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This article was published 14/5/2015 (1956 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Conference Board of Canada is forecasting growth of 2.5 per cent in 2015, by far the strongest growth rate of any city in western Canada not counting Vancouver.

The Ottawa-based think tank credits a strong services sector and a pick-up in non-residential construction.

Much more modest growth in Regina, Saskatoon and Edmonton and a forecasted decline in Calgary are attributed to the slump in oil prices.

"Winnipeg is the only Prairie city in our forecast to see its economic fortune improve this year," said Alan Arcand, associate director, of the Conference Board’s Centre for Municipal Studies. "Local manufacturing will moderate this year, but services growth will stay healthy and non-residential construction will see an upswing."

The solid project growth in 2015 is up from 2.1 per cent in 2014. The Conference Board expects employment to snap back from a tiny 2014 downturn to rise 2.2 per cent. It believes that the solid economic performance has kept out-migration to other provinces modest recently, while attracting newcomers from other countries and elsewhere in Manitoba.

A stronger U.S economy and softer Canadian dollar will fuel exports supporting modest manufacturing growth of 2.6 per cent this year.

Local construction is forecast to expand by four per cent this year thanks to a healthy non-residential investment outlook, which includes the city’s investment in public transportation infrastructure, despite a dip in residential construction.

Winnipeg’s services sector is expected to expand by 2.4 per cent in 2015, with all sectors showing growth. An expected slowdown in retail sales in 2015 suggests a more moderate but still healthy 2.8 per cent uptick in wholesale and retail trade output. On the other hand, growth in business services is forecast to accelerate to 2.8 per cent in 2015 from 0.5 per cent last year. Meanwhile, expansion of 2.1 per cent is forecast for 2015 in finance, insurance, and real estate, Winnipeg’s largest services industry.