Winnipeg is a city in the province of Manitoba in Canada.
It is a major Canadian centre on the Prairies. About 711,000 people live in "The Peg," a city as diverse in and of itself as the whole of Canada. It is the capital and largest city in Manitoba.
Understand
Winnipeg started out as a fur trading post located at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, and was a crossroads for many early settlers. Many trails converged on the city and later became streets (which is evident when you see the city's somewhat haphazard road layout). After the construction of the CP railway across Canada, Winnipeg became a major transportation hub and "Gateway to the West." The city experienced a boom during the early 20th century, and for while was western Canada's major economic centre. Fortunately for the visitor, the economy slowed around the middle of the century, leaving intact a remarkable collection of period architecture, primarily in the city's downtown Exchange district.
The Red and Assiniboine rivers form Winnipeg's most prominent geographical features, and have played an important role in this city's development. "The Forks," where the Assiniboine flows into the Red, has been a meeting place since Aboriginal peoples first came there to trade. Today, it's the city's top tourist destination, with shops and restaurants representing the city's many ethnic groups, and a well-maintained expanse of riverside park.
Winnipeg is off the tourist trail for most visitors to Canada, and the visitor will experience an authentic and friendly Canadian Prairie City which leaves many pleasantly surprised.
When to Go
Winnipeg is best experienced in the summer months from late May through early September. The winters are long and can be very cold and snowy, though there is still much to enjoy during these months. The city turns on what is arguably Canada's best display of Christmas lights from late November until well into January.
Get in
By Plane
The Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is the major airport serving the city. It is conveniently located in the west end of the city about 7 km from Portage and Main. Major airlines servicing Winnipeg include Air Canada, WestJet, Northwest Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines, as well as many smaller regional carriers.
There are daily non-stop flights to Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Hamilton, London (Ontario), Regina, Saskatoon, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, numerous smaller destinations in Manitoba, Northern Ontario, and Nunavut, as well as non-stop charter and seasonal service to Florida, Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. From June to October, There are two non stop flights per week operated by Zoom Airlines to London Gatwick, UK.
Flight times are two hours to Toronto, two and a half hours to Vancouver, Ottawa, or Montreal, one hour and 45 minutes to Edmonton or Calgary, and one hour to Regina or Saskatoon.
The airport is currently building a new terminal which will open in 2009. British Airways is expected to start operations when the new terminal opens.
Flight information phone line: 204-987-9780
Website: http://www.waa.ca/
There are generally many taxi cabs and limousines waiting at the airport. Expect to pay around $20 for a taxi to central Winnipeg. Maximum fare to anywhere in the city is $36. Limousine fares are generally $27 and up and can actually be cheaper than a taxi depending on the traveller's negotiation skills. Public transport is offered by Winnipeg Transit's Route 15 Mountain bus which runs every 10 to 25 minutes between about 6:00 am to midnight (depending on time of day) and will take you downtown in about 20 minutes. Fare is $2.00.
By Bus
Greyhound Canada and Grey Goose provide service to downtown Winnipeg from across the continent; routes also extend throughout the province of Manitoba. The bus depot is located at the corner of Portage Avenue and Colony Street, in the downtown area, one block from The Bay department store.
By Train
Via Rail offers The Canadian to Vancouver (via Edmonton and Jasper) or Toronto, which departs from Union Station. Trains to Toronto depart on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays; Trains to Vancouver depart Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Winnipeg is also the origin of The Hudson Bay, which departs three times weekly with service to Churchill on Hudson Bay via The Pas and Thompson. Union Station is located at the corner of Main Street and Broadway, within easy walking distance of The Forks. It was designed by the same architects behind Grand Central Station in New York, and is a stately piece of architecture. The station itself is a tourist highlight and houses a railway museum in the summer months.
By Car
Winnipeg is located on the Trans-Canada Highway . From the south, take US Interstate 29, which then becomes provincial highway 75. Winnipeg is an hour from the Canada-US border and two and one half hours from Grand Forks, ND. From the west, the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) leads directly to Winnipeg from Regina. Winnipeg is 3 hours and 20 minutes from the MB-Sask border. From the east, Ontario Highway 17 becomes Highway 1 at the Manitoba border (at which time it becomes a 4-lane divided highway). The journey from the Ontario border to Winnipeg is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Get around
Winnipeg is a large, spread-out city, and it can take a while to get around. While the public transportation service is adequate in the inner part of the city and on main suburban roads, some bus routes run only infrequently during the evening on weekends. Traffic jams are seldom experienced and parking is very inexpensive so it is worth considering renting a car, especially if any excursions outside of the city are planned.
Walking
Most of the major attractions are within walking distance of the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street, which is the heart of the city. The Forks is approximately a 10 to 15 minute walk and Saint Boniface approximately 15 minutes. It is about a 20 minute walk to Osborne Village and 30 minutes to Corydon Avenue. Interesting walks in Central Winnipeg include the River Walks along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, the Esplanade Riel to St.Boniface and Tache and Provencher Avenues, along Broadway from Osborne to Main, and in the Exchange District. Also check out the Wolseley area (just to the southwest of downtown, great architecture, and some good shops and restaurants), Crescentwood (Wellington Crescent), and Scotia Street in the North End.
Bus
Winnipeg Transit has bus routes running throughout the city. Service is generally good on major routes in the inner city but only fair to poor in the outer suburban areas. As of January 1st, 2007, adult bus fare is $2.00 (CDN). There is a reduced fare of $1.65 for children, high school students, and seniors (65+ years of age), for which identification is sometimes required. Tickets and passes are also available from some locations at reduced rates. A transfer can be requested when you pay your fare, which entitles you to ride as many buses as you like within the next 90 minutes.
From Downtown, use the 15 Sargent bus for the airport, the 11 Portage, (daytime 21 Express or 22 Express) buses for the bus depot, Polo Park mall, or Assiniboine Park, the 16 Osborne or 18 Corydon buses for Osborne Village, the 18 Corydon bus for Corydon Avenue, and the 18 North Main - Riverbend bus for Kildonan Park. For Saint Boniface use route 10 buses.
Transit's website includes schedules and a helpful travel planner called Navigo. http://www.winnipegtransit.com/
Winnipeg has 3 free downtown buses (started to promote shopping). So if you're looking to get around downtown on little cash. Check this out: http://www.winnipegtransit.com/main/downtownspirit.jsp
Taxi
Winnipeg Taxicab Tariff : Starting fee: $3.05, then $0.10 for each additional 81 metres. If the taxi stops, there's a "waiting time charge" of $0.10 for each 14 seconds of metered waiting time. Here is how to calculate your fare ( waiting times, if any, not taken into account) : ($0.10 x # of kms)/0.081 km)+$3.05 . So, a 10 km ride works out to about $ 15.39 .
Car Rentals
Safety
Winnipeg is relatively safe in comparison to many large cities in North America but visitors are advised not to venture north of City Hall on Main Street at night, and to use caution on Portage Avenue, and in the area to its north. Panhandlers are less numerous in Winnipeg compared to cities like Vancouver and they are very seldom aggressive, however displays of obvious wealth such as jewellery and expensive digital cameras should be kept to the bare minimum.
Those who rent automobiles while visiting Winnipeg should be aware that the city has a fairly substantial auto theft and "smash and grab" problem. Vehicle doors should be kept locked while parked and under no circumstances leave any object, no matter what the value, in the interior of the car where it can be seen. Keep all items in the trunk.
See
Historical and Cultural Attractions
Museums
Manitoba Museum. The Manitoba Museum is the recipient of the Michelin Green Guide’s top award – designated ‘Worth the Trip’, the Province of Manitoba’s Tourism Service Excellence Award, the Attractions Canada Prix Award (provincial) for indoor attractions and the Canadian Tourism Commission’s ‘Win with Winter in Canada’ award. The museum is the province’s largest attraction hosting more than 300,000 visitors annually. You can explore a vivid portrayal of Manitoba’s rich and colourful history through nine galleries that total approximately 68,000 square feet of exciting exploration (approximately 4 football fields). All regions of Manitoba are represented in the galleries, including the Grasslands, the Boreal Forest, the Arctic/Sub arctic. There are also some recent additions to the Museum: the Hudson Bay Company Collections Gallery and the Parklands/Mixed Woods Gallery, which is the largest and most interactive of the galleries. In fact the national editors of Where Magazine selected the Parklands/Mixed Woods Gallery as “One of Canada’s Best New Attractions in Summer 2004”.
The Manitoba Museum is noted for its dramatic walk-through settings including the 17th century full-size replica ship “The Nonsuch” whose voyage in 1668 led to the formation of the Hudson’s Bay Company, and the Urban Gallery, which recreates boomtown Winnipeg, in the 1920’s (the ‘gateway to the west’). Located at 190 Rupert Ave. at Main St. For information, call (204)956-2830 or (204)943-3139 (recorded info) http://www.manitobamuseum.ca
Manitoba Children's Museum.The Manitoba Children’s Museum is home to several hands-on galleries, offering plenty of family fun. Be a TV anchor, visit the land of fairy tales or climb aboard a fully refurbished locomotive and passenger train car. In November and December, you can take a magical stroll through the Santa Village and perhaps even meet the man in the red suit himself.
Address is at 45 Forks Market Road, located within the Forks Market. For information, call (204) 924-4000 http://www.childrensmuseum.com
Parks and Outdoor Attractions
Entertainment
Do
Nightspots
Visitors will be pleasantly surprised at how affordable it is to "Party in the Peg". Bottles of beer and cocktails generally sell for between $3.25 and $4.50.
Corydon Avenue/Osborne Village (Off of Pembina Highway) Take a stroll down the leafy streets during the summer. Lots of bars and restaurants.
Exchange District - The city's late 19th/early 20th century collection of buildings. 20 square blocks of historical buildings left from Winnipeg's boom period (1880-1920) - very impressive. Due to the rarity of such a wide area of period business buildings, many film companies can be found shooting in this area.
Bars - Alive In the Exchange
Bars - Empire Cabaret Main St downtown.
Bars - The Pemby (18-24 year old crowd, large selection of cheap beer by the pitcher, decent music, pool, fussball, and free darts!)
Bars - The Zoo (Often punk-rock, cheap beer, pool, and sometimes strippers)
Bars - Canad Inns (Tijuana Yacht Club (TYC) on Thursday and Saturday, Off-Campus (The OC) Friday. 18-24)
Gay & Lesbian Nightclubs - Gio's (Smith Street downtown), Club 200 (Garry Street downtown), Desire Nightclub (Main Street downtown). Winnipeg is generally a very tolerant city and was North America's first large city to have an openly gay mayor. Areas with large gay populations include Osborne Village and Wolseley.
Gambling
Festivals
The city is home to several festivals.
Sports to watch
Buy
Aboriginal Crafts at the Forks market, many of which are unique to Winnipeg. Provincial Tax in Manitoba is 7%.
Eat
Kelekis: A Winnipeg institution that started off with Mr Kelekis Sr.'s popcorn wagon in the early part of the 20th century. Later the family opened a hot dog stand by Selkirk Locks but moved to the present location in 1931. Simple food, but very well cooked. The shoestring French fries, made fresh every day, are justly famed. The restaurant is also known for the wall of celebrity photos. Because of the restrictive liquor laws in Manitoba in the mid 20th C., drinking establishments were often closed as early as midnight or 1:00 AM. Kelekis, due to it's late hours and good reputation became the night spot for many entertainers and politicians. Today its hours are a little more restrained, closing at 7:30 on weeknights, but the food is just as delicious.
1100 Main St, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1 204 582-1786
Salisbury House 21 of them scattered all over the city. Started during the Dirty Thirties, the company still succeeded due to good food at decent prices. For some reason, Salisbury refers to hamburgers as "Nips", and as every Canadian knows, French fried potatoes are "chips". Hence a hamburger and French fries is known to a few Manitobans as "nip'n'chips". Many expatriates returning to the city find it a necessity to have at least one Sals' "nip". (The other necessity is buying loaves of Winnipeg rye bread to take home to friends as "The best dang rye bread in the world!") A new investor in the company is Burton Cummings of the old Winnipeg rock and roll band, "The Guess Who".
Tavern in the Park Pavilion in Assiniboine Park (896-7275) Continental fusion cuisine in a one-of-a-kind locale in the Historic Pavilion in Assinboine Park.
Baked Expectations Popular bakery and restaurant located in Osborne Village, famous for its desserts.
Monviso Ristorante Italiano A great Italian Restaurant with fabulous food and reasonable prices is located 637 Corydon Ave. The tiramisu is prepared from scratch on the premises and they feature over 20 different kinds of pasta. (204-287-8807)
Mondragon Bookstore and Coffeehouse (Exchange District-Downtown)
Definitely worth a quick look to sample a variety of organic fair-trade coffees and excellent vegan cuisine. While you are there you should take a look through the extensive collection of activist literature and music. The Mondragon often hosts lectures, musical performances and just about anything else 'left' you can think of.
Goodies Bake Shop Unbelievably delectable desserts ranging from pavlova to key lime pie to gelati to baklava, Goodies has something for everyone. Located at the corner of Ellice and Erin, Goodies has ample parking, and should not be missed.
Mercato Gelato Cafe Amazing new cafe, centrally located at Confusion Corner. Feels like a sunny Italian Market all year round. They have hundreds of gelato and sorbetto flavours and they always have seventy two on display. They are Manitoba's Largest Selection of Gelato. They also have great panini, soups and salads. A take out freezer is a must if attending any dinners and not wanting to show up empty handed. A must taste!! (204-452-0130)
Logan Corner Its a really good Asian restaurant on the corner of Logan and King. It has 2 different menu's, 1 is in Asian and the other in English. There food is great and they have a large variety.
Numerous restaurants can be found on Sargent and Ellice avenues in West End which offer a good variety of restaurants with good value dishes. There are many good Chinese restaurants in Chinatown (Princess and King Streets north of James Avenue), though walking these areas at night is not a good idea.
Massawa Excellent Ethiopian cuisine. Leave your forks at home, kids. At Massawa, as with traditional Ethiopian cuisine, eating with your hands is how it's done. Very good vegetarian selection, good atmosphere. Located on Osborne Street between River Avenue and Stradbrook.
Wasabi Two amazing sushi restaurants in Winnipeg, serving some of the most creative and beautiful rolls available in the city. The first being Wasabi on Broadway, the upscale casual chic restaurant in a big house. It is located two blocks West of Memorial on Broadway. The original is on Osborne Street, known as Wasabi Sushi Bistro/Next Door. The atmosphere in both restaurants is hip, modern and funky. The chain also runs a little grocery shop on Osborne called Wasabi at home, selling all specialty asian products.
Drink
Sleep
All major chain hotels have properties in Winnipeg. As well as in the downtown area, there are numerous hotels near the airport, near Polo Park Shopping Centre, and on Pembina Highway South. Cheap motels can be found throughout the city. The older hotels on Main Street should be avoided at all costs.
Get out
Winnipeg is a great starting point to begin exploring the province of Manitoba. Manitoba has many recreational opportunities, including canoeing, fishing, cycling, and cross-country skiing. One of the most popular out of town destinations is Grand Beach, located less than an hour from Winnipeg. Famous for its beautiful white sand beaches, it was once listed in top 10 fresh water beaches in the world by Playboy Magazine. Also visit Whiteshell Provincial Park (90 minutes east of Winnipeg via Highway 1 or Highway 44, or VIA Rail Service to Brereton Lake) for great camping, hiking, and boating. Oak Hammock Marsh, about a 40 minute drive north of the city is a must for bird watchers.
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Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba. Located in Western Canada, near where the Canadian Shield meets the Prairies, Winnipeg plays a prominent role in transportation, finance, manufacturing, agriculture and education. It is known as the "Gateway to the West" due to its location on the Canadian transportation network.
The city is located near the geographic centre of North America, on a flood plain at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, a point now commonly known as The Forks. The Red River Floodway protects the city from flooding. It is by far Manitoba's largest city with a population of 633,451.
Winnipeg offers an abundance of recreational opportunities as it lies in close proximity to hundreds of lakes including Lake Winnipeg, Canada's fifth largest lake and the world's eleventh largest, Lake Manitoba, as well as Lake of the Woods.
The city is one of Canada's major cultural centres and is home to the world famous Royal Winnipeg Ballet. It boasts historic architecture, scenic waterways, numerous parks, and numerous distinctive neighbourhoods. Winnipeg hosted the Pan-American Games in 1967 and 1999, the only city other than Mexico City to have hosted the event twice.
Winnipeg will soon have the first national museum outside of Ottawa. This will be the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
A resident of Winnipeg is known as a Winnipegger.
History
Winnipeg lies at the confluence of the Assiniboine River and Red River, which is also known as The Forks, and was a focal point on canoe river routes travelled by aboriginal peoples for thousands of years. The name Winnipeg is a transcription of a western Cree word meaning "muddy waters".
Trading Posts
In 1738, the Sieur de la Vérendrye built the first trading post on the site, Fort Rouge, which was ultimately abandoned. Other posts were built in the Red River region. Fort Gibraltar was built by the North West Company in 1809 and Fort Douglas was built by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1812. The two companies fought fiercely over trade in the area with each destroying the other's fort over the course of several battles. In 1821, the Hudson Bay Company and North West Company ended their long rivalry with a merger.
Fort Gibraltar, a post of the North West Company on the site of present-day Winnipeg, was renamed Fort Garry in 1822 and became the leading post in the region for the Hudson Bay Company. Fort Garry was destroyed in an 1826 flood, and rebuilt in 1835. It played a small role in fur trading, but housed the residence of the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company for many years.
Red River Rebellion
In 1869-1870, Winnipeg was the site of the Red River Rebellion, a conflict between the local Métis people led by Louis Riel and newcomers from eastern Canada. This rebellion led directly to the entry of Manitoba into Confederation as Canada's fifth province in 1870. On November 8, 1873, Winnipeg was incorporated as a city. In 1876, the post office officially adopted the name "Winnipeg," three years after the city's incorporation.
Pre-Panama Canal Boom
Winnipeg experienced a boom during the 1890s and the first two decades of the twentieth century, and the city's population grew from 25,000 in 1891 to more than 200,000 in 1921. Immigration increased during this period, and Winnipeg took on its distinctive multicultural character. The Manitoba Provincial Legislature Building reflects the optimism of the boom years. Built of Tyndall Stone in 1920, the highest point, the top of the dome, has a giant statue finished in gold leaf titled "Eternal Youth" but commonly known as the "Golden Boy". The Manitoba Legislative Building was elaborately designed based on neoclassical art, architecture, and the revival of classical philosophy and ideas. It has more recently been identified as incorporating extensive Masonic symbolism.
Winnipeg's growth slowed considerably after the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. The canal reduced reliance on Canada's rail system for international trade, and the increase in ship traffic helped Vancouver surpass Winnipeg to become Canada's third-largest city in the 1920s.
Winnipeg General Strike
As a result of appalling labour conditions following World War I, 35,000 Winnipeggers walked off the job in May 1919, in what came to be known as the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919. The government defeated the strike through arrests, deportation and violence. The strike ended in June of 1919, with the reading of the Riot Act and the death of two strikers and injuring at least 30 others, and was known as Bloody Saturday. The lasting effect was a polarized population. One of the leaders of the strike, J.S. Woodsworth, went on to found Canada's first socialist party, the CCF, which would later become the New Democratic Party.
The Depression
The stock market crash in 1929 only hastened an already steep decline in Winnipeg. The Great Depression resulted in massive unemployment, which was worsened by drought and depressed agricultural prices. By 1937, city officials told a federal commission that they could no longer function without assistance.
World War II
The Depression ended when World War II broke out in 1939. Thousands of Canadians volunteered to join the forces. In Winnipeg, the old established armouries of Minto, Tuxedo (Fort Osborne) and McGregor were so crowded that the military had to take over other buildings to handle the capacity.
Winnipeg played a large part in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP). The mandate of the BCATP was to train flight crews away from the battle zone in Europe. Pilots, navigators, bomb aimers, wireless operators, air gunners, and flight engineers all passed through Winnipeg on their way to the various air schools across Western Canada. Winnipeg headquartered Command No. 2.
Post-WWII and 1950 Flood
The end of World War II brought a new sense of optimism in Winnipeg. Pent-up demand brought a boom in housing development, but the building activity came to a halt in 1950 when city was swamped in the Winnipeg Flood. The largest flood since 1861 held waters above flood stage for 51 days. On May 8, 1950, eight dikes collapsed and four of the city's eleven bridges were destroyed. Nearly 70,000 people had to be evacuated. Premier Douglas Campbell called for federal assistance and Canadian Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent declared a state of emergency. Soldiers from the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry regiment staffed the relief effort for the duration of the flood. Total damages exceeded $1 billion.
Red River Floodway
To prevent future floods, the Red River Basin Investigation recommended a system of flood control measures, including a multiple diking systems and a floodway to divert the Red River around Winnipeg. The project, which included the Shellmouth Reservoir on the upper Assiniboine River, the Portage Diversion channel and the Fairford River Water Control Structure, cost $99,200,000 CAD. The Red River Floodway alone cost $62,700,000 CAD. Premier Duff Roblin reached a cost-sharing agreement with the federal government, with construction beginning in October 1962 and ending in 1968. For many years, both critics and supporters called the floodway "Duff's Ditch."
Recently the 1997 Red River Flood resulted in water levels that took the existing floodway to the limits of its design. Soon after, various levels of government commissioned engineering studies for a major increase in flood protection for the City of Winnipeg. Work began in late 2005 under a provincial collective bargaining agreement and is slated to include modifications to rail and road crossings as well as transmission line spans, upgrades to inlet control structures and fire protection, increased elevation of existing dikes, and the widening of the entire floodway channel itself. Completion of the Red River Floodway Expansion is slated for late 2010 at a final cost of more than $665,000,000 CAD.
Winter recreational activities are popular in and around the Red River Floodway. Skiing at the Spring Hill Winter Sports Park, located on the northern section of the floodway, as well as cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are among the most popular activities.
Amalgamation as Unicity
The current city of Winnipeg was created when the City of Winnipeg Act was amended to form Unicity in 1971. The municipalities of St. James-Assiniboia, St. Boniface, Transcona, St. Vital, West Kildonan, East Kildonan, Tuxedo, Old Kildonan, North Kildonan, Fort Garry, and Charleswood were amalgamated with the Old City of Winnipeg.
Small portions of the city have since seceded, but the vast majority of the populated area of the city remains within one single municipality. In order to prevent urban sprawl, the city restricted development to inside an urban limit line and in most cases left several kilometres of open space between the municipal boundary and suburban developments. Surrounding municipalities have a combined population of less than 100,000.
Slow Growth
Winnipeg's total annual growth rate has been 0.5% since 1971, while Calgary and Edmonton, formerly smaller cousins, have grown 4.5% and 3.0% per year, over the same period, so that each now has a metropolitan population of over 1.0 million. Winnipeg was briefly Canada's third-largest city (from 1910 until the 1930s), but, beginning in the 1970s, Winnipeg slowed in growth and by 2005 was only Canada's sixth largest city and ninth largest Census Metropolitan Area.
Recent History
In 2003 and 2004, Canadian Business magazine ranked Winnipeg in the top 10 cities for business. In 2006, Winnipeg was ranked by KPMG as one of the lowest cost locations to do business in Canada. As with much of Western Canada, in 2007, Winnipeg experienced both a building and real estate boom. In May of 2007, the Winnipeg real Estate Board reported the best month in its 104 year old history in terms of sales and volume.
Geography and climate
Winnipeg is situated just west of the longitudinal centre of Canada (also near the geographical centre of North America), and approximately 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of the border with the United States. It is near the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies, and about 70 kilometres (45 miles) south of Lake Winnipeg. It is situated in the floodplain of the Red River and is surrounded by rich agricultural land. Winnipeg is very isolated from other large population centres. Only one urban area with over 500,000 people (the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota) is located within 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) of Winnipeg.
Due to its location in the centre of a large land mass and its distance from both mountains and oceans, Winnipeg has an extreme continental climate. The city’s northerly location is also influential, though Winnipeg is located farther south than London or Amsterdam. The city is famous for its long, cold and snowy winters, and is often referred to as “Winterpeg”. According to Environment Canada, Winnipeg is the coldest city in the world with a population of over 600,000.
In sharp contrast summers are warm to hot and often quite humid with frequent thunderstorms. The summers in Winnipeg are similar to those experienced in cities in the Midwestern United States. Spring and autumn are short and highly variable seasons. In a typical year temperatures range from –35° C (-31° F) to 35° C (95° F), though lower and higher readings are occasionally observed. The weather is characterized by an abundance of sunshine throughout the year.
Demographics
The City of Winnipeg is home to 633,451 residents, representing 55.16% of the total population of Manitoba.
As of the 2001 census:
Visible minorities
Statistics Canada asks census respondents whether they are aboriginal and whether they belong to a visible minority. Published figures for 2001:
Government
History
The first elections for city government in Winnipeg were held shortly after the city was incorporated in 1873. On January 5, 1874, Francis Evans Cornish, former mayor of London, Ontario defeated Winnipeg Free Press editor and owner William F. Luxton by a margin of 383 votes to 179. There were only 382 eligible voters in the city at the time but property owners were allowed to vote in every civic poll in which they owned property. Up until the year 1955, mayors could only serve one term. City government consisted of 13 aldermen and one mayor. This number of elected officials remained constant until 1920.
The inaugural Council meeting took place on January 19, 1874 on the second floor of Bentley's, a newly constructed building on the northwest corner of Portage and Main.
Construction of a new City Hall commenced in 1875. The building proved to be a structural nightmare and eventually had to be held up by props and beams. The building was eventually demolished in favour of building a new City Hall in 1883.
A new City Hall building was constructed in 1886. It was a "Gingerbread" building built in Victorian grandeur and symbolized Winnipeg's coming of age at the end of the nineteenth century. The building stood for nearly 80 years. There was a plan to replace it around the World War I era, during the time that the Manitoba Legislature was under construction, but the war delayed that process. In 1958, falling plaster almost hit visitors to the City Hall building. The tower eventually had to be removed and in 1962 the whole building was torn down.
Winnipeg City Council embraced the idea of a "Civic Centre" as a replacement for the old city hall. The concept originally called for an administrative building and a council building with a courtyard in between. Eventually, a police headquarters and remand centre (The Public Safety Building) and parkade were added to the plans. The four buildings were completed in 1964 in the brutalist style, at a cost of $8.2 million. The Civic Centre and the Manitoba Centennial Centre were connected by underground tunnels in 1967.
:See also: List of mayors of Winnipeg, Manitoba
Education
Education is a provincial government responsibility in Canada.
In Manitoba, education is governed principally by The Public Schools Act and The Education Administration Act as well as regulations made under both Acts. Rights and responsibilities of the Minister of Education, Citizenship and Youth and the rights and responsibilities of school boards, principals, teachers, parents and students are set out in the legislation.
There are two major universities, a community college, a private Mennonite college and a French college in St. Boniface
The University of Manitoba is the largest university of the province of Manitoba, most comprehensive and only research-intensive post-secondary educational institution. It was founded in 1877, making it Western Canada’s first university. The university is home to four colleges: St. John's College, St. Paul's College, St. Andrew's College, and University Colleges. In a typical year, the university has an enrollment of 24,542 undergraduate students and 3,021 graduate students. The university offers 82 degrees, 51 at the undergraduate level. Most academic units offer graduate studies programs leading to master’s or doctoral degrees.
The University of Winnipeg received its charter in 1967 but its roots date back more than 130 years. The founding colleges were Manitoba College 1871, and Wesley College 1888, which merged to form United College in 1938.
Winnipeg is also home to numerous private schools, both religious and secular.
School divisions
There are six public school divisions in Winnipeg:
Higher education
There are four universities and one major college in Winnipeg:
:See also: List of schools of Winnipeg, Manitoba
Economy
Winnipeg is an important regional centre of commerce, industry, culture, finance, and government.
Approximately 375,000 people are employed in Winnipeg and the surrounding area. Winnipeg's largest employers are either government or government-funded institutions: the Province of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, the University of Manitoba, the Health Sciences Centre, the Casinos of Winnipeg, and Manitoba Hydro. Approximately 54,000 people or 14% of the work force are employed in the public sector.
There are several large private sector employers, as well: Manitoba Telecom Services, CanWest Global Communications, Palliser Furniture, Great-West Life Assurance, Motor Coach Industries, Convergys, New Flyer Industries, Boeing Canada Technology, Bristol Aerospace, Nygård International, Canad Inns and Investors Group.
A number of large privately held family owned companies operate out of Winnipeg. The most famous of these is James Richardson & Sons. The Richardson building at Portage and Main was the first skyscraper to grace that corner. Other private companies are Ben Moss Jewellers, Frantic Films and Paterson Grain.
Winnipeg is the site of Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg and the headquarters of 1 Canadian Air Division, as well as home to several reserve units. See #Military in this article.
The Royal Canadian Mint located in eastern Winnipeg is where all circulating coinage in Canada is produced. The plant, established in 1975, also produces coins for many other countries in the world.
Winnipeg is also home to the National Microbiology Laboratory, Canada's front line in its response to SARS and one of only 15 Biosafety level 4 microbiology laboratories in the world.
Military
Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, Co-located at the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, is home to many flight operations support divisions, as well as several training schools. It is also the headquarters of 1 Canadian Air Division (1CdnAirDiv, formerly Air Command Headquarters) and the Canadian NORAD Region Headquarters. The base is supported by over 3,000 military personnel and civilian employees.
17 Wing of the Canadian Forces is based at CFB Winnipeg. The Wing comprises three squadrons and six schools. It also provides support to the Central Flying School. Excluding the three levels of government, 17 Wing is the fourth largest employer in the city.
The Wing also supports 113 units stretching from Thunder Bay, to the Saskatchewan/Alberta border and from the 49th Parallel to the high Arctic. 17 Wing also acts as a deployed operating base for CF-18 Hornet fighter-bombers assigned to the Canadian NORAD Region.
Two squadrons based in the city are:
Winnipeg is home to a number of reserve units: the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada infantry, 735 Communications Regiment, 17 Service Battalion, and 17 (Winnipeg) Field Ambulance at Minto Armoury, the Fort Garry Horse armoured reconnaissance regiment at McGregor Armoury, and HMCS Chippewa naval reserve.
For many years, Winnipeg was the home of The Second Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, or 2 PPCLI. Initially, the battalion was based at the Fort Osborne Barracks near present day Osborne Village. They eventually moved to the Kapyong Barracks located in the River Heights/Tuxedo part of Winnipeg. Since 2004, the 550 men and women of the battalion have operated out of Canadian Forces Base Shilo near Brandon.
Transportation
For thousands of years the Aboriginals of the region used various networks of rivers across the province. The Forks became an early meeting place for the purpose of trade. Situated at the confluence of the Red and the Assiniboine in what is now downtown Winnipeg. It would prove to be the most important location for European and First Nations trade in Manitoba. The common method of transportation on these waterways during this time were often birch bark canoes generally used by the Aboriginals while European traders would tend to use York boats.
Winnipeg has had a public transit system since the 1880s, starting with horse-drawn streetcars. Electric streetcars from 1891 until 1955, and electric trolley buses from 1938 until 1970. Winnipeg Transit now operates entirely with diesel buses. For decades, the city has explored the idea of a rapid transit link, either bus or rail, from downtown to the University of Manitoba's suburban campus.
Winnipeg is unique among North American cities its size in that it does not have freeways within the urban area. Beginning in 1958, the primarily suburban Metropolitan council proposed a system of freeways, including one that would have bisected the downtown area. A modern four-lane highway called the Perimeter Highway was built in 1969. It serves as an expressway around the city (also known as a ring road) with interchanges and at-grade intersections that bypass the city entirely. It allows travellers on the Trans-Canada Highway to avoid the city and continue east or west uninterrupted.
Budgetary constraints over the last three decades has resulted in an aging roadway system that is considered substandard compared to much of North America. Winnipeg is behind virtually all major metropolitan centres when it comes to adopted standards for road maintenance, grade separations, interchanges, road markings, traffic signals, construction zone traffic safety systems and general signage. Recently, this infrastructure deficit has reached crisis proportions prompting the city council to increase the infrastructure budget. The additional money is being spent to repair crumbling roads and eventually bring the system closer to standards that other North American jurisdictions utilize. Winnipeg has also embarked on an ambitious wayfinding program erecting new signage at strategic downtown locations. The intention is to make it easier for travellers, specifically tourists to locate services and attractions.
The city is directly connected to the U.S. via Highway 75 (a northern continuation of I-29 and US 75). The highway runs 107 kilometres to Emerson, Manitoba, the 8th busiest border crossing. Much of the commercial traffic that crosses in Emerson either originates from or is destined to Winnipeg. Inside the city, the highway is locally known as Pembina Highway.
Winnipeg's airport, recently renamed as Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, is currently under redevelopment. A new terminal building is scheduled for completion by 2009. The field was Canada's first international airport when it opened in 1928 as Stevenson Aerodrome.
Crime
In 2004, Winnipeg had the fourth highest overall crime rate among Canadian Census Metropolitan Area cities listed with 12,167 Criminal Code of Canada offences per 100,000 population. Only Regina, Saskatoon, and Abbotsford had higher crime rates. Winnipeg had the highest rate among centres with populations greater than 500,000. The crime rate was 50% higher than that of Calgary and more than double the rate for Toronto.
In 2005, Statistics Canada shows Manitoba had the highest decline of overall crime in Canada at nearly 8%. Winnipeg dropped from having the highest rate of murder per capita in the country. That distinction now belongs to Edmonton. Manitoba did continue to lead all other provinces in auto thefts, almost all of it centered in Winnipeg.
To combat auto theft, Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) established financial incentives for motor vehicle owners to install ignition immobilizers in their vehicles. Most new vehicles include these devices as standard features. These devices make it almost impossible for would-be vehicle thieves to "hot-wire" the vehicle.
Sports
Hockey
In 1972, the Winnipeg Jets were one of the original teams of the World Hockey Association and won three Avco World Trophy league titles in eight years. The Jets entered the National Hockey League in 1979 and played in Winnipeg until 1996. The Jets featured such Hall of Famers as WHA coach Rudy Pilous and players Bobby Hull, Dale Hawerchuk, and (briefly) Serge Savard, as well as potential Hall of Famers Teemu Selänne and Phil Housley. In 1996, the team was sold to an ownership group based in Phoenix, Arizona, and moved there to become the Phoenix Coyotes.
Since 1996, Winnipeg has been home to the minor-league Manitoba Moose, currently a member of the American Hockey League. The Moose are the farm team to the NHL's Vancouver Canucks.
The old Winnipeg Arena (1955-2006) was originally home to the Winnipeg Warriors (minor pro) of the Western Hockey League (minor pro) from 1955 to 1961. The Warriors were World's Minor Professional Champions in 1955-56, winning the Edinburgh Cup. The Arena was also home to the Winnipeg Warriors of the WHL from 1980 through 1984, and the Winnipeg Monarchs of the same league in the 1960s and 70s.
The Manitoba Moose currently play out of the MTS Centre.
Old-Time Hockey
Winnipeg produced Hall of Fame hockey players Andy Bathgate, Bill Mosienko, Art Coulter, Ching Johnson, Frank Fredrickson, Jack Ruttan and Terry Sawchuk.
The Stanley Cup was won three times by the Winnipeg Victorias in 1896, 1901 and 1902. The Winnipeg Falcons won the gold medal in the 1920 Winter Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. The Winnipeg Hockey Club won the gold medal in the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
Football
Winnipeg has a team in the Canadian Football League, the Blue Bombers, who have won 10 Grey Cups, the league's championship trophy. The Winnipeg 'Pegs won the Grey Cup in 1935.
Winnipeg also hosted the Grey Cup game in 2006.
Baseball
Minor-league baseball has a long history in Winnipeg.
1902-1942: Winnipeg Maroons of the original Northern League
1953-1964: Winnipeg Goldeyes, an affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals in the Class C Northern League
1970-1971: Winnipeg Whips, AAA affiliate of the Montreal Expos
In 1994, the Rochester Aces of the independent Northern League re-located to Winnipeg, and the team was renamed the Goldeyes.
Initially, the team played at multi-purpose Winnipeg Stadium. In 1999, the team moved to the downtown CanWest Global Park, a baseball-only stadium. The Goldeyes are owned by current mayor Sam Katz.
Horseracing
The first track horse race in Winnipeg took place in 1922. Whittier Park and Polo Park were used as racetracks in the past. Today, Assiniboia Downs is a six and one half furlong oval located on the western edge of the city. It is operated as a non-profit organization by the Manitoba Jockey Club. Live thoroughbred horseracing takes place in the summer.
Amateur sports
Winnipeg hosted the 1967 Pan American Games and 1999 Pan American Games. Other notable sports figures include six time Olympic speedskating medallist and most decorated Canadian Olympian Cindy Klassen and her prodigy Steven Poole, Olympic Taekwondo athlete and bronze-medallist Dominique Bosshart and Summer and Winter Olympic medal winner Clara Hughes. Canadian Olympic Women's Hockey Gold Medallist Jennifer Botterill also calls Winnipeg home. Daniel Yanofsky, the first chess Grandmaster developed in the British Commonwealth, lived in Winnipeg from infancy, and he organized and played in Canada's first Supergrandmaster chess tournament in Winnipeg 1967.
University sports
The University of Winnipeg and the University of Manitoba have active and successful programs in sports, especially volleyball and basketball. The University of Winnipeg's women's basketball team won 88 consecutive games during the 1990s, tying a college sports record. The University of Manitoba Bisons football team has won two Vanier Cup trophies and has won the Hardy Trophy nine times. Volleyball is particularly strong, with consistently high-calibre play, dating back to the standing (in 2007) record of four consecutive national university championships held by the University of Winnipeg Wesmen since the early 1970s.
Curling
Winnipeg is also home to many of the world's best curling teams and has hosted the World Curling Championships in 1978, 1991 and 2003. Several World Curling Championships winners have called Winnipeg home including Don Duguid, Kerry Burtnyk, Jeff Stoughton and Georgina Wheatcroft.
Notable Current Sports Figures
Colorado Avalanche forward Tyler Arnason, former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Superstar Chris Jericho.
Current professional franchises
