The loss of the Winnipeg Jets, a hockey team that relocated in 1996, prompted the formation of the Business Council in Manitoba and its first PNP program.
Although they were no longer financially viable in 1996, the Winnipeg Jets were able to return in 2011 thanks to the progressive immigration strategies that gave the province an economic boost. The Business Council was a group of ten business leaders who recognized the economic importance of keeping more people in the province — and they saw immigration as a vital solution.
Initially, the PNP program was met with skepticism from other provinces, who viewed it as too politically sensitive and not valuable—but Manitoba persevered. In addition to the PNP program, the province also acted to improve recognition of foreign credentials and launched Canada’s first expression of interest application system.
The immigration programs proved successful, with the help of the business community and ethnic groups in the province, eventually boosting its population and economy and creating a more vibrant culture.
Indeed, Manitoba went from attracting around 3,700 immigrants annually in the mid-1990s to welcoming 15,000 newcomers a year today, and the PNP program now operates in every province.