MNP enters partnership agreement with Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre
The new trade, convention and events centre will open in Lethbridge in Summer 2023
LETHBRIDGE, AB, June 20, 2023 – MNP, one of Canada’s largest professional services firms, has entered into a partnership agreement with Lethbridge’s newly-constructed Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. As part of the agreement, MNP will receive the naming rights to the MNP Meeting Centre and one of four meeting suites in the landmark facility, which is set to open to the public in Summer 2023.
The Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre is operated by Lethbridge & District Exhibition, a not-for-profit organization founded by local ranchers and citizens more than a century ago. Today, it hosts diverse trade shows, community events, farmers’ markets, and expos, all with a focus on serving Southern Alberta’s agriculture industry.
“Southern Alberta is Canada’s Agriculture Destination,” said Mike Warkentin, CEO at Lethbridge & District Exhibition. “Partners like MNP make it possible for this facility to showcase the true agricultural potential of this region.”
MNP’s offices across Canada are staffed by local partners who live alongside their clients, in the communities where they do business. In fact, many of MNP’s agriculture advisors run farming operations of their own. For this reason, MNP has long maintained a strong culture of community involvement and supporting local institutions, and Lethbridge is no exception.
“It’s an honour to have our name associated with a great facility like the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre,” said David Muryn, Regional Managing Partner for MNP in Lethbridge. “Making this investment was a natural fit for us – it aligns with our goal to showcase Lethbridge and Southern Alberta’s vital contributions to the food and agriculture world.”
MNP’s roots in the Canadian agri-food industry go deep, back to its earliest days in 1958 as a single operation in Brandon, Manitoba advising local farm families and agriculture clients. Today, the firm offers specialized accounting, consulting, financial planning, and tax services to diverse agri-food businesses and the entrepreneurs who run them – from orchards in British Columbia, to grain farms in the prairie provinces, to dairy farms in Quebec. It also advises several Indigenous communities and governing bodies in Southern Alberta, as well as local Hutterite colonies.
“We’re optimistic about the future of agriculture in Canada, and in this region specifically,” said Stu Person, head of the Agriculture practice at MNP. “Local Canadian-sourced food is some of the highest quality in the world, and we want to support and celebrate those who produce it.”
The investments in new feedlot facilities, combined with the recently announced expansion of irrigation districts, are among the primary reasons Person cited for his optimism, and MNP’s. “These are great examples of why this region has so much potential in the long term,” he said.
MNP first established its Lethbridge office in 1999, and it has served countless agriculture clients in the region since that time. About Lethbridge & District Exhibition
Lethbridge & District Exhibition is the premiere destination for bringing people together from all over the world in Southern Alberta. We accelerate economic opportunity through the delivery of memorable experiences. The 268,000 square foot Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre will serve as an economic driver of growth for Alberta’s tourism, agriculture and agri-food sectors. Once completed, the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre is expected to contribute more than $90 million annually to the regional economy. For more information, visit agrifoodhub.ca.
About MNP LLP
National in scope and local in focus, MNP is one of Canada’s leading professional services firms – proudly serving individuals, businesses, and organizations since 1958. Through partner-led engagements and the development of strong relationships, we provide client-focused accounting, consulting, tax, and digital services. Our clients benefit from personalized strategies with a local perspective to fuel success wherever business takes them. For more information, visit mnp.ca.
Attached photo (l to r): Marvin Slingerland, MNP Partner and National Director, Livestock Services; Dana Thomsen, MNP Partner and Regional Agriculture Leader; Mike Warkentin, Lethbridge & District Exhibition CEO; David Muryn, MNP Regional Managing Partner – Lethbridge; Peter Harthoorn, MNP Partner and Business Advisor; Kyla King, MNP Manager, Regional Marketing
For further information: Lethbridge & District Exhibition: Paul Kingsmith Sr. Manager, Marketing and Communications 403.328.4491 ext. 202 paul.kingsmith@agrifoodhub.ca MNP: David Muryn, CPA, CA Regional Managing Partner for Lethbridge 403.380.1652 David.Muryn@mnp.ca
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