Construction on the roads that will connect to Canada's first "inland port" began on Friday in Winnipeg.

CentrePort will be a 20,000-acre business, transportation and trade hub built in the northwest corner of Winnipeg.

A new expressway called CentrePort Canada Way will connect CentrePort with Inkster Boulevard, the Winnipeg James A. Richardson International Airport, the rail yard, and provincial highways.

Politicians marked the first stage of development of the four-lane divided expressway on Friday.

The federal and provincial governments are picking up the nearly $300 million tab to build the expressway and improve Highway 75 and the Perimeter Highway.

The idea is to connect Winnipeg with trade partners across North America and in Asia.

Diane Gray, president and CEO of CentrePort Canada, said that in five years Winnipegers will notice the difference in economic development that CentrePort has contributed to the area.

"People are coming to us and saying, ‘Hey, this is something we want to be part of, your geographic location makes sense, your transportation assets are unparalleled in terms of North America,'" she said.

Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz said CentrePort may be the greatest thing the city has seen in a long time.

"It has the ability to do what nothing else could accomplish for our city as far as economic impact and creating phenomenal jobs," Katz said.

According to Katz, almost one third of Winnipeggers' jobs directly relate to trade and CentrePort will increase that figure.

with a report from CTV's Laura Lowe