Premier Visits Crown Royal Distillery to Highlight Support for Manitoba Workers

Premier Wab Kinew toured the Diageo Crown Royal distillery in Gimli and met with workers and company representatives. He announced a Diageo-funded plan to replace natural gas boilers with electric systems and a 20-kilometre Manitoba Hydro transmission line expected to be completed in 2027.

Premier Wab Kinew visited the Diageo Crown Royal distillery in Gimli, where he met with workers and Diageo representatives. He said Crown Royal is made in Gimli and supports Manitoba jobs, and noted the visit followed attention after a separate Diageo bottling announcement in Ontario. During the tour the premier highlighted a clean energy project being advanced with Manitoba Hydro that is intended to support the facility's long-term operation. Workers at the facility are represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 832. Key details: - Diageo plans to replace existing natural gas boilers at the Gimli facility with electric systems as part of an effort to operate on 100 per cent renewable electricity. - Manitoba Hydro will construct a new 20-kilometre transmission line from its Silver Station near Fraserwood to the manufacturing facility on Seagram Road in Gimli. - Construction is expected to begin in January and be completed in 2027. - The project’s estimated cost is approximately $19 million, which the article reports Diageo will fully fund. - Crown Royal continues to be mashed, distilled and aged in Manitoba, and facility workers are represented by UFCW Local 832. Summary: The announcement links a company-funded clean energy upgrade with efforts to support long-term operations and manufacturing jobs in the Interlake. Construction timing and the estimated cost were reported, and completion is expected in 2027.