Once hailed as sign of strong bond, U.S. consulate in Winnipeg to close

There was much fanfare when the U.S. government re-established a permanent presence in Winnipeg in April 2001 as it unveiled its consulate and hailed it as a major achievement between two friendly nations.

“It is testimony not only to the importance the U.S. government attaches to our bilateral relationship with Canada but also to the increasing prominence of Winnipeg, Manitoba and the western region of the country in bilateral and multilateral affairs,” said U.S. Ambassador to Canada Gordon Giffin at a ceremony with then-premier Gary Doer.

Fast-forward to this week when it was learned the office at Portage and Main is set to close, meaning the U.S. will lose its primary advocate for American business and trade interests in Manitoba.

Dwight MacAulay was chief of protocol for the Manitoba government in 2001, calling it a time of celebration and strength between the countries.

“This is what I would call an unfortunate piece of news, really, because the office here has done many things to build goodwill.”

He said he’s disappointed because he believes the U.S. consul has played an important role here.

“Especially now, there is a need for a strong relationship between Canada and the U.S.,” said MacAulay, who is currently honorary consul for the United Kingdom.

“I hope it’s not long term, and that in a very short period of time there will be another consulate established here.”

The closure means the U.S. government will no longer have an official presence in Winnipeg to explain U.S. policy, advance trade and commercial activities and report to Washington on developments that affect U.S.-Canada relations.

The office is beginning a “phased closure” in which its responsibility for diplomatic engagement will be transferred to the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

“Through the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, we will continue our important diplomatic work in partnership with the people and officials of Canada to foster economic ties, promote security, and support American citizens in Canada,” the statement said.

“While our physical presence in Winnipeg is changing, our policy priorities in Canada remain steadfast.”

President Donald Trump’s administration informed the U.S. Congress of its intention to shutter the office on July 31, the statement said.

“While our physical presence in Winnipeg is changing, our policy priorities in Canada remain steadfast.”

Documents obtained by The Associated Press show similar closures are expected at the U.S. embassy on the Caribbean island of Grenada; at the consulates in Nagoya, Japan, and Medan, Indonesia; and an embassy branch office in Douala, Cameroon.

The closures are expected to save roughly $4.4 million per year. Meanwhile, the U.S. is spending millions of dollars to reopen embassies in Caracas, Venezuela; Damascus, Syria; and Tripoli, Libya, the Associated Press reported.

The moves are part of an effort to reallocate diplomatic resources and streamline operations to ensure the U.S. is “best positioned to address modern challenges on behalf of the American people,” the State Department spokesperson said.

Winnipeg’s consulate first opened in 1873 and operated for 113 years before closing in 1986.

It then reopened in 2001 in a move that “signified the importance of Winnipeg’s relationship with the United States, its real potential for business and trade development, and its historical role in U.S.-Canadian relations,” according to a statement on a U.S. government website.

Consul Rebecca Molinoff was selected to lead the office in September 2024. The consulate does not provide services to the public, such as visas or passport renewals.

Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce president Loren Remillard described the closure as unfortunate, but said he’s not surprised.

“There had been speculation over the years that the consulate may close,” he said. “It’s not alarming. However, the more infrastructure we have in place to advance important trading relationships, the better it will be for Manitobans.”

Remillard said the closure is unlikely to hurt Manitoba business interests in the U.S., noting the provincial government recently opened a dedicated trade office in Washington.

Bryan Peeler, assistant professor of political science at the University of Manitoba, agreed.

“This hurts the Americans more than us because they lose someone in based in Winnipeg who understands things like potash or Manitoba Hydro exports,” Peeler said.

“Washington is still going to get information about all of these things, but it’s not going to be as good because it’s not coming from people who are on the ground.”

Chuck Davidson, who leads the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, said local businesses will continue to work closely with their American partners, regardless of where consular services are located.

“It’s not really a punishment to close the consul here; it’s kind of a sign of indifference.”

“Since there are only a small number of consulates in Canada our concern would be more symbolic as they may be viewed as a sign of importance of a market or region,” he said in a statement.

Peeler said he does not believe the Trump administration is intentionally trying to deal a blow to Manitoba.

“It’s not really a punishment to close the consul here; it’s kind of a sign of indifference.”

Progressive Conservative Leader Obby Khan said he, too, is disappointed by the U.S. government’s decision to shutter its Winnipeg office.

“Manitoba is one of the largest trading partners for the midwestern States, and promoting business and trade relationships is a primary function of this consulate,” he said in a statement.

The Opposition leader took aim at Premier Wab Kinew, saying the Manitoba trade office in Washington has not done enough to shore up trade.

“Despite (Manitoba premier Wab Kinew’s) promises to strengthen our relationship with the United States, Manitoba’s economy is falling further behind.”

“Despite his promises to strengthen our relationship with the United States, Manitoba’s economy is falling further behind,” he said.

A ministerial spokesperson pointed out the former PC government closed Manitoba’s trade office in the U.S.

“We are committed to rebuilding Manitoba’s presence in Washington and around the globe,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

The closure of the U.S. consulate will not affect the operations of Manitoba’s trade office, the statement said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca