Portage Regional Economic Development's (PRED) been busy with several industries that are considering Portage la Prairie as the host city for their operations.

"We're working with a number of files right now," says PRED Executive Director Vern May. "While many of us are very excited about the Roquette announcement as a big industry and looking at the impacts of 350 short-term jobs and 150 ongoing jobs, and what that's going to do in terms of spin-off industry, that's just one file of probably ten files that are open on my desk right now."

He notes some of them are related to Roquette's decision to operate here by way of a support industry that fits well with Roquette's products. May says, with the city making media headlines for the world's largest development plant of its kind, "We've been put on the radar in a whole new way."

May explains it's not just inquiries related to Roquette that are looking here. Our reputation as an agri-food capital in the province and the prairies is attracting other industries who are considering Portage as a natural fit. He adds, "We know that there's been a lot of campaigning outside of Portage for businesses or associations that want to make sure they're on the radar."