Winnipeg announced this past week that it intends to create CENTREPORT- an inland port created to use the airport and Winnipeg's geographic location in North America to import goods from Asia and Europe and distribute those goods throughout the rest of Canada and parts of the United States by air, rail and truck. IMHO with the election upcoming, this is Winnipeg's concerted effort to qualify the province and city for millions in federal money to build new roads, rail lines and add new infrastructure like sewers and utilities around the airport.
So does Winnipeg have what it takes to be a port? Winnipeg has a 700,000 population and immigration rate of about 11,000 people a year which it intends to double in the next decade. I would think immigration and population growth, attracting qualified people here would be a major focus to make being a port city a reality.

I wonder what upgrades will this provide to Winnipeg were it to receive substantial federal and provincial funding? I know that some roads are being developed More importantly from my perspective- what might it do to real estate values?? This simply fuels my fire for purchasing investment properties here as many other investors are also doing. I spoke with a realtor who was representing three BC investors who are looking for duplexes to rent out. That’s probably one of Winnipeg’s strengths that make it a strong contender for a port location. This place is cheap like borscht for business.

I can see that in the next few years Winnipeg is really working on making it competitive. The Winnipeg Airport is being upgraded, slated to be ready by 2009-2010, the same time frame for this Centreport development. Over the next few years I would suggest that Winnipeg will have a different face altogether, and a great place to invest while the development is going on.

One thing I DO hope changes is the MEDIA here. Not to bash the Global TV newscasters but just take a look at what they wear on air. Actually, just look at the general image they portray. It’s like the women are forced to wear suit jackets on air that don’t fit them- what’s up with that?! There’s no polished, salon styled hair. No beautiful jewelry or baubles to look at but maybe I’m used to looking at Pamela Martin who has been a BC news anchor since the 70s, and prior to that a teen model. I think on Global TV Winnipeg the meteorologist is 22 years old, I’m not sure. And the Winnipeg newspapers? Get this with the Winnipeg Sun: ONE PAGE for discussions about Money. ONE STINKIN’ PAGE. Absolutely ZERO pages detailing the markets and stocks. No Business section. Three pages of city-wide news, six pages of world news, the same of entertainment and movies, I think 3 pages of classifieds with a dismal number being real estate related and the last HALF of the paper dedicated to sports. Mortgage rates nowhere to be found. Horoscopes exist, as do the comics. But no rates, no business and no stocks in the Winnipeg Sun. Again, I think if Winnipeg is to portray itself as a world player and international port that our media a news should mean serious business. Perhaps we could start by having a business section in the newspaper?!?
(PS to this post- the FREEPRESS in Winnipeg DOES have these details I'm griping about. It's just the Winnipeg SUN that licks. Freepress, interestingly enough, is laid out exactly like the Vancouver Sun...)