Winnipeg | Hudson’s Bay Building | Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn | U/C

[KellyEdwards]

The problem with Winnipeg's attempt to attract the tech industry is that they're gearing themselves towards established companies only.

The tech industry is often synonymous with startups.

When you only have so much runway left, you look for the cheapest everything both personal and work-related. Cheap cost of living, cheaper talent and cheaper space are exactly why startups around the world move to countries that make them attractive.

This combined with subsidies, conditional startup cash and a little adjustment to government/tenancy regulation go a long way. But everything in Manitoba is so incredibly political it's insanity to me!

The fact that Manitoba Hydro was even allowed to discourage the tech industry for electricity use were major red flags for the industry and the general public has no idea. Before the board was wiped away a few years ago, let's just say that was the dumbest board meeting I've ever had and probably will ever have!

There are so many tangents I can go on about with what Manitoba is doing wrong, but let's just say as someone who was a key component to at least one major tech development centre in Canada, Winnipeg DOES have an opportunity and business case to do things a little different than all other Canadian cities.

Anyway, that's enough of my rant. Build a common office with a WeWork-like business model in one of the floors of the HBC and I guarantee you it will fill up! Current desk rentals in Winnipeg don't provide the same culture and they're incredibly expensive for startups.

After renting a few desks, you're already better off just getting a storefront to rent for cheaper 10 minutes away down the road. That's the problem.

Hope they find some good use for this space!