of Canada’s economic pow-
erhouses. When asked why
he decided to run for office
a decade ago, Mayor Katz is
unequivocal. “I decided that it
was time to make a contribu-
tion, and I believe that running
for office is the greatest con-
tribution that you can make,”
said Katz. “I have two daugh-
ters and a son. I want Winni-
peg to be a place for them and
other young people to enjoy;
a place where the opportuni-
ties are compelling enough
to convince our youth to stay
here and help make our city a
better place to live, work, play
and invest.”
Since taking office in 2004,
Mayor Katz has been working
to position Winnipeg as a city
of opportunity at the heart
of the continent. Winnipeg’s
uniqueness stems, in part,
from its geographic location.
It’s one of just two Canadian
cities to boast three Class 1
railways: CN, CP and BNSF.
The city is also home to Cen-
trePort Canada, the country’s
only tri-modal inland port and
foreign trade zone. “Our his-
tory is built on transportation
and rail, and we believe this
combination will always re-
sult in an important edge for
Canadian companies locating
here,” explains Diane Gray,
president and CEO of Centre-
Port Canada Inc. “We’re work-
ing hard to take maximum ad-
vantage of this reality.” Gray
had previously worked for the
Province before bringing her
leadership to CentrePort in
2009, and her active role in
promoting the 20, 000-acre
port as a gateway to desirable
markets makes it “a key part
of the equation when it comes
to attracting interested inves-
tors from around the world.”
Winnipeg’s recent member-
ship in theWorld Trade Centres
Association only adds to the
city’s growing global reputa-
tion and underscores a unique
investment platform that pro-
vides support for large-scale
industrial development. “It’s
a real opportunity to integrate
and connect the private sec-
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business elite canada
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