Look at Interlake’s largest employers and one thing becomes clear: this is an economy built around people.
The region’s biggest industries aren’t manufacturing plants, corporate headquarters, or resource extractions operations, Instead, schools, hospitals, public administration, restaurants, and community services account for many of the area’s largest sources of employment.
Figure 1. Largest industries in the Interlake Region. Education, health care, public administration, restaurants, and community services account for many of the region’s largest employers.
That tells an important story about Interlake’s role in Manitoba’s economy. It is, above all, a region that provides services to residents and surrounding communities.
The classroom remains Interlake’s biggest workplace
If there is one industry that defines Interlake’s employment landscape, it is education.
Elementary and secondary schools employ approximately 2,600 people, making them the largest employer in the region by a significant margin. No other industry comes close.
Employment in schools increased by 12.8% over the past year, although it remains 16.8% below levels recorded five years ago.
The numbers reflect something many residents already know: schools are often among the most important institutions in a community. Beyond educating students, they provide stable employment and help sustain local economies across the region.
Hospitals are growing, but another health-care story is unfolding
Health care is woven deeply into Interlake’s economy. General medical and surgical hospitals employ 1,720 people and continue to grow. Employment increased by 9.6% over the past year and is up 14.7% compared with five years ago. Yet another part of the healthcare system is telling a very different story.
Nursing care facilities employ just over 1,000 people, but employment has declined by 16.6% over the past year and by 30.8% over five years.
Here’s what stands out: some of the strongest growth in the region is occurring in hospitals, while one of the sharpest declines is occurring in long-term care. Together, those trends hint at broader changes taking place within rural health-care delivery.
Psychiatric and substance use hospitals also appear among the region’s largest industries, highlighting the growing importance of specialized health services.
One of the fastest-growing sectors may surprise you
Among all major industries in Interlake, Indigenous public administration stands out.
The sector now employs 1,082 people and has expanded by an impressive 113% over the past five years. Employment also grew by 15.6% over the past year alone.
Few industries in the region have experienced growth at that pace.
At the same time, local, municipal, and regional public administration supports another 1,368 jobs, making government-related services one of the largest sources of employment in the region.
What caught our attention: Indigenous public administration has more than doubled in size since 2020, making it one of Interlake’s strongest growth stories.
Elementary and secondary schools employ approximately 2,600 people, making them the largest employer in the region by a significant margin. No other industry comes close.
The industries people often overlook
When discussions turn to economic development, sectors like construction maintenance and property services don’t always receive much attention. Yet they employ hundreds of people across Interlake.
Building equipment contractors support roughly 900 jobs, while services to buildings and dwellings account for about 800 more. Together, they rank among the region’s largest employers.
Whether it’s maintaining buildings, managing properties, landscaping, repairs, or construction-related work, these industries help keep communities functioning every day.
Restaurants and grocery stores remain part of the economic foundation
Some of Interlake’s largest employers are also among its most familiar. Restaurants employ approximately 1,220 people, while grocery and convenience retailers support another 861 jobs.
Neither sector changed dramatically over the past year. Grocery retail employment edged upward by 1.2%, while restaurant employment dipped slightly by 0.4%. Their stability reflects a simple reality: regardless of economic conditions, communities continue to rely on places to buy food, meet friends, and access essential goods.
A different economy than Winnipeg
Comparing Interlake to Winnipeg reveals just how unique the region’s employment structure is. Winnipeg’s economy is driven by a wide range of industries, including universities, professional services, corporate management, and specialized business sectors.
Interlake’s economy is different. Its largest employers are concentrated in industries that serve local residents directly. Schools, hospitals, public administration, restaurants, retailers, and community services occupy much larger roles in the employment landscape.
In many ways, the region functions as a service hub for surrounding communities, providing the institutions and services that residents depend on every day.
The story behind Interlake’s labour market is ultimately a story about people. The region’s largest employers are not producing products for distant markets. They are educating children, caring for patients, maintaining communities, and delivering the services that support everyday life.
As population needs continue to evolve, it will be worth watching which of these community-serving industries grow next and how they shape the future of the region.