Government of Canada Supports Innovation and Business Development in Manitoba

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - July 29, 2015) - Western Economic Diversification Canada

Today, the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification announced an investment of $3.5 million for two projects supporting innovation and business development in the West.

With funding of $1 million provided through the Western Diversification Program (WDP), Startup Winnipeg will expand and increase capacity for entrepreneurs to create new products. This will result in an increase in the number of innovations developed and commercialized, as well as the number of new start-up businesses.

With a further investment of $2.5 million through WDP the Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba (ICTAM) will lead a pan-western consortium to increase global trade in the technology sector.

Quick Facts

• Startup Winnipeg is considered to be the first step in the development of ideas and prototypes into commercial products and new businesses.
• With Government of Canada support, ICTAM will coordinate western small- and medium-sized enterprise attendance at three international trade shows-Dublin Web Summit (Dublin, Ireland); Mobile World Congress (Barcelona, Spain); and Consumer Electronics Show - CES (Las Vegas, Nevada) every year for three years.

Quotes

"Our Government recognizes that innovators and entrepreneurs play a vital in the growth and development of the Canadian economy. Winnipeg is home to a tremendous pool of talent, and our support today for Startup Winnipeg will help ensure that they reach their full potential. Furthermore, with our support for business development through the pan-western consortium led by ICTAM, we are helping to showcase and develop export opportunities for Canadian companies."

- The Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification

"Our region is not only a great place to live, but also a fantastic place for innovators. Through investments like the ones announced today, our Government is helping to promote new opportunities for businesses so that Manitoba can continue to grow, create jobs, and realize long-term prosperity."

- Lawrence Toet, MP for Elmwood-Transcona

"The funding from the Government of Canada is a game changer. As part of our Innovation Alley growth strategy Startup Winnipeg will be able to support over ten times more startups. Specifically, this federal investment is being put towards cutting edge communication and cloud technologies which will not only link Innovation Alley to critical supports in education and industry within Winnipeg but also allow local startups easy access to the global world of investors and buyers."

- Michael Legary, Chair of AssentWorks Inc.

"The funding for this project will enable the Information and Communications Technology industry across the western provinces to access new markets and business opportunities while promoting this region as a hub for innovation and technology expertise. We applaud Government of Canada's recognition of the importance of collaborating with the ICT sector to increase its impact on the economic wealth of Western Canada."

- Kathy Knight, CEO, Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)

Additional Links

- Startup Winnipeg

- Information and Communication Technologies Association of Manitoba (ICTAM)

Subscribe to news releases and keep up-to-date on the latest from WD. Follow us on Twitter at @WD_Canada.

The West Means Business.

IF THERE IS A DISCREPANCY BETWEEN ANY PRINTED VERSION AND THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THIS NEWS RELEASE, THE ELECTRONIC VERSION WILL PREVAIL.