Partnering for Progress, Driving Economic Development Year After Year
Abstract: Portage Regional Economic Development (PRED) serves as the primary agency managing economic initiatives for the City and RM of Portage la Prairie, with a population of 23,385 through a collaborative approach that has attracted over $4 billion in investments. Our goal is to continue fostering partnerships to create unprecedented synergies and sustainable economic practices. Outcomes include significant capital investment, job creation, enhanced community prosperity, and the establishment of a replicable model gaining national attraction on best practices for small communities across Canada, integrating sustainable best practices in economic development, and proving the PRED model of Partnership, The Regional Approach, Economic Development best practices and Data is the secret sauce to success.
These partnerships have proven highly effective in attracting global industries to our community. Through strategic collaborations and a robust regional approach, we have achieved substantial economic growth.
1. Roquette $600 million and opens worlds largest Pea Protein Facility in Portage la Prairie creating 150+ positions
2. Simplot doubles their facility investing over $480 Million and increasing their workforce by 90 FTE
3. New Industry – $1.9-billion-dollar Industry 1500 construction workers
4. The Regional Partnership attracted – Roquette
5. 10 Year Regional Economic Development Strategy
Challenges: Complexities in this eco-system has required adaptive strategies, responding to emerging industrial needs for utilities and infrastructure, helping local businesses needed the help of the whole economic development eco-system. Over the past five years these groups have 4 partnerships groups who when formalized and have got stronger year after year.
Committees of PRED:
Portage Industrial Stakeholders Group: Established by economic development departments at provincial and regional levels, this group facilitates frequent meetings amongst current industrial stakeholders and prospecting companies. It fosters synergies for a circular economy, engages all levels three of government, and implements specialized projects, such as a socio-economic impact assessment due all the investment, a circular economy study and the participation in the development of the 10-year Regional Economic Development Strategy, every meeting a specialist is brought in to discuss a topic of their concern, example workforce development programs at the provincial level. Unprecedented never seen across Canada on Investment Attraction efforts current and prospecting companies meeting on potential feedstock and utility synergies. This formally created the Portage Industrial Stakeholders Group.
Portage Economic Response Team (PERT): PERT comprises all regional economic development practitioners engaged in boots-on-the-ground economic initiatives. This proactive team ensures immediate responses to regional economic challenges and opportunities. This group was developed for cohesive and centralized communication approach during covid.
Economic development practitioners from the Chamber of Commence, both municipalities, both community futures offices, PRED and Southport. Outcomes such as a shared CRM system to navigate new and current clients, a 10 year economic development strategy, a economic baseline, a how investment ready assessment of the region, a new community profile, a brand new website and a regional land inventory and new economic indicators tools for data maintenance. This year we are focused on business walks and lessening the barriers to opening a business in the Region.
Portage Regional Tourism Committee (PRTC): PRTC, managed by PRED and many Region tourism stakeholders, enhances the Portage region’s tourism industry through coordinated efforts. The committee promotes the region as a premier Manitoba destination, conducts impact assessments, and develops sustainable tourism strategies, such as the never seen before customized Regional Economic Impact Model and Tourism Strategy which shows the direct value of tourism specifically to the Region of Portage la Prairie, and allows for inhouse data to be produced in this special model, along with a strong strategic plan to continue to grow tourism as an economic driver.
Target Audience: within the Region of Portage la Prairie, across Canada, and globally. It includes local businesses, potential investors, governmental bodies, and community stakeholders.
Award criteria: Demonstrates innovative economic practices, genuine collaboration, and setting precedents for economic development across Manitoba and Canada. The “PRED model” for partnerships has created unprecedented synergies between industries and all levels of government, representing a blueprint to be replicated across rural communities.
Sustainability: in our project is underscored not only by joint funding but commitment and collaborative efforts across departments and organizations. By pooling resources and expertise from municipalities and regional stakeholders, PRED has created synergies and partnerships that form a robust ecosystem for economic development.
