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24/05/2011  |  0

Growing Together: Stantec and Winnipeg

Over the last few years, there has been significant excitement mounting in our city due to many new developments taking place… and Stantec in Winnipeg has been a chief contributor to many of them! Specializing in the areas of planning, engineering, architecture, project management and more, Stantec is recognized as a local and international leader and innovator in sustainable solutions for both public and private sector clients.

Although spanning all of North America, Stantec in Winnipeg has been a particular success story. First entering the market in 1995 (as a result of acquiring IDG Engineering), the Winnipeg office has grown substantially – from about 50 employees in 1999 to just over 245 today! Some of its marquee projects include the long-awaited Kenaston Underpass – where Stantec operated as the prime consultant and provided complete engineering services. The underpass now saves the city more than 67,000 vehicle-hours of delay per year, while reducing vehicle emissions by up to 70,000 metric tonnes per year! The Kenaston Underpass was recognized with the Keystone Award for excellence in consulting engineering (the highest engineering award in Manitoba).

Stantec has also been the Prime Consultant on the new James Armstrong Richardson International Airport terminal. From planning runway upgrades and the new parkade, Stantec also created the actual detailed design of the new building. Other notable projects include the new Waverley West development (Winnipeg’s fastest growing mixed-use community) and the new energy-efficient Service Centres for Manitoba Public Insurance. Stantec’s Winnipeg team is so highly regarded that it was recently awarded an important project that’s outside the province – the role of prime consultant for the new City of Dryden Sewage Treatment Plant, which will be the first of its kind in North America to be designated as LEED certified (an internationally recognized green building certification system).

Eric Wiens, Vice President Manitoba Region, credits Stantec’s growth in Winnipeg to both the remarkable stability of the city (despite slowdowns in many other areas in North America) and to the excellent people that form the local organization. “All we have to sell at Stantec, more important than anything, is our people and their expertise,” says Eric when asked about their competitive advantages. For this reason, Stantec works hard to create an optimal workplace for its employees, and those efforts are exemplified by the recent announcement that Stantec was named one of the Financial Post’s 10 Best Companies to work for in 2011. Winnipeg’s universities have also been tapped regularly by Stantec, providing graduates with ample opportunities to join their team and build rewarding careers, right here in Winnipeg.

When asked about why Winnipeg, Eric passionately explains, “This is a great place, both to work and to live, with the affordability of homes, the proximity of our great outdoor amenities and the unique cultural diversity!”

Stantec is looking to capitalize with the growing success of our city, and with its strong local presence, continues to be one of Winnipeg’s best friends!

Aris Economou is a Sales Account Manager with Walton Capital Inc., and a member of the Yes! Winnipeg volunteer team. If you are interested in becoming a Yes! Winnipeg volunteer, please fill out the volunteer survery.