Prosperity by Design: The Board’s Role in Driving Manitoba’s Innovation Strategy

In 2024, the Manitoba government established Manitoba Innovation and New Technology as a new portfolio to accelerate the province’s tech sector, support business growth, and modernize government services under the leadership of Minister Mike Moroz. In 2025, Minister Moroz convened a provincial task force to develop a Framework for Innovation and Prosperity. Released on October 31, the framework outlines five foundational pillars being intellectual property generation and protection, AI sovereignty and responsible adoption, infrastructure readiness, talent development and alignment, and strategic alignment with federal priorities.

Our Chapter Executive member Debra Jonasson-Young, who is a member of the provincial task force, will moderate a panel discussion with other members of the task force being The Honourable Mike Moroz, Minister of Innovation and New Technology, Jacqueline Keena, Managing Director – Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative, and Adam Herstein, Partner – Pitblado Law, Business and Technology. Together, they will explore questions such as:

• How should boards evaluate their organization’s IP strategy, and where might risks or opportunities be underestimated;

• What does meaningful AI literacy look like at the board level, and how should directors oversee AI adoption, data governance, and digital sovereignty;

• What infrastructure considerations - physical, digital, procurement-related, or data-driven - should boards be probing with management; and

• How can directors help shape future-ready talent strategies and leadership pipelines.

Manitoba is entering a pivotal moment in its economic evolution and governance leaders have a critical role to play. Register today and learn how you can help position your organization for long-term success amid rapid technological, economic, and geopolitical change.