Cereals Canada is a national, not-for-profit industry association that represents the Canadian cereal grains value chain, including wheat, barley, and oats.

Cereals Canada is nearing the end of our lease in a building that is no longer able to meet our organization’s current and future goals. The lease expires on March 31, 2029. With this date fast approaching, a new home is needed to continue to build on the vital work being done to advance the Canadian grains value chain.

This is a crucial time for the Canadian grain industry. The Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) is being purposefully designed to help our industry grow and thrive in domestic and international markets well into the future.

It will allow Cereals Canada to maintain our globally recognized, best-in-class expertise needed to support today’s global markets and ensure end-user success without limiting the ability to explore new market trends and technologies of the future.

A new facility is also needed to continue to meet global demand for high quality Canadian grains and to build on the momentum of the training, testing and innovation our organization has established over the past 50 years.

We wanted to develop a brand that was consistent with the bold vision we have for the grain industry in Canada. We also wanted that brand to be able to attract other industry groups and organizations that share our goal of advancing the grain industry. While Gate will be the home of Cereals Canada, we expect it could also be the home of other organizations.

Cereals Canada worked with engineers and infrastructure experts to analyze and assess our future needs and based on those consultations, it was determined the best option was to build a new facility.

The infrastructure needed to properly house the specialized equipment needed for Cereals Canada to do training and testing can’t be found in a conventional building. Our specialized equipment, used for milling, pasta and noodle making, baking, and analysis has specific space and mechanical requirements, making it unfeasible to retrofit an existing commercial space.

The state-of-the art, purpose-built facility will house laboratories, a flour mill, and end-product assessment areas, along with educational training facilities to support and train global customers about the quality, functionality, safety, and sustainability of Canadian grains.

The services that Cereals Canada provides distinguishes Canada from its competitors, adds value for our customers and provides a point of differentiation that supports and drives market demand. Our organization has provided world class customer support for over 50 years and has built valuable relationships with the mills and processors in these importing countries.

It’s more than just working with the millers and buyers, it is also meeting with trade commissioners, government regulators and officials at home and abroad to ensure that Canadian quality is translated into value.

For example, Cereals Canada was approached by a customer in a core market who was experiencing a quality issue when processing hamburger buns, resulting in holes under the crust and blistered tops, and was concerned the issue was caused by the quality of Canadian wheat. Using a sample of the customer’s flour to assess in its bakery, Cereals Canada’s technical team determined the quality issue was due to an ingredient used in the formulation and successfully resolved the issue.

Construction of the new building is projected to cost approximately $100 million and includes estimated development, land and fit-out costs for a new building, equipment as well as soft costs of design, engineering, and architecture.

With the current defined vision of Gate, the cost is based on an extensive functional needs assessment. Cereals Canada and our board of directors continue to engage with members and other stakeholders to find the optimal balance between present needs and future opportunities.

No funding has been committed using the Canadian Grain Commission surplus dollars. To bring the vision of Gate to life, Cereals Canada will be kicking off a capital campaign in the coming months to help raise the funds needed to create a new state-of-the-art home for Cereals Canada and the work our organization does.  

The campaign will target contributions from industry groups, agribusinesses, individuals and support from all three levels of government.  

Funding for the project will come from money raised through the capital campaign including from agribusinesses, industry groups as well as other individual and corporate gifts.

Our organization is also calling on all three levels of government for support of the project. 

Yes, the vision of Gate is supported by Cereals Canada’s board of directors, which includes our organization, representatives from grain handling firms, exporters and processors as well as members from grower associations.

Cereals Canada has deep roots in Winnipeg and our organization is proud to call the city home for over 50 years. The area is historically important to Canada’s grain trade, it is a major grain hub, and home to some of the world’s largest agriculture and agri-food companies. Locating Gate downtown creates opportunities to further strengthen connections between agriculture and food businesses, and related organizations, in the heart of Winnipeg.

Ideally, construction will begin in 2025.

The Case for Support provides comprehensive information about our vision and the Gate facilities, and its impact on Canadian agriculture. Download the Case for Support (PDF)