The Economic Development Tour: Sustainability Edition showcased how Manitoba businesses are turning climate challenges into competitive advantages. This full-day program brought together over 30 businesses to explore how sustainability fuels innovation, resilience, and long-term growth.
Participants visited a diverse range of forward-thinking companies: Winpak’s large-scale manufacturing operations and Urban Lumber’s reclaimed-wood enterprise. Torque Brewing’s locally rooted production model, ICLR’s applied research in climate resilience, Chocolatier Constance Popp’s sustainable small business, and Wawanesa’s national perspective on climate risk and adaptation. Each stop offered uniquely positioned real-world lessons in sustainable business strategy and collaboration.
The outcomes were clear:
- 100% of attendees left feeling “very inspired” to take further sustainability action within their own organizations or communities.
- Every stop offered unique insights, with Urban Lumber emerging as a fan favourite for its honest discussion of small-business innovation and the realities of growing sustainably.
- The most resonant takeaway was the power of the circular economy and how collaboration and networking can uncover new opportunities for growth and efficiency.
Not only was sustainability discussed, but it was also practiced. All food scraps were composted, leftovers were redistributed, and virtually nothing went to waste. This is a small example of how good business and good environmental stewardship go hand in hand.
This tour reinforced what we already know: Manitoba’s business community is ready to lead; they just need the platforms to make it happen. By linking economic development with sustainability, we’re proving that responsible growth is the future of competitive advantage.
