5: Why Growing Year-Round in Manitoba Holds the Key to Local Food Security with Cormac Foster

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“People often look at Manitoba as a place that they say it's too cold...there's no way you can grow year round in Manitoba...It's freezing, which is a fair point. And a lot of people think that, but that actually isn't true, and we've proven that now,” says Cormac Foster, VP of Engineering and Development at Vermillion Growers, who joins Greenhouse Success Stories to share how his team shattered the myth that year-round, large-scale greenhouse farming in one of Canada’s harshest climates is impossible.

From navigating daunting permitting obstacles and innovating solutions for extreme humidity and temperature swings, to pioneering new utility models and helping carve a path for future greenhouse engineers, Cormac Foster details the journey of building Manitoba’s first commercial vegetable greenhouse. Behind the fresh tomatoes now appearing in local stores lies a story of technical ingenuity, global collaboration, and a bold vision to turn the province into an ag-tech powerhouse. Want to know how they made it happen—and what’s next? Don’t miss this episode.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Challenge the “it’s too cold” myth—innovative greenhouses can thrive year-round even in extreme climates like Manitoba. Start exploring what’s possible in your region.
2. Build your dream team—seek out the best global experts, consultants, and growers to turn your greenhouse vision into reality. Don’t settle, connect and collaborate widely.
3. Prioritize humidity and climate control—extreme weather demands experimental thinking and robust systems. Test new solutions, monitor closely, and adapt rapidly.
4. Advocate for your industry—push for updated regulations, utility classes, and incentive programs that support greenhouse agriculture. Take the lead in driving policy changes.
5. Own your learning journey—expand your skills in biosystems engineering, project management, and communication to unlock new opportunities in controlled environment agriculture. Invest in yourself and share your expertise.

Memorable Quotes"And people often look at Manitoba as a place that’s too cold, like there’s no way you can grow year-round here. It’s freezing, which is a fair point, and a lot of people think that, but that actually isn’t true—and we’ve proven that now.""My work really was focused on the design and then actually trying to see how can we get this design permitted and approved for use in Manitoba. How do we bring this technology that’s approved maybe in Europe or in other jurisdictions in North America here, and how did this work in our area?""Our official mission at Vermillion Growers is to grow high quality produce, healthy people, and sustainable communities. There’s a lot to unpack there, but that’s our mission as a company—we really do have big vision and big goals."Connect with...