Premier Kinew highlights global trade, and local investments during State of Manitoba visit to Portage la Prairie – PortageOnline.com

Premier Wab Kinew returned to Portage la Prairie this week for the State of Manitoba address, meeting with City Council members, local business leaders, educators, health-care professionals and community stakeholders for a wide-ranging discussion that touched on international trade, health-care recruitment, infrastructure, and long-term economic development in Churchill, Manitoba. While the visit included a few local announcements, opposition leaders and community representatives raised concerns about unanswered questions surrounding housing, health-care infrastructure and immediate economic needs.

Speaking following the event, Kinew said the visit was an opportunity to hear directly from the community while outlining the province’s broader economic strategy in an increasingly uncertain global environment.

“It was great to see the business community and people from healthcare and education and other sectors come out to share some ideas,” Kinew said. “We were talking a lot about what’s going on internationally, obviously Donald Trump and tariffs, China, that’s all big. Having a path forward to be able to do business for canola and for manufacturing is really important.”

Among the local announcements, Kinew confirmed that $1.2 million remaining from the demolition of the former Agassiz Youth Centre will remain in the Portage la Prairie area. He said the funds are expected to support the creation of new childcare spaces near the site.

“We’re just going to leave that in the area here,” Kinew said. “So hopefully some childcare spots will get opened up and created.”

The premier also noted that the Manitoba Development Centre (MDC) working group is moving forward to determine the future of the facility, and highlighted an announcement made earlier in the day by Sport, Culture, Heritage and Tourism Minister Glen Simard regarding the construction of a new field house at Southport.

Health care was a major topic during the visit, particularly with the new Portage la Prairie hospital set to open in the coming months. Kinew pointed to the province’s efforts to recruit physicians, including 13 doctors from the United States who have relocated to Manitoba.

“One of them is actually here in Portage,” he said. “A doctor in internal medicine is already working here who moved up from the States.”

Kinew said instability in the U.S. presents an opportunity for Manitoba to attract health-care professionals by promoting the province as a stable place to live and work.

“There’s a lot of investments in health care, there’s going to be a lot of work opportunities in the future,” he said. “I think we’re going to see more people move into the region and across Manitoba.”

However, questions remain locally about housing availability and infrastructure to support incoming workers.

Stephanie Dunn, executive director of the Portage la Prairie and District Chamber of Commerce, said the community is growing quickly but faces significant pressures.

“We have a brand-new hospital. We have land to develop,” Dunn said. “Portage la Prairie and surrounding region, we are open for business and we need support.”

Dunn noted that attendance at the State of Manitoba event tripled compared to the previous session held in October 2024, which she said demonstrates growing engagement and interest from the business community.

“For the Premier and several ministers to come and give us an entire day of their time is really important,” she said. “We’re just really, really grateful they made us a priority today.”

Still, Dunn acknowledged that several issues were not fully addressed, including bail reform, long-term infrastructure funding, and housing shortages.

“We have this huge, beautiful new hospital now, and I do fear that lack of housing and lack of childcare is a barrier,” she said. “Those are integral parts of attracting that population, and we’re not there yet.”

On the question of advanced medical imaging, Kinew did not commit to adding an MRI machine at the new Portage hospital, saying the province continues to work with physicians to assess regional needs, including patient transportation and senior care.

PC Opposition Leader Obby Khan at the State of Manitoba event held in Portage la Prairie 

PC Opposition leader and Fort Whyte MLA Obby Khan was critical of the premier’s address, saying it focused too heavily on national and international issues rather than immediate local concerns right here in Portage la Prairie.

“There was very little to no announcements here about Portage la Prairie specifically, which the chamber event is for,” Khan said. “The $1.2 million wasn’t new money. It’s leftover money from a previous project.”

Khan also criticized the government for not committing to an MRI machine at the new hospital, calling it a missed opportunity to address diagnostic wait times.

“There’s approximately 30,000 people on a wait list right now for an MRI,” he said. “There’s a brand-new hospital here, and he won”t put an MRI machine in.”

Khan said while long-term projects like expanding the Port of Churchill could benefit Manitoba in the future, residents in Portage la Prairie are looking for solutions now.

“Port of Churchill is an amazing idea for the future of the province,” he said. “But Manitobans, specifically Portage la Prairie, are looking for answers for today.”

Despite the criticism, Kinew said the province remains focused on positioning Manitoba for long-term growth, including major investments in northern infrastructure, renewable energy, and trade access to Europe and Asia.

“Manitoba has a key that can open that door,” he said. “We just are going to try to play our cards right over the next year or two and get some of those big businesses to put their money down in our province so we can build it up for the future.”

As Portage la Prairie continues to grow, both government and community leaders agree that balancing long-term vision with immediate local needs will remain a central challenge.

Many local business leaders, city council members, educators, health-care professionals and community stakeholders attend the event put on by the Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce (Photo credit: Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce)