For a local entrepreneur, a wider business base can mean more suppliers, more services, and more customers close to home.
That is what makes Interlake’s latest business numbers worth watching. The region counted 10,206 active business establishments in 2025, up from 9,704 in 2024 and well above the 9,140 recorded in 2018. The rebound has been sharp. After dropping to 8,373 establishments in 2023, Interlake posted back-to-back gains of 15.9% in 2024 and 5.2% in 2025.
Figure 1. Interlake’s business establishment count declined between 2020 and 2023 before rebounding sharply in 2024 and reaching 10,206 establishments in 2025
How far did Interlake fall before the rebound?
The recovery looks stronger when viewed against the earlier decline. Interlake had 9,140 active business establishments in 2018. The count slipped slightly to 9,122 in 2019 and 9,110 in 2020. The decline deepened over the next three years. The region fell to 8,842 establishments in 2021, then 8,663 in 2022, before reaching 8,373 in 2023.
By that point, Interlake’s five-year change stood at -8.4%. The region had clearly lost business ground.
What changed in 2024 and 2025?
The turnaround came quickly. Interlake’s business count jumped by 15.9% in 2024, reaching 9,704 establishments. Growth continued in 2025, with the count rising another 5.2% to 10,206. Here’s what stands out: Interlake moved from a five-year decline of -8.4% in 2023 to five-year growth of 12.0% by 2025.
That is a major shift in only two years.
Trend to watch: Interlake’s business base now sits 12.0% above its five-year level, after a prolonged slide through 2023.
How does Interlake compare with other Manitoba regions?
Interlake now sits close to South Central in Manitoba’s non-metropolitan business landscape. South Central recorded 10,787 establishments in 2025, slightly ahead of Interlake’s 10,206. Its five-year growth rate was also slightly higher, at 14.1% compared with Interlake’s 12.0%.
Interlake ranked ahead of several other regions. Parklands had 6,718 establishments, North Central had 6,542, and North had 2,602. Southeast and Southwest remained larger, with 14,406 and 16,466 establishments respectively. Winnipeg, at 75,516 establishments, operates on a much larger scale.
Among non-metropolitan regions, Interlake now looks firmly competitive.
What does a larger business base really mean?
Business establishment counts include firms with and without employees. That means the data show the number of active business entities, rather than business size, profitability, sector mix, or employment impact. A higher count can include small firms, self-employed operators, expanding businesses, and newly active establishments.
Even with that limitation, the direction is positive. A broader business base points to more commercial activity and a stronger local business presence than Interlake had at the start of the period.
The recovery is real, but worth watching
Interlake’s latest numbers show a region that has regained momentum.
The earlier decline from 2020 to 2023 shows how quickly the business count can shift when conditions change. The 2024 and 2025 gains now leave Interlake in a stronger position than where it began in 2018.
The next question is whether this wider business base can support deeper investment, stronger employment, and lasting confidence across Interlake communities.