Zellers making a return across Canada
Hudson’s Bay made it official on Jan. 18, announcing that the shuttered-but-beloved Canadian retail brand Zellers is making a comeback in 2023.
The company will create 25 brick-and-mortar locations in existing Hudson’s Bay stores throughout Canada and online at zellers.ca.
Manitoba will see one location in Winnipeg at the St. Vital Centre store. Locations will be 8,000 to 10,000 square feet, and feature “a thoughtful selection of design-led products across home decor, toys, baby, apparel and pets, housed within Zellers’ signature red and white that will guide customers along in their retail journey.”
CentreVenture Development Corp. seeking new CEO
Angela Mathieson, CentreVenture Development Corp. CEO, is stepping down from her role after eight years in the position.
Mathieson will remain in the role for six months as the organization searches for its next leader.
Created in 1999, CentreVenture is an arms-length agency of the City of Winnipeg, whose mandate is to provide leadership in the planning, development, coordination, and implementation of projects and activities in the downtown.
Manitoba government invests in innovation at Assiniboine Community College
Premier Heather Stefanson announced that the Manitoba government will invest up to $10 million to support the development of the Prairie Innovation Centre at Assiniboine Community College (ACC) in Brandon.
“As our economy emerges into a new era of growth, our government is working collaboratively with industry, the business sector and our post-secondary institutions to ensure we attract our youth to the jobs of the future, and provide the training and skills necessary to be successful,” said Stefanson. “I want to commend ACC and their leadership for spearheading this expansion project, along with their donors and community members who are keen to see this centre come to life which will provide innovative programming and support the growth of the local community and economy.”
ACC plans to significantly expand its programming to address labour shortages and high-demand jobs, specifically in the agriculture sector, according to the premier.
“This investment represents a significant step forward for Assiniboine Community College to help support new programs for labour market development, applied research and industry engagement in the agriculture, environment and processing sectors,“ said Mark Frison, president, ACC. “We have seen great enthusiasm from the community, industry and donors for the project. It’s great to see Premier Stefanson and the Manitoba government respond in such a significant way by providing up to $10 million to assist the college in moving this project forward to the next stage of development.”
ACC proposed to add or expand 16 educational programs with supporting infrastructure at its North Hill Campus. The college anticipates the new centre will increase enrolment by approximately 600 students in high-demand fields such as agriculture, environment and technology.
The funding commitment will support the initial planning phases, including exploration of facilities and land development needed to support the design and development of the new centre.
Krispy Kreme is coming to Winnipeg
Krispy Kreme is set to make its debut in Manitoba with its first location openings at Seasons of Tuxedo in Winnipeg in 2023.
The U.S. doughnut chain has 13 locations in Canada, and the Winnipeg location will be its first on the Prairies.
RRC Polytech names new director of research partnerships
RRC Polytech announced this week that Dr. Jolen Galaugher will join the post-secondary institution as its new director of research partnerships and innovation (RPI).
Most recently, Dr. Galaugher headed the Science Innovation Hub at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Science.
“Dr. Galaugher is a proven visionary leader and her passion for connectivity shone throughout the competitive hiring process,” said Jamie Wilson, RRC Polytech’s vice president, Indigenous strategy, research and business development. “Her unique blend of post-secondary and private sector experience will increase the College’s award-winning applied research capacity and create new opportunities for organizations to access Manitoba’s top talent and our leading-edge facilities and equipment.”
Galaugher holds a PhD in Philosophy from McMaster University.
“I’m immensely impressed with what RRC Polytech’s RPI team has built and look forward to working together to achieve our shared goals of accelerating applied research innovation in Manitoba and co-creating the workforce of tomorrow,” she said.
Next Door:
PM visits Vital Metals to boost critical minerals industry
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Saskatoon-based Vital Metals’ rare earths processing facility on Jan. 16.
Vital Metals is Canada’s first rare earths producer, processing ore from the company’s Nechalacho mine in the Northwest Territories.
“The world wants clean technology, and Canada has the resources, the expertise, and the skilled workers to meet that demand. By developing and processing our critical minerals here in Canada – the first step in the clean technology supply chain – we can create good middle-class jobs all while keeping our air clean for generations to come,” said Trudeau.
The visit comes on the heels of the federal government’s recent $5 million investment into funding for processing and production at the Vital Metals facility and the December 2022 release of Canada’s first Critical Minerals Strategy.
Coming soon:
NFI Group Inc. will release fourth quarter and full year 2022 financial results on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
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