Dean Dias, CEO of Cereals Canada, and Thor Richardson, President of James Richardson & Sons, Limited (supplied photo/Cereals Canada)

By Alice McFarlane

Land agreement for GATE

Future Global Agriculture Technology Exchange has a home base

Dec 12, 2025 | 12:14 PM

A deal has been reached for land for the Global Agriculture Technology Exchange (Gate) facility in downtown Winnipeg.

Cereals Canada and James Richardson & Sons, Limited (JRSL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Richardson Centre, a subsidiary of JRSL, will make an in-kind contribution of land for the development of GATE.

The MOU establishes a framework for the parcel of land located at the corner of Lombard Avenue and Westbrook Street and near Winnipeg’s historic Portage & Main intersection.

Cereals Canada CEO Dean Dias said the land is considered a foundational asset to support the development of the Gate facility, contingent upon the success of the project’s capital campaign.

“Securing what we previously identified as the most desirable site for Gate is a significant step forward, and we are deeply appreciative of James Richardson & Sons for their generosity,” Dias said. “Together, we are building the foundation for a project that will support Canada’s grain competitiveness well into the future.”

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The signing of the MOU is an important milestone for the Cereals Canada-led project. It reflects the commitment of JRSL in supporting Gate and its vision of creating a world-class hub for collaboration, innovation, and market development to ensure Canada remains at the forefront of the global cereals sector.

Thor Richardson, President of James Richardson & Sons, said his family has been in the grain industry since 1857.

“We appreciate the importance of the work that Cereals Canada performs to help expand and diversify export markets for the grain that Canadian farmers produce,” Richardson said. “We also believe that the heart of downtown Winnipeg, which is home to many of Canada’s leading agriculture companies and institutions, is the natural location for the Gate.”

The $102-million state-of-the-art facility is designed to be a hub for research, training, and international collaboration.

To date, the Gate Capital Campaign, led by former Manitoba Senator JoAnne Buth, has raised $32,150,000 towards its goal.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com