From the Philippines to the Prairies: How Neepawa is thriving through immigration

A new Filipino restaurant in Neepawa is highlighting the town's rapidly growing newcomer population and the strong cultural ties shaping rural Manitoba.

Catherine Vego, who is from the Philippines and came to the Neepawa area in 2014, opened Vego's Home Pinoy Restaurant at the start of October, bringing a taste of her home country to the southwestern Manitoba town. 

"I want them to feel like they're just in the Philippines," Vego said. "Everything that they miss.”

Neepawa has seen a dramatic demographic shift in recent years, led by Filipino newcomers. According to the 2021 Statistics Canada census, Neepawa had a total population of just under 5,700, more than half of whom — just over 2,900 people — were visible minorities. That included 2,600 who identified as Filipino.

That number has nearly doubled since 2016, when Neepawa had just over 1,600 Filipino residents, and a total population of about 4,600.

Marilyn Crewe, Neepawa’s economic development officer, said the number of newcomer businesses in the community has doubled in the last decade, with about 13 storefronts, roughly half of which are Filipino-owned. 

Many newcomers arrive through the temporary foreign worker program at HyLife Foods, a Manitoba-based company that has a pork-processing plant in Neepawa. It brings an estimated 200 workers a year to the community, many from the Philippines, said Crewe — recruitment that has fuelled Neepawa’s growth.

"It’s a gift for the community," she said. "For Neepawa, it’s just been handed to us."

Temporary workers can, after a period, apply for permanent residency. If successful, they can stay and build a new home in Neepawa, which creates opportunities for everyone, said Crewe.

Local businesses are also looking for new ways to help fill labour shortages and skills gaps through immigration, and Crewe helps employers find staff when they aren't available in the small town. 

"We see this opportunity then for entrepreneurship, to also help them," Crewe said. "It's part of what they see as becoming successful in Canada."

In a statement, HyLife told CBC its current workforce includes a strong Filipino community, along with employees from other countries like Mexico.

"We are thrilled to see the positive growth in Neepawa," and the company works with municipal and provincial officials "to ensure this progress benefits everyone and supports the long-term success of the region," the statement said.

While the federal government has promised changes to immigration and temporary foreign worker programs, Crewe says she’s hopeful they’ll take into account how immigration helps smaller communities like Neepawa grow.