The Canadian Grains Council plans to take a major step towards an idea that has been discussed among Western Canadian grain industry stakeholders for decades – the creation of a new facility that would bring together Canadian grain industry institutions in one place and serve as a hub for grain research, product development and technical support to export customers.
According to multiple sources, the grain value chain organization is preparing to launch an awareness and fundraising campaign to build a new mixed-use facility on the east side of Portage and Main streets in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The facility would be a few blocks from the Canadian Grain Commission building, which for decades also housed the Canadian Grain Council (formerly the Canadian International Grains Council, or Cigi) and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre.
The proposal includes the construction of a new facility called the Global Agricultural Technology Exchange (GATE). website This domain was registered on May 31, 2024.
“As global demand for Canadian grains grows, Canada must be ready to meet that need. Building a new facility is no small task, but feeding the world needs a place for our experts to work,” the website states. “Creating a food innovation hub will support Canadian farmers and domestic and international customers, and maintain Canada’s position as a leader in nutritious, high-quality food ingredients.”
According to its website, the proposed facility would feature “state-of-the-art analytical, flour milling, baking, noodle and pasta manufacturing, malting and brewing, oat processing and education and training facilities to support and educate customers around the world on the quality, functionality, safety and sustainability of Canadian grains.”
The campaign is expected to include significant funding requests from the federal and Manitoba governments, as well as financial support from Canadian Grains Council members, including provincial wheat and barley growers’ associations, grain companies, crop input suppliers and millers.
Pulses Canada and the Canola Council of Canada are also headquartered near downtown Winnipeg. They don’t appear to be as committed to the project as Cereals Canada, but the pulse and canola industry groups could be potential tenants at the facility.
Grain companies Richardson International, Parrish & Heinbecker, Patterson Grain and Cargill Canada are also headquartered around the Grain Exchange area.
The concept of a “grain centre of excellence” has been a topic of discussion for years within Winnipeg’s grain industry. In the mid-2000s, when the Canadian Wheat Board was also headquartered nearby, there were plans to bring together Agriculture-Food Canada’s Grain Research Centre (now closed), the Canadian International Grains Research Institute, the Canadian Grain Board and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre under one roof.
Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn first introduced the concept when he was a provincial minister in 2012.
RealAgriculture has reached out to Cereals Canada for comment and further details.
