Overviews Economy Costs Workforce Sites Transport Utilities Gov R & D Quality of Life

Competitive Business Costs

Foreign Exchange Rates Supplier Network Financing Sources

Highlights of the 2008 KPMG Competitive Alternatives Study

The KPMG Competitive Alternatives study is a comprehensive comparison of business costs in 10 countries. The study compares the after-tax cost of startup and operation in each of 17 selected industries, by indexing business costs to the average for the United States (i.e. US average = 100.0).  A cost index below 100.0 for an individual location indicates lower costs than the US average, while an index greater than 100.0 indicates higher costs than the US average.
Among the G-7 nations, Canada and the US are the overall cost leaders, with Canada having a cost advantage of 0.6% relative to the USA.  Costs for statutory benefits as a percentage of payroll are lowest in Canada, and costs for electricity, natural gas and telecommunications are among the lowest. 

Winnipeg ranked as the eighth lowest cost city in the North American Midwest, with an overall cost advantage of 2.3% relative to the US average. Compared to key centres in the US Midwest, Winnipeg has an overall cost advantage of:

1. 6.2% relative to Minneapolis
2. 8.8% relative to Chicago
3. 7.2% relative to Denver

Winnipeg’s rankings by industry within the 23 North American Midwestern cities studied are: