Winnipeg: Home of IG’s past and future

Shortly after IG Wealth Management was established in Canada, our founders chose Winnipeg as the home of our young, ambitious company.

This year, as IG celebrates its milestone 100-year anniversary of helping Canadians achieve financial well-being, we’ve been reflecting on the decisions that shaped our company and the values that continue to define us today.

The decision to establish our headquarters in Winnipeg was a foundational one.

Winnipeg, a city at the heart of our country where people, ideas and opportunity come together, has always been more than a location for IG. The city’s talent, character and sense of community have helped our company grow and thrive for generations. These qualities made Winnipeg the right place to build a business then and they continue to make it the right place to be today.

Over the years, we’ve seen Canadian companies move their headquarters out of the city or concentrate their investments elsewhere. Instead, we’ve continued to build in Winnipeg — not because of tradition or nostalgia, but because this city continues to earn that investment.

Winnipeg has many important qualities that businesses look for to establish a base of operations: a skilled and educated workforce, strong post-secondary institutions, a diversified economy and a business community that values long-term relationships and collaboration. Those advantages have helped us attract talent, grow our business and continue investing here over the long term.

Another major reason Winnipeg is so compelling is its people. Every day, the relationships that are built and nurtured at our headquarters are powered by dedicated employees whose work supports a network of advisers and more than one million clients across Canada.

From technology and operations, to marketing, finance, sales and distribution, our Winnipeg-based IG teams, along with colleagues from IG’s sister company, Mackenzie Investments, and parent company, IGM Financial, help drive the services, innovation and support that Canadians rely on from coast to coast.

The city’s talent pool wasn’t developed by chance. Leading educational institutions such as the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic continue to teach and inspire the next generation of leaders, innovators and professionals.

But education and work opportunities alone don’t explain why so many people choose to build long careers and lasting roots in this city.

What has set Winnipeg apart over the decades is the depth of connections within its community. Winnipeggers have a genuine commitment to supporting one another, whether through local organizations, volunteerism, business partnerships or simply helping neighbours in times of need. It’s a city where success is measured not only by individual achievement, but by the strength of the community as a whole.

People build their lives here because it offers something increasingly difficult to find in a big city: opportunity and quality of life in equal measure. It’s no surprise that Winnipeg’s population has risen 10 per cent in the last five years.

Winnipeg offers the kind of balance that helps companies attract and retain talented people, an increasingly important advantage in today’s economy. Ranking second among major cities in Canada on the Globe and Mail’s 2026 20 most livable cities in Canada for young professionals, for raising kids and for newcomers, this is a city where rewarding careers can be built alongside strong family and community connections.

IG has experienced those connections firsthand throughout our history. The relationships we’ve built with employees, community partners, educational institutions and local organizations have helped shape who we are as a company and contributed significantly to our success over the past century.

The qualities that originally attracted us to this city remain just as relevant today. Businesses need talent. Talent wants opportunity. And people want to live in communities where they can build meaningful careers and fulfilling lives. Winnipeg continues to offer all three.

Our investment in a new modern headquarters at 360 Main Street reflects our belief not only in the future of IG, but in the future of downtown Winnipeg and the broader community — a community that has shaped our success from the beginning. We believe in this city. We believe in its people. And we believe its best days are still ahead.

As IG celebrates 100 years, we do so with gratitude for the city that helped make it possible.

Damon Murchison is president and CEO of IG Wealth Management.