Manitoba-based companies continue to fill gaps in Canadian markets while also growing the economy and contributing to accessible medical care — and a repayable federal government investment will help two of these companies scale up to meet the demand.
Two Manitoba companies are receiving more than $2.9 million in repayable federal investments, as announced in Rosser by Winnipeg West MP Doug Eylofson on behalf of Eleanor Olszewski, minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada.
MoveMobility, a Rosser-based accessible vehicle manufacturer, is expanding into the Canadian ambulance market, providing communities with a homegrown option for specialized medical vehicles. MoveMobility will receive $1.1 million in federal support to increase manufacturing capacity for its medical vehicle line, including new ambulances built on van platforms that can be manoeuvred.
QDoc Inc. is a Manitoba-based virtual health-care company that connects patients with providers. QDoc Inc. will receive $1.9 million in federal support to expand its innovative virtual health-care delivery platform and invest in digital technology development.
“As a physician, I am committed to building a stronger and healthier future for Manitobans,” Eyolfson said. “That is why I am pleased that our new government is supporting MoveMobility and QDoc. These investments help strengthen our one Canadian economy while expanding access to medical care across the province.”
Olszewski expressed pride in supporting these two Manitoba companies that are creating jobs and helping Canadians to access the care they need.
“By investing in MoveMobility and QDoc, we are not only strengthening our local economy but also bringing innovative, homegrown solutions to communities across the Prairies and the country,” Olszewski said. “This is exactly the kind of collaboration and innovation that drives growth and makes health care more accessible for all Canadians.”
MoveMobility CEO Richard Jones also expressed enthusiasm for the initiative.
“It’s inspiring to have PrairiesCan’s support for our mission to remove barriers to health care and transportation,” Jones said. “With this backing, we can accelerate our efforts to deliver a Canadian-made solution that brings meaningful results and helps everyone we serve.”
Dr. Norman Silver, co-founder and CEO of QDoc, shared similar sentiments.
“The support from PrairiesCan has been instrumental in helping QDoc scale our made-in-Manitoba virtual care platform to delivering over 250,000 virtual visits, expand access to health care across rural and northern communities, and deliver on our mission of connecting every patient to the right provider — anytime, anywhere,” Silver said.
These investments are expected to create 35 jobs and assist one additional business. The Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program is delivered by regional development agencies across Canada to fuel economic growth through innovation and create more well-paying jobs for Canadians. Funding offered under the REGI Business Scale-up and Productivity supports high-growth businesses that are scaling up and producing innovative goods, services or technologies.
Jamie Moses, provincial minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation, highlighted Manitoba’s impact across the country.
“Manitoba’s investment of $1.3 million, now boosted by additional federal funding, shows how supporting manufacturing, health care and innovation highlights Manitoba’s excellence on the national stage,” he said.
