Business in Winnipeg & Manitoba

[jim_bred]

Any idea when that Westjet facility will finally be announced?

[Wpg_Guy]

Potash producer seeks to tap into Manitoba’s critical mineral drive
By: Abiola Odutola
Thursday, Sep. 24, 2026

BRANDON — A western Manitoba potash producer could generate as much as $450 million in annual sales if it expands operations over the next five years under an ambitious mining plan touted by the provincial government.

The Potash Agri Development Corp. of Manitoba (PADCOM) expansion plays a vital role in the province’s move to increase its critical mineral output, company president Daymon Guillas said this week.

“PADCOM, without a doubt, can double, triple, quadruple our production in the next five years.”

PADCOM, Manitoba’s first and only potash mine, located near Harrowby in the Municipality of Russell-Binscarth, produces about 250,000 tonnes annually, with its product sold in Canada and shipped through the Port of Churchill.

Premier Wab Kinew announced the mining expansion plan on Sept. 15 at the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto.

The plan is intended to help move advanced mining projects toward production while improving the province’s ability to get minerals to international markets.

PADCOM’s plan to triple its current size would require about $400 million in investment and eventually “generate between $350 million and $450 million in annual sales,” Guillas said.

The company could also add between 85 and 110 employees as production increases, with additional jobs expected to be created indirectly through businesses supplying the mining industry, he said.

Guillas said mining activity generates demand for a range of services and materials, including power, equipment, mechanics, electricians, pumps and motors.

For every mining job created locally, another 1.5 jobs could be generated through spinoff activity. That means an expansion involving 100 mining positions could potentially create another 150 local jobs, he said.

The potential growth at PADCOM comes as Manitoba pursues a plan to triple critical mineral production and attract new investment into the province’s mining sector.

Guillas, who attended the recent investment summit in Toronto, said Manitoba has several mining projects that are ready to move forward but are waiting for power infrastructure.

He also pointed to improvements in the province’s mining approval process as another factor that could encourage investment.

“What used to take five years for a permit or three years or longer is now down to 100 days, 90 days,” Guillas said.

“Manitoba’s open for mining, and they’re organized. And that’s what attracts investors.”

For PADCOM, increased production would also open additional markets.

Guillas said the company expects to supply more potash within Canada while increasing shipments through the Port of Churchill to Europe.

The expansion could also allow PADCOM to produce premium products such as sulphate of potash and potassium hydroxide in Manitoba rather than importing them.

Brandon Sun

[Wpg_Guy]

Growers tout 'major opportunity' to expand greenhouse food production in Manitoba
Federal government offering tax, tech incentives amid national push

Rosanna Hempel · CBC News · Posted: Sep 25, 2026


Greenland Gardens operates a nearly one-acre greenhouse in Ste. Anne, Man., harvesting cucumbers and tomatoes for more than half the year. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)

Commercial greenhouse operators in Manitoba are optimistic indoor food production can scale up in the province amid a national push to make food more affordable and produce more of it in Canada.

Manitoba doesn't have a big footprint in the industry, and local growers say they could play a greater role, but one food economist pointed out that more greenhouses won't necessarily lower prices.

At Greenland Gardens in Ste. Anne last week, employees elevated on carts rolled down aisles between rows of tall tomato plants, deftly pruning new shoots, known as suckers, and securing new growth from the main stem to a string.

The air was fragrant and humid. The occasional bee could be seen pollinating.

The nearly one-acre greenhouse has thousands of cucumber and tomato plants that depend on careful irrigation and sunlight to thrive.

The seedlings planted in February first bear fruit in April, and the harvest lasts until November. For about seven months, Greenland Gardens delivers produce to grocery stores and restaurants, mostly in Winnipeg.

"We can expand it both ways. We can start earlier, and we can end later," co-owner Roger Penner said.

With each growing season, he and his wife are grateful demand for their products has increased, partly thanks to the "buy local" movement.

A controlled environment also brings other advantages for growing, including predictability and shelter from extreme weather and pests, provided equipment doesn't malfunction, Penner said.

He said the endeavour hasn't been without its challenges.

First, as one of only three commercial vegetable greenhouses in Manitoba, it was difficult to get a bank loan.

"A big barrier is the initial upfront cost of building a greenhouse. You need a good energy source," Penner said. "It's a labour-intensive way to make a living."

Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec accounted for 94 per cent of Canada's greenhouse production in 2024, with Ontario making up the largest share at 72 per cent, Statistics Canada says.

Cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers represent 92 per cent of greenhouse-grown produce sales, and according to Canada's national food security strategy, most of those vegetables are exported to the United States.

Ottawa aims to boost what this country grows indoors, and where, through new technology and tax incentives, so that Canadians depend less on imported food.

The federal government announced a measure in January that allows companies to fully write off greenhouses more quickly.

The national strategy also pledges funding to help producers adopt new technology, such as automation and lighting.

"It's exciting," said Cormac Foster of Dauphin's Vermillion Growers Ltd., the first large-scale commercial greenhouse to grow vegetables in Manitoba.

The funding might be helpful as Vermillion looks to expand its nearly 11-acre tomato growing area next year and plant different kinds of fruits and vegetables in the future, Foster said.

The idea for the company, which opened its greenhouse in 2023, began as a grassroots initiative that attracted community, government and investor support, he said.

Foster, who is vice-president of engineering and development, described it as a challenging and lengthy process lasting years and expressed hope the new federal programs would help expedite expansion of the local industry.

The financial lift of building a greenhouse outfitted with technology and finding the expertise to staff it are the greatest barriers to entry, he added.

"There's a major opportunity for us to really become a place where we embrace controlled environment agriculture," Foster said.

Manitoba's climate and more northerly position is different than in Canadian greenhouse hubs, including Leamington in southern Ontario. Greenhouses here might demand unique lighting solutions, he said, but there are also advantages.

"When you look at our energy costs here in Manitoba, they're quite low relative to the rest of the country," Foster said.

The province also generally has an abundance of flat land and sunshine, in addition to being an agricultural centre, he said.

In an emailed statement, Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn pointed to Vermillion Growers as an example of growth in the industry that has been backed by the province.

He also pointed to $100 million in tariff relief measures announced in August, saying, "loan guarantees for operating and capital loans have been significantly increased, which represents a good opportunity for participants in this industry to invest and grow in Manitoba.”

More greenhouses may not lower prices: food economist

One expert argues adding more greenhouses likely won't lower grocery prices by much, but it should help stabilize them.

Food economist Mike von Massow pointed to price swings and shortages stemming from global pressures like geopolitical conflicts and extreme weather, such as when crop disease and drought affected lettuce supplies from California in 2022.

"Where there might be some potential long-term benefit is if this [federal] investment in research yields fruit, pardon the pun," said von Massow, a professor at the University of Guelph.

It's in the hope that research into technology cuts costs by making indoor food production in Canada more efficient, whether in energy or water use, for example, while increasing yields — so that it makes financial sense over importing products, he said.

Both Greenland Gardens and Vermillion Growers are looking to expand and say additional incentives, including grants, might convince other Manitoba producers to get on board.

Penner said growing vegetables and selling them to fellow Manitobans is rewarding.

"It's a great working environment in a greenhouse, year-round. Hands down, it's awesome."


Staff members prune and secure tomato plants at Greenland Gardens. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)


Cormac Foster of Vermillion Growers Ltd. in Dauphin. The first large-scale commercial greenhouse to grow vegetables in Manitoba is looking to expand its tomato growing area next year. (Submitted by Cormac Foster)


Vermillion Growers operates a greenhouse with a nearly 11-acre growing space for tomatoes. (Submitted by Cormac Foster)

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