Manitoba’s booming North

Opinion

Big things are ahead for northern Manitoba.

Political leaders at every level are focused on unlocking the North’s tremendous potential, and what sets this moment apart is the scale — which comes with the need for thoughtful planning that includes people, not just infrastructure, to help us realize the opportunity ahead.

Churchill could emerge as a vital Canadian port, with year-round shipping supported by icebreakers, an upgraded railway and all-weather roads connecting isolated communities. Upgrading Manitoba Hydro’s northern transmission system and investing in new projects like the Kivalliq Hydro-Fibre Link, would deliver clean energy and broadband—opening new possibilities for families and businesses across Northern Manitoba and Nunavut. Major mining initiatives are advancing and have been recognized as nationally significant.

These ambitious undertakings have the potential to transform Manitoba, benefiting all Manitobans — especially those in the North — with good, new jobs. Realizing this future will require people (thousands of them) —welders, carpenters, electricians and heavy-duty mechanics to build and maintain energy and transport systems; operators to construct roads; IT specialists and logisticians to run modern supply chains; and nurses, teachers and social workers to strengthen communities as they grow. With large-scale projects underway across Canada, competition for a skilled workforce will be fierce.

If we don’t act now, we risk repeating a familiar pattern of relying too much on fly-in workers from other provinces while northern potential remains untapped. Workforce development must become a central priority, not just for Manitoba’s post-secondary institutions, but also for government, industry and communities throughout the North.

We already know what works: training rooted in northern communities leads to lasting impact. Skills built at home stay at home. When education is accessible, graduates remain and contribute to local growth. But we need to scale up quickly.

This means investing in programs aligned with upcoming jobs, partnering with industry to ensure training leads directly to employment and bringing post-secondary partners together to maximize their collective strengths. It’s about building strong communities where people want to stay and build their futures.

Across northern Manitoba, training programs are already expanding to prepare a local workforce for the demands ahead. Welding, heavy equipment, millwright, electrical and carpentry programs are equipping students to build and maintain the infrastructure of a modern port and corridor network.

In energy and resource sectors, new training initiatives are giving northern residents tools for emerging opportunities. The new power engineering program filled immediately, and the Northern Manitoba Mining Academy has secured major investment to expand train-to-hire pathways for Indigenous students. The mining readiness program is building strong partnerships with both industry and communities.

It isn’t just about construction. It needs to also be about creating communities where people can live, work and thrive. Investments in health and community services ensure that northern communities and work sites have the frontline responders they need. For instance, the University College of the North’s health-care aide seats have grown from 30 to 130, and the primary care paramedic program has doubled, supporting the safety and wellbeing of families and workers.

There are new pathways for Indigenous women to enter technology and logistics fields, preparing for the digital and supply chain roles that a supercharged economy will demand. These roles are essential for building communities that attract and retain families, not just workers.

This work is happening close to home, close to family and close to opportunity. That’s the model that works — more graduates stay in the region, and employers benefit from a workforce rooted in Northern Manitoba.

Workforce development must be treated as infrastructure and planned with the same urgency. At this critical moment, the choice is clear: if we align training with opportunity, the north will supply not just resources, but also leadership, talent and innovation. The benefits will flow first to northern and Indigenous communities, then outward to all Manitobans.

This is our moment to rally. Governments, industry, post-secondary institutions and northern communities must unite to prepare for growth on a scale Manitoba has not seen in generations. The work has begun. Now we must build on it, together.

Doug Lauvstad is the president of the University College of the North.