IG Wealth Management is moving its Winnipeg headquarters to the heart of downtown in a major private-sector relocation that will bring more than 1,000 employees to Portage Avenue and Main Street, providing a significant boost to the city's downtown business district.

The company announced recently that it will relocate from its long-time headquarters at 447 Portage Ave. to 360 Main St., a 30-storey class-A office tower, with the move expected to be completed by mid-2028.

IG will sell the 320,000-square-foot building it has occupied since the 1980s and move into a smaller, modernized space designed around hybrid work, collaboration and employee experience. 

The company will also lease conference and event space in the adjacent 300 Main St. building, leasing about 128,000 square feet in total when it moves to its new space.

The relocation is expected to increase daily foot traffic in the downtown and support retailers, restaurants and other businesses, while raising committed occupancy at 360 Main from 79.6 per cent to about 95.1 per cent. 

A renewed commitment to Winnipeg

Nancy McCuaig, IG's executive vice-president and chief operations officer, called the move a strategic investment in the company's future and a renewed commitment to Winnipeg, saying the opportunity to establish a class-A headquarters in the city's financial district comes as the company marks its 100th anniversary.

“It's exciting to see it be part of the redevelopment of the downtown,” she said.

McCuaig said all the company’s offices across Canada are leased spaces with the exception of its headquarters building in Winnipeg. The building, which was built by IG in the 1980s, is currently home to about 1,200 employees.

It’s located in the downtown area near the former Hudson’s Bay building, the University of Winnipeg and Portage Place.

“Where we're moving to is really, from a Winnipeg perspective, the centre of the financial district where TD is, where RBC is," McCuaig said.

“We're relocating from a space that might have been great in the '80s for us, but people work very differently today than they did in the '80s.... This really optimizes how we're using the space for the number of people that we have and (focuses) on collaboration spaces and how people work.

"This is really a strategic investment in the future of our business and really a renewed commitment to Winnipeg.”

A rare opportunity in the city

McCuaig said the opportunity to move into class-A office space doesn’t present itself very often in a city like Winnipeg.

The new space will feature a modern, flexible design that supports collaboration, innovation and employee well-being. Amenities will include an outdoor patio, Skywalk access, bookable lounge and social spaces, updated technology and convenient access to local businesses — enhancing both the employee experience and connection to the downtown community.

The downtown office tower is owned and managed by RFA Asset Management. 

“The success of this transaction reflects years of strategic investment by RFA Asset Management in the property and the broader tenant experience," said RFA Financial SVP investor relations and sustainability Heather Nikkel.

"Through significant upgrades, modernization initiatives and a continued focus on creating a best-in-class workplace environment, ownership has enhanced the attractiveness of the asset for leading organizations seeking high-quality downtown office space.

“We believe transactions of this scale send a strong positive signal about the future of downtown Winnipeg.

"A commitment from a leading national organization reinforces confidence in the downtown market and highlights the advantages of being located in a connected, amenity-rich environment.”

She said RFA expects the announcement to generate interest from businesses that are considering their own long-term workplace needs and evaluating a downtown location.

“As more employees return to the downtown core, demand for the services and amenities that support them continues to grow," Nikkel said.

"This creates a significant opportunity for retailers, food service operators and other businesses seeking exposure to one of downtown Winnipeg's most connected and active commercial environments."

She added: "With more than 1,000 new employees coming into the building, we see a strong opportunity to expand and diversify the retail offering, enhance the tenant experience and contribute to the continued revitalization of downtown Winnipeg.”

Advantages of downtown Winnipeg

Nikkel said the company believes Winnipeg's downtown offers significant advantages for major employers, particularly with buildings that are deeply integrated into the city's pedestrian network. Connectivity to the Skywalk system and underground concourse creates a highly accessible, walkable environment for employees and visitors year-round, which is increasingly important for organizations focused on attracting and retaining talent.

“Bringing more people into the downtown core has broad positive implications for Winnipeg. Increased daily foot traffic supports retailers, restaurants, service providers and other businesses that make downtown vibrant," she said.

"We expect this to have a meaningful positive impact on the retail space throughout the Winnipeg Square concourse as well as in 300 Main and 330 Main, benefiting both existing tenants and prospective businesses considering a downtown location."

In its Q2 Winnipeg Office Market report, real estate firm Colliers said the downtown market continues to experience modest gains. Class-A properties had the greatest absorption, reflecting the continuance of flight to quality.

The Winnipeg downtown office vacancy rate was 14.9 per cent in Q2 2026, which was down from 15.9 per cent in the second quarter in 2025.