While in Winnipeg for the Grey Cup final, Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Québecor and owner of the Montreal Alouettes, met with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew to discuss a series of upcoming initiatives in the province. In addition to the imminent construction of Freedom Mobile's wireless network, the two leaders explored the potential for a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening the television production sector.
  
More competition should lead to lower prices, so we welcome Freedom leaning into Manitoba, said Premier Wab Kinew.  We all want greater coverage in our province, so these investments are welcome.

Our network expansion into Manitoba with Freedom reflects our commitment to building a better wireless experience for Canadians. We're not just investing in infrastructure – we're investing in people, communities, and the power of choice. We share Premier Kinew's vision of making life more affordable for Manitobans by fostering greater competition in telecommunications. Premier Kinew and I also discussed how TVA, Quebec's largest broadcaster, could develop collaborations with Manitoba-based productions to leverage talent and strengthen relationships among the various stakeholders of this important cultural pillar. I am pleased by the openness and reception of these initiatives, which are priorities for both Quebecor and the Manitoba Government

Freedom Mobile: Unlocking New Opportunities

To date, Freedom Mobile has invested over $35 million in wireless spectrum in Manitoba, laying the foundation for a robust network designed to meet the evolving needs of customers across the province.

By building and operating its own infrastructure, Freedom Mobile is unlocking new opportunities to deliver affordable, innovative wireless services to customers. The expansion will also enhance network redundancy, ensuring greater reliability for Freedom customers—even in the event of outages on other networks. Freedom's 100% digital sister brand, Fizz, will also benefit from access to this enhanced infrastructure in Manitoba.

The network rollout will begin in Winnipeg, focusing on strategic areas that serve the daily needs of hundreds of thousands of residents, before expanding across the province.

This initiative is part of Quebecor's broader strategy to challenge the status quo in Canadian telecommunications, offering a compelling alternative built on strong service, competitive pricing, and a customer-first approach.

 

A Promising Future for Television Production

During their meeting, Mr. Péladeau and Premier Kinew also discussed opportunities to leverage the expertise of Manitoba and Quebec producers, as well as the production facilities and capabilities of Quebecor’s MELS studios, and the broadcasting reach of TVA. These collaborative efforts aim to develop talent, strengthen relationships among key stakeholders in this important cultural sector, and deepen cultural ties between French-speaking communities.

Several projects were discussed, with anticipated economic benefits of several millions of dollars in production and filming expenditures in Manitoba.