4-minute read
Post Contributed by Evan Carter, Senior Estimator, PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
Leadership Winnipeg Class of 2023-2024
Last Friday my peers and I were invited to see business incubators and a multinational manufacturing company within the city. We started the tour with a trip across the Esplanade Riel bridge to MTA and listened to entrepreneurs Grant McDonald and Zech Noiseux, MTA COO Jenna Hnatishin and Cal Harrison. Grant and Zech both have products within the Tech industry (theBoboapp and FasTab) and spoke about what their journey looked like from the idea, to validation, raising capital and go live. This road from idea to revenue isn’t easy and it isn’t linear. You must be okay with failure from time to time. Common success stories included bouncing ideas off other entrepreneurs, appreciating that your friends and family may not understand the what you are going through and getting to know candidates “why” when recruiting employees.
MTA – The Manitoba Technology Accelerator (MTA) is a hub fostering innovation and growth in Manitoba’s tech sector. It provides startups with resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities to accelerate their development.
After MTA, we toured North Forge Fablab’s space. The tour began with a short presentation from Ian Crozier, Director, Programs and Nermin Sa’d, Director, Global Entrepreneurship who provided us with a quick description of what North Forge is and the programs offered. We then proceeded to the Fabrication Lab to see the metals shop, wood shop, laser room, design space and 3D printer room. This facility is used by hobbyist, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and large businesses for fun, prototyping and small-scale manufacturing.
North Forge– North Forge is a dynamic innovation hub in Manitoba, Canada, supporting entrepreneurs with resources, mentorship, and funding. It offers co-working spaces, prototyping labs, and access to investors to help startups thrive. Founded on a mission to drive economic growth through innovation, North Forge fosters a vibrant ecosystem for technology and manufacturing sectors.
Our last stop of the day was New Flyer Industries, and our host was President and CEO Paul Soubry. Paul discussed the history of New Flyer and the challenges they faced over the last several years with supply chain disruptions. He also talked about the future of the battery powered bus. Paul and his colleagues showed us the facility and all the busses in various stages of production that will be shipped across Continental North America, including Hawaii. We got to see the manufacturing process from frame construction through to shipping. Paul and his team were fantastic hosts, answering every question we had. Fun fact! – Every bus is custom built to the customer’s specific specifications and is typically inspected by the customer during the build process within the plant.
NFI Group Inc. – New Flyer Industries, now NFI Group Inc., began in 1930, evolving from auto bodies to transit buses. Today, it’s a leading North American manufacturer of transit buses, including electric models and automated solutions. Committed to sustainability and innovation, it serves transit agencies and private operators across the continent, contributing to greener transportation options while maintaining a focus on quality and customer service.
