Introducing Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism

Media Release

New corporate name reflects a unified approach to driving inclusive economic growth in Winnipeg

September 18, 2025 – WINNIPEG — For more than 15 years, Winnipeg’s business community has relied on Tourism Winnipeg, Economic Development Winnipeg and YES! Winnipeg to help grow the city’s economy by attracting talent, investment, events and visitors.

Now, those efforts come together under a single corporate name: Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism.

The name Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism reflects the work we’ve long been doing as one unified agency. By bringing together economic development and tourism under a single, integrated approach, our new name and logo makes that reality more visible. It makes it clearer and simpler for us to communicate the full scope and impact of our work locally. At the same time, this integration strengthens our ability to compete on a broader stage—positioning Winnipeg more confidently among other jurisdictions vying for talent, investment and visitors. Our unified model allows us to better amplify our competitive advantages and drive growth more effectively. Our corporate identity is now also visually aligned with the Winnipeg place brand, creating consistency in how we represent our city and our mission to grow its economy.

“Our new corporate name reflects our one-agency model, bringing together economic development and tourism under a single, unified approach,” said Ryan Kuffner, President and CEO of Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism. “We wanted our name to more clearly reflect the work we do and the mission that drives us. It communicates who we are: an agency passionate about Winnipeg and committed to making it a better place to live, work, invest and visit. The city has changed, the world has changed, and we’re evolving with it. This name gives us a clearer voice in a competitive global marketplace and reinforces why we’re here — to grow Winnipeg’s economy.”

“The decision to adopt a single, integrated corporate brand was led by thoughtful work from the leadership team and our private sector-led board,” said Denise Zaporzan, Board Chair of Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism. “It sets our organization up for greater success by making it easier for stakeholders to understand what we do, why it matters and how it contributes to Winnipeg’s economic future. The board strongly supports this evolution and the bold, inclusive future it signals for Winnipeg.”

This marks the first change to the organization’s name since 2010, when Destination Winnipeg was restructured as Economic Development Winnipeg and officially brought together YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg under one umbrella. In 2016, the three brands were aligned visually for the first time. The new corporate logo now further aligns with the Winnipeg place brand launched in 2022 — a brand Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism continues to use to promote the city as a top place to live, work, visit and invest in national and international markets.

As part of its one-agency model, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism will launch its new strategy on November 4, 2025. The event, “Winnipeg Forward: Shaping our city’s economic future,” will showcase a bold and inclusive vision for Winnipeg’s economic growth, with a roadmap to strengthen the city’s competitiveness and resilience through public and private sector collaboration.

“We heard through our research that our partners and stakeholders didn’t always see the full scope of our work because it was spread across different brand names,” said Kathy Tarrant, Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Corporate Partnerships of Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism. “Having a unified identity gives funders and partners a clearer picture of our impact and makes it easier for them to engage with what we do. Their investment supports our ability to strengthen Winnipeg’s competitiveness now and in the long term.”

Since 2016, our work has helped deliver meaningful outcomes for Winnipeg, including supporting the establishment or expansion of more than 60 companies; helping to attract, secure and support the delivery of more than 500 events; drawing more than $1.5 billion in capital investment; and contributing to the creation of nearly 16,000 jobs. Altogether, these efforts have added an estimated $5.3 billion to the city’s economy. They highlight the collective impact of coordinated efforts across sectors to strengthen Winnipeg’s economy.

For more information on how Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism drives Winnipeg’s economic growth, visit our website.

About Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism

Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism is the city’s lead economic development and tourism agency. Governed by a private-sector board and guided by the needs of local business and tourism communities, we drive inclusive, sustainable growth in and around Winnipeg by attracting investment, talent and visitors. Through our work, it helps make Winnipeg a more vibrant and prosperous place to live, work, invest and visit for the benefit of residents and businesses.

Media Contact:

Gillian Chester Director of Corporate Communications, Winnipeg Economic Development & Tourism, W: 204-954-1977 C: 204-296-0425 [email protected]

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