Money for EVs in Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Terry Duguid, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced a total investment of over $2.5 million to support the installation of up to 400 EV chargers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan on July 12.
“We at Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA) are excited to be a part of this journey to a net-zero future. Through our Lead The Charge Program and Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, we will continue to support the development of the Electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Manitoba bringing us closer to our net-zero future,” said Matt Walters, president of the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association.
The funding, through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (ZEVIP), will be managed by Eco-West Canada and the Manitoba Motor Dealers Association. Both organizations selected recipients through a transparent process and then EV chargers will be installed in public places, multi-unit residential buildings, on streets, at workplaces or at facilities for servicing light-duty vehicle fleets by the end of 2023.
“With this significant investment in the Prairies, the federal government is reaffirming its confidence in Eco-Western Canada (EWC) to accelerate the shift to a green economy and build climate-resilient communities. Since 2008, EWC has partnered with the Government of Canada to provide leadership and implement sustainable development solutions in collaboration with many Canadian municipalities,” said Ivan Normandeau, president of Eco-West Canada and the Association of Manitoba Bilingual Municipalities.
Funding for Manitoba railways announced
July 13 saw the federal government announced $4.4 million in funding under the National Trade Corridors Fund to study the current and future conditions of permafrost along the Hudson Bay Railway corridor, which links to the Port of Churchill. The study will inform how develop a strategy for the safety and resiliency of the railway. The Minister of Transport, the Hon. Omar Alghabra, also announced over $700,000 in funding for 10 projects in the province under the Rail Safety Improvement Program.
“Canada’s rail network is crucial to our supply chain. Through the National Trade Corridors Fund and Rail Safety Improvement Program funding, we are addressing the impacts of climate change and improving the safety and resiliency of Manitoba’s rail network, thereby strengthening Canada’s trade corridors,” said Alghabra at the announcement.
Red Wing Shoes opening in Winnipeg
Red Wing Shoes will open its newest location on July 18 at 469 Sterling Lyon Parkway, Winnipeg – near Outlet Collection and Ikea. The store owner, Tunde Dada, and his family immigrated from Nigeria to Winnipeg in 2016.
“It’s come full circle, as I was working as an auditor and accountant in the Nigerian oil industry when I first heard of the Red Wing Shoes brand,” said Dada. “I’ve learned so much since starting this journey; the other Red Wing Dealers have welcomed me with a sense of friendship, community, and a passion for what they do. Their stories were inspiring and helped me when deciding to open the new location.”
The company continues to expand across Canada and this new store will be its most eastern location to date.
“We are looking forward to providing exceptional service and high-quality footwear to the people of Winnipeg,” said David Greulich, Country Manager, Red Wing Canada. “Tunde’s dealership in Winnipeg is our next step towards a full national expansion, and plan to have dealerships from coast to coast in the upcoming years.”
Xplore Mobile shutting down
Xplore Mobile announced this week it will cease operations on August 31, 2022. The wireless company provides service to customers in Manitoba, and says Telus’ brand Koodo will provide an exclusive offer to Xplore Mobile customers.
The company was created in 2017 after BCE Inc. acquired MTS. The Competition Bureau required that BCE would have to sell assets and provide services to Xplornet Communications Inc. as a condition of the deal. Xplore Mobile became a separate entity after Xplornet was acquired by Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners LP three years later.
