The City of Brandon is working with the Rural Development Institute (RDI) at Brandon University (BU) to conduct two research projects.

The projects are a Soybean Industry Supply Chain Assessment and a Regional Assessment of Community Information. Both will advance the efforts of the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group (WOLG) to attract a world-class soybean processing facility to Manitoba.

The Soybean Industry Supply Chain Assessment will compare the competitive advantages and disadvantages of locating a soybean processing facility in either Manitoba, Saskatchewan, or North Dakota. It will also describe the current soybean supply chain in Manitoba and the potential market for a full line of soybean products that would be generated by a soybean processing facility in the region.

“We need a better picture of the Manitoba supply chain, from the soybean producers—how many acres are cultivated and where, the yield, the quality—to the customers,” said Ray Redfern, Chair of WOLG.

The second RDI project, the Regional Assessment of Community Information, has delivered an Investment Readiness Community Assessment Tool to five Westman communities: Brandon, Carberry, Neepawa, Russell, and Virden. Economic development officers will complete reports based on this tool.

“The Regional Assessment project will enable the five partner communities to not only collectively define our ability to meet the site and operational requirements of a soybean processing facility but also highlight our regional and jurisdictional competitive advantages and possible development incentives,” said Sandy Trudel, Brandon’s Director of Economic Development. “Armed with this information we will be well-positioned to approach potential investors with a business case that points to Westman as the logical location for a new soybean processing facility."

Funding for these RDI projects is provided by the Government of Canada’s Invest Canada – Community Initiatives (ICCI) program and the Westman Opportunities Leadership Group.