Made in Manitoba: B2B Summit builds manufacturers’ confidence

Optimism filled the room Tuesday at the inaugural Made in Manitoba: B2B Summit trade show and networking event in Winnipeg.

The day-long gathering at the Victoria Inn, organized by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (Manitoba), sought to create connections and help strengthen local supply chains among manufacturers, suppliers, partners and associations from across the country.

Among them, robotics firm Eascan Automation Inc. has noted a resurgence of business activity following nearly a year of uncertainty due to tariffs levied — and repeated tariff threats — by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Winnipeg company provides custom-built machines to manufacturers and has clients across Canada and the United States.

Sales representative Travis Hubble said Eascan had logged a brief slowdown, but now business is booming.

“These tariff threats are pretty grandiose and I think he’s kind of played that card too many times,” Hubble said. “A lot of our customers have decided to kind of move forward with projects.”

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Mark Carney committed to dropping Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles to 6.1 per cent, with an annual allotment of 49,000 vehicles. The deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping will have China lower most of its retaliatory tariffs on Canadian agricultural products, including lobster, crab and canola oil and seeds.

In response, Trump accused Canada of making itself a “drop-off port” for China to send products into America. He threatened 100 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S. not currently covered by the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement on trade.

Meantime, Manitoba companies like Maintenance Welding Products have learned to work around any potential tariffs, like pivoting to domestic markets or customers overseas.

“A lot of our trade was reliant on the U.S, but I think in a way, it has helped us to find more creative solutions,” said outside sales representative Octavia Jenkins. “There’s been a little bit of a galvanizing where everyone’s like, ‘Alright, let’s work together.’”

While Maintenance Welding Products has been impacted, as much of its products are made from aluminum and steel, which have been subject to additional duties, Jenkins said if and when the Canadian government drops its counter-tariffs, the industry will be in a better position should it ever happen again.

Jillian Einarson, vice-president of policy and government relations for CME Prairies division, said the one-day summit was a way to support Manitoba manufacturers and help them to become more resilient in the face of economic uncertainty.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew delivered greetings to the attendees and, during opening remarks, repeated his stance that redeveloping the Port of Churchill would unlock Western Canada’s economic stability in the manufacturing sector.

“Churchill is such a great opportunity for our products,” the premier said. “If we can export energy products, critical mineral products, agricultural products, manufactured goods — we get to Europe more quickly than most of the ports east of us in Canada.”

Kinew also touted his NDP government’s move to create provincial sales tax exemptions on certain machinery and business equipment. Previously, businesses could apply to have the sales taxes returned, but Kinew said the automatic exemption has simplified things.

nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca