TO OPERATIONS – PERMITTING
The dedicated Amazon support office will be established
at the City of Winnipeg and will have knowledgeable
personnel assigned to guide Amazon through all relevant
processes. The support office can also coordinate all
applicable civic reviews in working towards achieving
agreed milestones and targets.
The City of Winnipeg’s permit delivery system is run through
a “one stop shop” that coordinates the building and related
permit application process and concurrent permit review
processes by all mandatory permit review bodies.
The City of Winnipeg also offers staged building permits,
(e.g. foundation, structural frame and final building
permit), that allows proponents flexibility in design,
construction and project completion.
Appropriate permits will be required prior to
commencing work.
Project proponents are responsible to retain design
professionals to assess the structural capability of any
existing buildings they propose to retrofit or add to,
to handle the impact of the development proposal in
accordance with the most current version of local codes.
The City of Winnipeg targets the following initial
complete review times for building permit applications:
•  New Construction and Additions Permits – standard
complete submission – 20 days
•  New Construction and Additions Permit – staged
submission – 15 days per stage
•  Alterations to an existing building depending
on complexity – 5-30 days

*Number of business days required for an initial review of a permit
application by all civic departments involved; complete and compliant
applications can be issued following the initial review. Applications that
are missing information or are non-compliant with Codes and By-laws
will be placed on hold until the issue(s) are resolved with the applicant.
Building permit turnaround can be influenced by the need for other
development applications such as subdivisions, rezoning, variances
and conditional use approvals.
In the Downtown, additional reviews which may be required include
Downtown Design Review and Historical Buildings Review.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

45

  

. . . . . .

    

LOGISTICS AND TRANSPORTATION

Airport Overview

Winnipeg workers report an average commute time
of 23.3 minutes.

The Winnipeg James A. Richardson International Airport
is one of the worlds most reliable airports. The airport is
conveniently located inside the city, close to downtown.

Transit

•  ease of access to 60 direct flight destinations
•  Winnipeg has a bus public transit system owned and
operated by the City of Winnipeg with financial support •  3.16 million annual domestic passengers
•  437,162 annual trans-border passengers
from the Province of Manitoba.
•  Daily ridership is more than 130,000

•  185,336 annual international passengers

•  The City of Winnipeg is currently implementing
rapid transit using bus rapid transit. The first leg
of the planned service route was completed in 2012.
The second phase of this route is under construction
and will be in service by 2020. Mayor Brian Bowman
has stated his administration’s intention to expand
rapid transit service to all areas of the city including
the airport by 2020.

•  24-hour unrestricted international airport

Time to Airport
•  Average commuter time from downtown to Winnipeg’s
international airport is under 20 minutes.
Access to Major Highways
•  Within Manitoba, an expansive network of highways
connects Winnipeg to the rest of Canada and the
United States

•  Domestic: Air Canada, WestJet, New Leaf Travel,
Calm Air, Bearskin
•  Direct U.S.: United & Delta Airlines
•  Direct International: Air Canada, WestJet,
Sunwing, Air Transat
Source: Winnipeg Airports Authority.

Commitment to New Direct Flights
When Winnipeg is selected as the home of Amazon’s
second corporate headquarters, the Winnipeg Airports
Authority has committed to provide direct flights to
Seattle, San Francisco, Washington DC, and New York City.

•  Winnipeg is located on the Trans-Canada highway,
the national highway that runs across Canada
•  Winnipeg is mile “0” of the Yellowhead segment of the
Trans-Canada highway which is an alternative route for
travel across the western provinces
•  Winnipeg is directly linked to the United States through
Interstate 29 in addition to 11 other highway border
crossings in Manitoba to neighbouring U.S. states
of Minnesota and North Dakota

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 47

 6
INCENTIVES

INCENTIVES
The Province of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg are
prepared to consider the following suite of incentives
should Amazon select Winnipeg as the location for its HQ2.
Recognizing the limited information that both the Province
of Manitoba and the City of Winnipeg have regarding

Amazon’s HQ2 development plans, the following presents
a framework of financial incentives that the Province and
the City may consider in discussion with Amazon, should
Winnipeg be short-listed for the HQ2 site selection.

SUMMARY
Program 

Notional Total Value

  

(over 16 years, cumulative, unless otherwise noted)

Province of Manitoba:
Tax Credits: 
  Manitoba Research & Development Tax Credit 
  Paid Work Experience Tax Credits 
  Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit 
  Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit (over 5 years, cum.) 
Subtotal Manitoba Tax Credits 
Manitoba Training Support (over 6 years, cum.) 
Province of Manitoba 

$918.0 M
10.0 M
16.0 M
5.3 M
up to $949.3 M
up to 30.0 M
up to $979.3 M

Government of Canada SR&ED Tax Credits 

$780.3 M

Subtotal Government of Canada 

$780.3 M

TOTAL 
A development timeline of 16 years has been assumed
for the full HQ2 buildout. Other general assumptions
are cited in the following program descriptions.
Incentive values indicated are notional, with actual
values subject to confirmation of details of Amazon’s
plans and the requisite due diligence, and will be subject
to individual program terms as indicated in the following
program descriptions.

$1.76 B
institutions, and 50 per cent refundable otherwise.
Unused credits can be carried forward 20 years or
carried back three-years. This program is administered
by Canada Revenue Agency on behalf of Manitoba.
  Assuming Amazon HQ2 makes annual expenditures for eligible
R&D at a rate equivalent to its current corporate average rate,
and that the amount of eligible R&D spending at Amazon HQ2
grows in proportion to the overall project’s growth, the notional
value of tax credits earned could be over $6 M in Year 1 and
could reach over $100 M in Year 16, for a notional cumulative
value of $918 M over a 16–year buildout. Actual value will be
dependent on actual eligible R&D expenditures.

•  Manitoba Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credit
This program targets scientific research and
experimental development (as defined for federal
•  Paid Work Experience Tax Credits
purposes) carried on in Manitoba. Corporations may
The Paid Work Experience family of tax credits provides
earn a 15 per cent tax credit which can be applied
qualified employers with income tax credits for the
against Manitoba corporate income tax payable in the
wages and salaries paid to certain types of trainee
year earned. The credit is 100 per cent refundable for
employees and recent graduates working in Manitoba.
R&D performed under contract with a prescribed
All components of this program are fully refundable
Manitoba institution, including post-secondary

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 49

 6 
INCENTIVES

income tax credits, claimed on the corporate income
tax return. They are available to those who hire co-op
students for work placements as part of a recognized
college or university program and recent graduates of
registered co-op education programs. The following
conditions apply to all components:
•  Work must be performed primarily in Manitoba.
•  The employer must reside in or have a permanent
establishment in Manitoba.
•  There is no limit on the number of hires.
•  Eligible employer wage costs are net of other
government assistance.
  Assuming Amazon HQ2 hires 300 co-op students per year
and 100 co-op graduates per year, it could realize tax credits
notionally valued at up to $625,000 per year, or up to $10M over
a 16-year buildout. Actual value will be dependent on the actual
number of eligible co-op student and co-op graduate hires, and
actual wage costs.

•  Green Energy Equipment Tax Credit
This refundable tax credit promotes the production and
purchase of machinery and equipment used to generate
renewable energy in Manitoba. Eligible equipment includes
geothermal heating equipment, solar thermal heating
equipment and gasification and biomass-fuel energy
equipment, installed in Manitoba and used in a business.
This program is administered by Canada Revenue Agency
and claimed on the corporate income tax return.
  Assuming that Amazon HQ2 invests $10 M per year in green
energy technologies for the duration of its 16 year buildout,
it could realize tax credits notionally valued at $1M per year,
or up to $16M over the 16-year buildout. Actual value will be
dependent on actual investment in eligible equipment and
subject to standard program conditions.

•  Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Tax Credit
This is a refundable income tax credit for companies
that develop and produce eligible interactive digital
media projects in Manitoba. Eligible projects must be
approved by the Manitoba Department of Growth,
Enterprise and Trade. The tax credit is administered by
Canada Revenue Agency and claimed with the corporate
income tax return. The program is currently scheduled
to expire at the end of 2022.
  Assuming Amazon HQ2 expends $3M per year on wages for eligible
digital media projects, it could realize tax credits notionally valued
at $1.05M per year, or up to $5.25M over the 5 years to 2022. Actual
value is dependent on actual wages spent on eligible digital media
development projects and subject to standard program conditions.

50  T E A M M A N I T O B A

•  Training Support
To help ensure that Amazon HQ2 has access to top
talent for its Winnipeg operations, the Province of
Manitoba may offer non-repayable financial assistance
to support training costs associated with the creation
of specified new, full-time equivalent (FTE) positions
in the province.
  Assuming Amazon HQ2 trains 1,000 eligible FTE’s per year
for 6 years, Manitoba may consider non-repayable assistance
notionally valued at up to $5M per year, for up to 6 years, for
a total notional value of up to $30 M. This figure is based on
a maximum program allocation of $5,000 per new, eligible
FTE position, to support training costs. It assumes a program
duration of 6 years, which is estimated to follow the Amazon
HQ2 project to the end of Phase 2 of its buildout.
  Actual value will be dependent on actual training costs and
on the number of eligible new FTE’s trained. Funding assistance
will be contingent on receipt of a mutually acceptable training
plan, cost estimates, and a signed agreement between Amazon
and the Manitoba Department of Education and Training.
Funding assistance will not exceed actual cost of training,
nor can it be used to cover the wage costs of trainees.

OTHER SUPPORT
Tax Increment Financing
Winnipeg has supported several transformational
private sector investments primarily in our downtown
through the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF).
Under a TIF arrangement the City agrees to reinvest
the incremental property taxes generated from the
redevelopment of a property into the development itself
for a specified time period. We would be pleased to
consider the use of TIF to support the HQ2, subject to
a review of Amazon’s real estate development plan for
its HQ2 headquarters in Winnipeg.
TIF funding is not yet quantified, but could be significant.
A recent $400 million development in Winnipeg qualified
for nearly $20 million in TIF funding. Please note that any
TIF arrangement for Amazon would ultimately be subject
to review and approval of City Council.
Land
Officials from the City of Winnipeg would be pleased to
work with Amazon to assist in the assembly of land for
the HQ2 initiative, which could potentially include surplus
City land for this purpose. As is the case with TIF, any
transfer of City land to Amazon for HQ2 must first be
reviewed and approved by City Council. City officials

 would also be pleased to work with Amazon to expedite
any sub-division and re-zoning as well as building permits
required to construct HQ2 in Winnipeg.
Infrastructure
The City of Winnipeg has partnered with private industry
in the past to invest in public infrastructure required
to support the establishment and expansion of industry.
The City would be pleased to discuss potential
infrastructure assistance with Amazon once your company
has selected a suitable site in Winnipeg to establish its
second North American Headquarters.
OTHER GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SUPPORT
Strategic Innovation Fund
Amazon will be eligible for flexible funding options through
this program that supports new high-quality business
investments throughout Canada with repayable and
non-repayable funding options.
BDC Capital
As a key player in Canada’s venture capital market, BDC
Capital invests directly into companies and indirectly to
help commercialize new ideas in tech and other sectors.
Canada Infrastructure Bank
The Canada Infrastructure Bank can help attract
private sector and institutional investment to new
revenue-generating infrastructure projects.
Export Development Canada
Export Development Canada (EDC) is Canada’s export credit
agency, tasked with supporting and developing Canada’s
export trade by helping Canadian companies respond to
business opportunities. EDC provides financing support to
both greenfield and brownfield investments. These include
investments in new facilities like the Amazon project.
Scientific Research and Experimental Development
Tax Incentive Program (SR&ED)
We expect Amazon will be particularly interested
in Canada’s Scientific Research and Experimental
Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive program. The SR&ED
program provides a tax deduction and an investment tax
credit of 35 per cent of qualified expenditures. It is one
of the best tax credits of its kind in the developed world.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

51

 7

CULTURAL
COMMUNITY

DEMOGRAPHICS
Population Growth
•  Winnipeg’s CMA population as of July 1, 2016: 812,000
•  Winnipeg total number of immigrants in 2015-2016
of 14,963. This is a 10 per cent increase over 2010-2011.
•  Just over one-half of all immigrants (53 per cent) were
between the ages of 25 and 44.

•  Seven of Canada’s 10 fastest-growing economic regions
in 2015-2016 were prairie ERs, including Winnipeg.
The city achieved a higher rate of population growth
than the national average.

•  Canada’s prairie economic regions (ERs) posted
the strongest population increases in the country
during 2015-2016.

Population estimates and annual population growth rates of economic regions,
Prairies, July 1, 2011 to June 30, 2016 and July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016
Location 
2011 
2015  
2016 
Annual Population  Annual Population
    
Growth Rate (%) 
Growth Rate (%)
     2011/2016 2015/2016
Canada 
Winnipeg 

34,342,780 35,848,610 36,286,425 
681,114 723,230  739,097 

11.0 
16.3 

12.1
21.7

Source: Statistics Canada, Demography Division.

WINNIPEG HAD THE
Of all the prairie ERs, international migration had
the greatest impact on the growth rate of Winnipeg
(+24.5 per thousand). This was the highest rate among
the 76 ERs in Canada.

HIGHEST PER CAPITA GROWTH
RATE BY IMMIGRATION

OUT OF 76 ECONOMIC REGIONS IN CANADA

Population in private households, Immigrant population
in Manitoba by place of birth, Census 2011:
•  Philippines 45,240
•  United Kingdom 13,235
•  India 12,175
•  Germany 10,850
•  United States 7,415
•  China 7,205
•  Mexico 6,605
•  Poland 5,520
•  Portugal 4,060
•  Ukraine 4,015

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

53

 7 
CULTURAL COMMUNITY

Winnipeg Employment by Sector, 2016
Forestry, Fishing, Mining,
Quarrying, Oil and Gas
900 • 0%

Source: Statistics Canada

54  T E A M M A N I T O B A

 Talent Pool
•  Amazon intends to hire up to 50,000 employees. These will be primarily software development engineers as well
as executive and administrative staff. Our city and province (governments, industry, academia), can help recruit
workers, locally, nationally and internationally.
•  Accessing the Existing ICT Labour Force – We will help create partnerships with local ICT groups, such as the ICT
Association of Manitoba (ICTAM), the Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS), New Media Manitoba and others,
including the universities, who can assist with Amazon’s efforts to recruit qualified individuals from Manitoba’s
existing workforce. Team Manitoba can also connect Amazon with recruitment firms that specialize in ICT talent.
ICT Sector Employment
ICT Employment by National Occupation Classification, 2016
Location 
 

Total 
ICT  
% of 
Average % Change
Industry  Total 
2011-2016

Canada 
Manitoba 
Winnipeg 
Winnipeg % Share of Manitoba 

18,079,900 1,044,400  5.8 
633,600  23,100 3.6 
425,100  18,400 4.3 
67.1 
79.7  

2.9
3.1
2.3

Source: Statistics Canada

ICT occupations
•  Nearly 33 per cent of Winnipeg’s ICT occupations
are computer programmers and interactive media
developers and information systems analysts and
consultants.
•  An estimated 1,000+ individuals work in management
occupations within the ICT sector. They include
computer and information systems managers and
telecommunication carrier managers.
IMMIGRATION
Canada is a country that has been largely built on
immigration. Immigration is part of Manitoba’s talent
development and attraction strategy. The Provincial
Nominee Program is the centrepiece of our provincial
immigration strategy.
Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program
•  The Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) is
responsible for the selection of economic immigrants
according to criteria developed by Manitoba that are
consistent with the provisions of the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Act and the Canada-Manitoba
Immigration Agreement.

•  The MPNP has two different selection processes,
one for skilled workers and one for entrepreneurs.
•  All applicants approved by the MPNP become provincial
nominees. Nominees must then apply to Citizenship
and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a permanent resident
visa. CIC has the final authority to issue a permanent
resident visa to any applicant if they are found to be
true economic immigrants who pass security and
medical background checks.
•  The MPNP selects skilled workers according to their
ability to establish themselves economically, to make
a long-term contribution to the Manitoba labour market
and to demonstrate their bona fide intention to settle
as permanent residents in the province.
•  Skilled workers apply via two paths:
  1.  Applicants currently working in Manitoba, and
  2. Overseas applicants who can:
–  demonstrate their adaptability to Manitoba through
strong connections, a viable settlement plan and
sufficient, independent financial resources, and
–  be assessed sufficient points for age, education and
training, work experience, and language ability.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

55

 7 
CULTURAL COMMUNITY

•  Sourcing Qualified International Educated Professionals
– Manitoba Immigration and Employment Opportunities
Division (lEO) can assist Amazon in identifying and hiring
qualified economic immigrants (newcomers) and/or
assist in international recruitment activities.
•  lEO can identify streamlined entry options that could
help bring in talent more quickly, such as work permits
for intracompany transferees that are exempt from the
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process,
streamlined entry for French-speaking or bilingual
workers through the new Francophone Mobility
Program (which is also LMIA exempt), and the
Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP).

is comprised of a faculty and staff of more than 8,500 and
offers educational programs to more than 29,000 students.
The Faculty of Science offers degree programs in areas
such as computer science, computer science with an
emphasis on mathematics, applied mathematics, and
actuarial mathematics. Computer science degrees at
the university are accredited by the Canadian Information
Processing Society’s (CIPS) Computer Science
Accreditation Council (CSAC).
The Faculty of Engineering’s Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering is responsible for two undergraduate
programs in Computer Engineering and Electrical
Engineering, with more than 200 students in each program.

EDUCATION OVERVIEW

Computer Science

Winnipeg is home to two major universities, the University
of Manitoba (U of M) and the University of Winnipeg
(U of W), as well as the province’s leading applied sciences
college, Red River College (RRC). There are also two smaller
universities, Université de Saint-Boniface (USB) and Central
Mennonite University (CMU). More than 44,000 full-time
students annually enroll in the city’s post-secondary
learning institutions, giving Winnipeg a diverse supply
of highly educated and highly skilled workers.

Student enrollment in Computer Science honours and
major undergraduate programs is showing steady
growth since 2010 (2nd-4th year only – 1st year is larger
as it is a general multi-disciplinary entry level)

Academic Partnerships

2012 – 369 students

Manitoba’s universities and colleges prioritize
partnerships with industry, and actively work with
industry advisory groups and/or local companies
one-on-one to ensure that their programs are relevant
and can meet current and future industry needs.

2011 – 340 students

Universities and colleges are willing and able to partner
with Amazon to tailor or enhance existing programming
to generate local graduates with the types of skills and
experience that Amazon requires.

2016 – 545 students
2015 – 491 students
2014 – 476 students
2013 – 385 students

2010 – 310 students
Formal specialization designations include an accredited
software engineering specialization, a specialization
in artificial intelligence, and a specialization in graphics
and human computer interaction.
Collaborations with Industry at the U of M

The U of M regularly undertakes ICT research
U of M and RRC are both interested in collaborative
collaborations with industry, government and other
research with industry, and have been successful in
academic institutions. The U of M is at the forefront
leveraging support from NSERC for collaborative research. of R&D in a number of ICT areas.
UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA
The U of M is the province’s largest university and only
research-intensive university. The U of M has more than
20 faculties which educate students in the areas of
business, science, engineering, applied mathematics,
and other ICT-related programs of study. The university

56  T E A M M A N I T O B A

The Internet Innovation Centre actively partners with
Winnipeg companies to develop Internet applications
and technologies. The centre is actively working with
Winnipeg companies on projects for health informatics,
tele-robotics, wireless sensor networks, Internet
security, and other topics.

 The Industrial Technology Centre (www.itc.mb.ca) includes
a Virtual Reality Centre that provides easy access to the
most advanced 3D visualization tools and expertise.
The Scanning Probe Microscopy and Nanofabrication
Laboratory is a leading facility in Canada with R&D
capacity in probe microscopy, micromachining and
nanofabrication, semiconductor manufacturing and high
frequency microelectronics and microwave circuit testing.
The Applied Electromagnetic Laboratory undertakes design
and analysis of antennas and subsystems for wireless and
satellite communications, radars and remote sensing
applications, passive microwave components and arrays,
electromagnetic modelling and simulations.
UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
Consistently recognized as a leader in academic
excellence by both Maclean’s magazine and The Globe
and Mail newspaper, the U of W has more than 9,000
undergraduate and graduate students.
The U of W Faculty of Science offers programs in applied
computer science, engineering and other physical and life
sciences fields. The applied computer science degree is
available with emphasis in two streams: Information
Systems and Health Informatics. The Information Systems
(IS) stream is aimed at students interested in focusing on
the information and business needs of the IT industry,
while the Health Informatics (HI) stream provides students
with more focused courses in health information needs,
infrastructure, standards, and jurisdiction. The university
also offers undergraduate business programs through the
Faculty of Business and Economics, and additionally offers
several master degree programs that lead to a Master
of Science in Applied Computer Science and Society and
a Master of Science in Technology.
Research at the U of W
The U of W’s Applied Computer Science Department has
several active research groups including the Quantitative
Software Engineering Group and the Distributed Computing
Systems organization. The GIS Laboratory of the Department
of Geography focuses on analyzing the socio-economic
impacts of climate change in central Canada.

RED RIVER COLLEGE
Red River College is Manitoba’s largest institute of applied
learning with more than 1,000 full-time enrollments across
their ICT-related programs. RRC works closely with industry
and employers to ensure that graduates have the right skills
and knowledge to contribute successfully in the workplace.
Successful partnerships have helped graduates to achieve
a 95 per cent graduate employment rate.
RRC offers a two-year diploma and a one-year postgraduate diploma in New Media Design. The program
offers three majors: Web Design, 3D Animation and Video
and Motion Graphics. The program provides up-to-date
training in web design and development, digital video,
3D animation, motion graphics and graphic design.
It teaches both design fundamentals and technical skills,
and encourages creativity, imagination, professionalism
and a strong work ethic. Graduates from the program are
able to design and build websites, shoot and edit digital
video, create professional motion graphics, and construct
complex 3D models and animation.
RRC offers several options for students to gain a
fundamental understanding of business principles
and concepts, and offers many business-related degree
programs which include business information technology,
computer accounting technician, computer applications
for business, business administration, and international
business. The business information technology program
offers students an opportunity to specialize in one of four
fields which include application development, database
management, network management, and web development.
The program is accredited by the Canadian Information
Processing Society’s (CIPS) College Program Accreditation
Council (CPAC). CPAC works with academic institutions to
ensure that educational programs prepare students for
the demands of the information system profession.
Applied Research at RRC
RRC’s Applied Research and Commercialization (AR&C)
department supports applied research, knowledge
transfer, prototyping, product development, testing and
commercialization. The office helps business and industry
access RRC’s expertise to arrive at practical, innovative
solutions that deliver results. Digital technology is one
of the applied research focus areas for the College.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

57

 7 
CULTURAL COMMUNITY
OTHER MAJOR REGIONAL UNIVERSITIES
Lakehead University
Location: Thunder Bay, ON
Total Enrollment: 8,310
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer Science – Honours BSc Co-op /
Honours BSc / Minor
•  Software Engineering – 4 year Bachelor of Engineering
University of Regina
Location: Regina, SK
Total Enrollment: 14,849
Relevant Programs:
•  Software System Development
•  Software Systems Engineering – B.A.Sc. /
B.A.Sc. (Co-op) / B.A.Sc. (Internship)
•  Software Systems Engineering – (M.Eng.) / (M.A.Sc.) /
Ph.D. in General Engineering
•  Computer Science – B.Sc. / B.Sc. Honours
•  Computer Science/Mathematics B.Sc.
•  Software Development B.Sc.
University of Saskatchewan
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Total Enrollment: 24,571
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer Science – Four-Year B.Sc.
•  Computer Science – Honours B.Sc.
•  Computer Science – Double Honours B.Sc.
•  Computer Science – Three-Year B.Sc.
•  Computer Science – Minor
•  Software Engineering – B.Sc. Honours
• Bioinformatics
•  Interactive Systems Design
University of North Dakota
Location: Grand Forks, ND
Total Enrollment: 14,648
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer and Information Sciences –
Bachelor’s degree
•  Computer Systems Analyst Bachelor’s degree
•  Computer Science – Master’s degree
•  Computer Science – Doctor’s degree –
research / scholarship
North Dakota State University
Location: Fargo, ND
Total Enrollment: 14,516
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer Engineering
–  Computer Architecture/Digital VLSI
–  Cyber Physical Systems
58  T E A M M A N I T O B A

–  Embedded Systems
–  Computer Systems
•  Computer Science – B.S. / B.A. / M.S. / Ph.D.
•  Software Engineering – Graduate Certificate /
M.S. / Ph.D.
University of Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Total Enrollment: 67,480
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer Engineering B. Comp E.
•  Computer Science B.A
•  Computer Science B.S. Comp. Sc
•  Computer Science M C S
•  Computer Science M S
•  Computer Science Ph D.
•  Software Engineering M S S C
Minnesota State University Moorhead
Location: Moorhead, MN
Total Enrollment: 6,624
Relevant Programs:
•  Computer Science – B.S (Major)
•  Computer Science – Minor
•  Computer Information Systems – B.S (Major)
•  Computer Information Systems – Minor
•  Computer Information Technology – B.S. (Major)
•  Computer Information Technology – Minor
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
School divisions across the province have instituted early
education programing for computers and information
technology in primary schools. More advanced computer
science and digital communications courses are taught
at most junior high schools and high schools.
Sisler High School is One of Our Success Stories
Sisler is an award-winning school that has pioneered
developing inverted classrooms and distance education
collaborations across academic, cultural, social, and
digital divides.
•  The Sisler Network & Cyber Security Academy is the
first program of its kind in Canada specializing in IT
education that focuses on training students to think
critically to solve real world business solutions as
they master the technologies.
•  The IDM program trains students for careers in film
production, animation, visual effects, gaming, app
design, and web programming.

 SISLER STUDENTS
WON FIRST
PLACE IN THE CYBERPATRIOT

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION,
A YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM

SPEARHEADED BY
THE UNITED STATES
AIR FORCE.
•  In 2015 for example, Sisler students interacted in
personal and meaningful ways with scientists and
experts from the Math Museum in New York City;
Canadian Space Agency shuttle astronauts; and
industry leaders from Disney, Facebook, Twitter,
Weta, Pixar, Sony, Microsoft.

GOVERNMENT 

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
City Government
Form (Structure): Elected council / democracy
# of Elected Officials: 16
Mayor
Name: Brian Bowman
Years in Office: Elected October 22, 2014
Next Election Date: 2018
City Manager (Yes or No): Yes

Provincial Government

•  Sisler students won first place in the CyberPatriot
International Exhibition, a youth education program
spearheaded by the United States Air Force.

Form (Structure): Legislative Assembly
# of Elected Officials: 57

MAKE UP OF GOVERNMENT

Name: Brian Pallister (Progressive Conservative Party)
Title: Premier
Years in Office: Elected April 19, 2016
Next Election Date: 2020
Provincial Manager (Yes or No): No

The Progressive Conservative party was elected as the
majority government of Manitoba in 2016. The Progressive
Conservative government of Manitoba outlined a 10-point
plan to create jobs and economic growth in Manitoba.1
These 10 points are summarized as:
1. 

Improving economic competitiveness

2.  Attracting new investment: Venture Capital
3.  Fostering a skilled workforce: education and
training.

Top Elected Official

Federal Government
Form (Structure): Parliamentary Democracy
# of Elected Officials: 308
Manitoba representatives: 14

4.  Investing in infrastructure: clear Return on
Investment (ROI).

Prime Minister

5.  Promoting Manitoba trade internationally and
nationally: via target marketing and joining the New
West Partnership (NWP).

Name: Justin Trudeau
Years in Office: Elected October 20, 2015
Current Term Expiration Date: 2019
Allowed to Run for Another Term (Yes or No): Yes
Next Election Date: October 21, 2019

6.  Encouraging new immigration: enhance the
Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) and increase
family immigration
7.  Building on Manitoba industrial strengths in
target sectors: information technology, arts and new
media, aerospace, agriculture, and manufacturing.
8.  Showcase Manitoba tourism
9.  Create clean, green economic opportunities:
Support low-carbon growth opportunities
and innovation.

Senate
Name: Senate of Canada
Members: 105
Details: Appointed by the Governor General on the
advice of the Prime Minister. Major areas get 24 seats
each (Manitoba is part of the “Western Provinces” area
and currently has 4 filled seats and 2 vacant seats).

10.  Ensuring a strong financial foundation
for growth.
PC Manitoba (March 30, 2016):
http://www.pcmanitoba.com/pallister_outlines_plan_to_create_jobs_and_economic_growth

1

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

59

 8

QUALITY
OF LIFE

Winnipeg is a place where opportunities for personal and corporate growth are only limited by imagination. It’s a
place where you can grow faster, stronger and better in all aspects of your life. A place that is intelligent, creative and
culturally diverse. A place where the infrastructure, supplier base and, most importantly the people are ready to help.
Winnipeggers tend to set down roots and stay because they know a good thing when they live it.
REAL ESTATE COSTS
Average residential prices
Winnipeg census metropolitan area and Canada, seasonally adjusted
Year 
Winnipeg 
  
2014 
2015 
2016 

Annual  
Canada 
% Change  

$273,363  1.9 
$278,270 1.8 
$283,152 1.8 

Average % Change
2012 – 2016  

$408,305 6.7
$442,877 8.5
$489,777 10.6

2.7  

Source: The Canadian Real Estate Association

Comparison of average house prices across selected CMAs

Annual
% Change

7.8

THE AVERAGE
HOUSE PRICE IS

AMONG THE
LOWEST IN CANADA

AT $283,000 ON
AVERAGE IN 2016.

GIVE UP THE SHOEBOX!

THE AVERAGE PRICE FOR A HOME IN WINNIPEG IS $283,000.
THE AVERAGE CONDO GOES FOR ABOUT $250,000. AND THE
AVERAGE APARTMENT RENT IS $927/MONTH.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 61

 8 
QUALITY OF LIFE

RENTAL MARKET
Average Rent
Winnipeg $927
Calgary $1,143
Greater Toronto Area 

$1,233

Vancouver $1,233
AFFORDABLE, HIGH QUALITY LIFESTYLE
Accessibility to Nature
Winnipeg offers easy accessibility to numerous outdoor
opportunities throughout the year. If you love the outdoors,
come experience wilderness adventure in our 2.5 million
acres of parklands, where you will find abundant wildlife
and top quality vacation resorts. Cast a line into any of our
100,000 pristine fish-filled lakes. Living in Winnipeg, you are
one hour from one of the top 10 fresh water beaches in
North America.

In music, we are known for our vibrant indie music scene.
We have seen many of our artists go double, and even triple
platinum including The Crash Test Dummies, The Watchmen
and Chantal Kreviazuk. Other notable acts that got their
start in Winnipeg are Neil Young, The Guess Who and
Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Our musician-studded city has
arguably the most live music per capita per night in Canada.
The Winnipeg region hosts festivals 130 days of the year,
including Canada’s largest folk music festival. We host
the Winnipeg International Jazz Fest, Winnipeg Aboriginal
Film Festival, ACTRA Manitoba Awards, Freeze Frame,
Winnipeg Underground Film Festival, Winnipeg Jewish
Film Festival, Cinémental and many others.
Assiniboine Park is home to Journey to Churchill, the
world’s most comprehensive northern species exhibit,
where events can include an audience of swimming
polar bears and seals as they play in overhead pools.

Numerous campgrounds to pitch your tent amid towering
trees. See moose, deer, beavers and waterfowl in their
natural habitat. For the true adventurer, Manitoba’s
northland is as untamed and exciting as any safari.
Discover remote fishing lodges, acres of untouched
wilderness and miles of rugged tundra. On the shores
of majestic Hudson Bay, visit Churchill – Canada’s only
sub-Arctic seaport – and see polar bears, beluga whales
and the spectacular northern lights.
Manitoba has more than 125 golf courses across the
province including more than 20 in the city of Winnipeg.
Arts and Culture
Winnipeg is known as the cultural cradle of Canada
offering a variety of experiences. It is home to more
than 30 performing arts entities including Canada’s Royal
Winnipeg Ballet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Manitoba Opera, Prairie
Theatre Exchange and Winnipeg Contemporary Dancers.
Winnipeg also offers an annual lineup of festivals including
the Winnipeg Folk Festival, which attracts visitors from
around the world. Folklorama, the world’s largest cultural
festival of nations. Festival du Voyageur, a celebration of
Manitoba’s French-Canadian heritage, the largest winter
festival in Western Canada; plus there are a myriad of
other music, drama, comedy and community festivals.

62  T E A M M A N I T O B A

“VAGUELY EXOTIC,
TOTALLY OBSCURE AND

AN ABSOLUTE
MUST VISIT DESTINATION.”
– VOGUE MAGAZINE

The Winnipeg Art Gallery hosts international travelling
exhibits each year. The city is home to the Canadian
Museum for Human Rights; the only museum of its kind
in the world to promote the principles of human rights.

 Sports and Recreation
Winnipeg’s sports teams:
•  NHL’s Winnipeg Jets

Six per cent of Winnipeg’s total area is made up of more
than 1,500 parks, playgrounds and athletic fields. We have
four community parks and recreation branches that offer
between 6,000 to 10,000 programs annually.

•  AHL’s Manitoba Moose
•  CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers

SAFETY

•  American Association Baseball’s Winnipeg Goldeyes

Clean air and water are no longer something to be
taken for granted, even in Canada. In Winnipeg, smog
is virtually non-existent and clean, abundant, clear
water is readily available.

•  University of Manitoba Bisons (various sports)
•  University of Winnipeg Wesmen (various sports)
Winnipeg has played host to major athletic events
including the PanAm Games, which has left the city
with a rich legacy of top-rated recreation facilities for
swimming, speed skating, cycling, yachting, canoeing,
kayaking, rowing, athletics, soccer and more.

Manitoba’s clear skies are another benefit of the
province’s clean source of electricity, almost entirely
produced by water-powered non-greenhouse gas
producing hydraulic generating stations.

City of Winnipeg Crime Stats
Crimes 

2016 

2015  

2016/2015 % Change

Violent Crimes per capita  
Property Crimes per capita  
Population (000’s) 

0.012 
0.043 
812 

0.011 
0.040 
795 

6%
6%
2%

Source: Winnipeg Police Service

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L

63

 9

CONCLUSION I
VISION

THINK BIG, FRUGALLY, INVENTIVELY
THINK WINNIPEG
Amazon has become a global leader in online retailing, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and more because
you are unafraid to commit to a good idea.
Winnipeg is your next big, good idea. We have a central location that will benefit your operations in numerous ways.
We have the talent (and access to much more). It will be hard for you to find a lower cost city in which to do business.
And your people will have a higher quality of life here than in just about any other major city in North America.
In short, we have an intelligent, low cost, low stress environment where your people can keep dreaming up great products.
We are ready for Amazon. Come find out why they call us Friendly Manitoba. We promise you will like what you find.

A M A ZO N P R O P O S A L 65

 Sincerely, Team Manitoba

Manitoba?s
3

Winnipeg

Prepared by:

ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
WINNIPEG