Manitoba Government to Support Major Expansion at 17 Wing Winnipeg
Press Release
The Manitoba government is supporting a significant expansion at 17 Wing Winnipeg that will bolster national defence priorities, strengthen strategic infrastructure and bring up to 1,400 jobs to Winnipeg, Premier Wab Kinew announced today.
“The exciting expansion at 17 Wing Winnipeg is exactly the kind of project we want to prioritize when connecting new demand to Manitoba’s hydro grid,” said Kinew. “Saying ‘no’ to AI hyperscale data centres allows us to say ‘yes’ to nation-building projects like 17 Wing, Winnipeg’s air force base. We thank our federal partners for this investment.”
The expansion project will receive a high priority designation under Manitoba’s modernized hydro regulations, meaning it will be prioritized for power, the premier noted. The project will enable critical upgrades and new developments at the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) base Winnipeg to support future training requirements, defence operational infrastructure and base electrification. The improvements will also enable future expansion opportunities, the premier added.
Once fully operational, the expansion, supported by additional electrical capacity, is expected to enable further investment and support up to 1,400 new jobs, with planning already underway.
17 Wing Winnipeg is a critical, continuously operating military installation with essential functions including airfield operations, communications, security and emergency response. The site’s energy demand is driven by heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, lighting and mission-critical operations.
The expansion includes the design and construction of a new Department of National Defence-owned substation, which will provide reliable electrical capacity to support long-term CAF modernization initiatives, the premier noted, adding that modernization includes electrification of the base’s light-duty vehicle fleet, in line with federal policy objectives.
This project underscores Manitoba’s role in Canada’s defence network, while also reinforcing the Manitoba government’s commitment to strategic infrastructure, clean energy use and economic growth, the premier noted.
This is great news!! 17 Wing has long suffered from very old buildings, mould etc. It is a major employer for Manitoba and supports 1 CAD (which is also the Canadian NORAD Headquarters). I suspect much of the funding will be in very non sexy things like plumbing, sewer, heating, fencing, the new substation... but vital for continued operations.