Winnipeg Overview

Winnipeg is the capital city of the Manitoba province, and is home to some of the largest arts festivals in the world. With four professional sports teams and a reputation as the dining capital of Canada, Winnipeg invites you to sample its treasures.

Districts

City Center
The semi-famous intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street at the head of the Exchange District was the original site of commercial development in the city. It is still a main trade area, with the major banks holding offices in the city's many skyscrapers. Urban renewal is rampant in this city, with many of the historical buildings preserved; most are within walking distance of the downtown attractions and hotels.

The Exchange District
This is where commerce first developed in Winnipeg; it is the area housing the original grain exchange and Old Market Square. While the market has since moved to The Forks Market, the Exchange is still a gathering and learning place. Artspace, the Manitoba Arts Council, and Manitoba Writer’s Guild are all located in the centre of the Exchange at Albert St. There are also several clubs in the area, such as the old British-style pub, King's Head Knight's Pub Club, and the Coyote Cafe.

The Forks Market
This is THE gathering place for both locals and tourists looking for a good time. This place has everything. Sports fans will appreciate the close proximity of CanWest Global Baseball Park, where Winnipeg’s Goldeyes play pro-ball but leave the pro-ticket prices to the Majors. Pasta lovers will find the Old Spaghetti Factoryenjoyable, and Branigan's has a raised deck, where visitors can have an exotic drink and enjoy the panoramic view of the Historic Port. More artistic travelers will find that the Manitoba Theatre for Young People provides excellent entertainment, and the Manitoba Children's Museum and Explore Manitoba Centre are great stops for the family. Also found at The Forks is the Assiniboine River Walk, a paved walk along the luscious banks of this historic river. The Paddlewheel River Rouge Tours depart from here, as well as at the Paddlewheel docks, just a jaunt away at the base of the Provencher Bridge.

Old Saint Boniface
Spanning the Red River going east on Provencher takes the traveler into Old St. B, as it is known locally. This is the largest French-speaking community in western Canada. Just beyond the bridge is St. Boniface Basilica and adjoining stone archway. These make a very pretty sight, especially from across the river. A short distance further up Provencher visitors will find the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobaine, a hall dedicated to the promotion of French entertainment arts.

Transcona
Moving further from the downtown area, one can visit Transcona, an older area at the eastern limits of town. This area became part of the city in the early 1970's, and planners there promptly set up the Transcona Historical Museum. Here you will find the Club Regent Casino, numerous bars and clubs, and the highly rated, yet affordable, Transcona Inn. About twenty minutes out of town, visitors can enjoy such exciting outdoor amusements as Fun Mountain Waterslide Park, Grand Prix Amusements and Tinkertown Family Fun Park. TC, as Transcona is locally known, also has the longest auto sales strip in the city, where car shoppers can find anything from a Porche to an RV.

North West
Just north of the Airport are several attractions including the Western Canada Aviation Museum. McPhillips Street Station Casinois a great destination for the gambler who is a railway buff. Nearby is the Prairie Dog Central Living Museum; this historic locomotive takes tours west of the city with stops at Grosse Isle, where tourists are regaled with local hospitality. McPhillips is the highway one would take north to the wilderness adventure, Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, and farther north to the beaches of Manitoba’s vast inland lakes.

St. James/Assiniboia and Unicity
These areas cut a swath along Portage Avenue from just beyond downtown all the way out of the city. Along the way, travelers will find the Winnipeg Arena at Polo Park. This vast shopping complex is even bigger than downtown's Portage Place and is located right by the Arena and Bomber Stadium, home of the ‘Peg’s pro football team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Winnipeg International Airport is nearby, as is Air Force Heritage Park & Museum. Across from Polo Park is the historic footbridge across the river into Assiniboine Park Zoo. At the western limit of town are the areas known as Unicity and Charleswood. Attractions include Assiniboia Downs Horse Racing Track and the Odeon Drive-in Theatre.

South
Moving south from Confusion Corner, the confluence of Osborne and Donald Streets, Pembina Highway and Corydon Ave—where is found the area known as Little Italy. Little Italy, like Osborne Village, is filled with al fresco cafes, ice cream parlors, galleries and specialty shops. Pembina Highway moves south through Fort Rouge, Fort Garry, Fort Richmond, and finally St. Norbert, at the southern limit of town. Just south of here visitors can view the Provincial Heritage Park and the Red River Floodway, where gates can divert floodwater into a sluiceway flowing around Winnipeg. Going farther south will get you to Victory Lanes Speedway, and the Morris Stampede.

South West
St. Vital and St. Boniface do not have a lot in the way of attractions, but one can find some spacious recreational parks along the Red River and some well-appointed shopping malls, such as St. Vital Centre. These areas are on fast-moving highways with easy access out of town on the east side. A couple of these routes take you past the Royal Canadian Mint (at Fermor and Lagimodiere), where all of Canada’s coins are made.

North
Heading out Main Street, visitors can see the Holy Trinity Ukranian-Orthodox Cathedral, a beautiful historic church that is of interest to those of theological, historical or architectural bent. Kildonan Park is a great picnic area and rest stop, with outdoor pools and plenty of park area along the Red. This park houses Rainbow Stage, which hosts all manner of theatrical troupes. Main Street can be taken north to the lakes, and a quick jaunt east on the Perimeter Highway will connect you with the highway to Bird’s Hill Provincial Park and Campground, where the internationally acclaimed Winnipeg Folk Festival is held every year.

Historical Background

Winnipeg is a city with many appellations, bestowed by various cultural sectors. The name Winnipeg, which stems from the aboriginal word “win, meaning muddy, and “nipee, meaning waters, was first used on the masthead of Manitoba’s first newspaper, The Nor’wester, in 1866. Prior to this time, the Nor’wester called the community Red River Settlement, Assiniboia.

As a prairie city gaining its origin mainly because of water travel, the city is known to some as the River City, as in The River City Brewing Company. The internationally acclaimed Forks Market is located at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. It is here that Miles Macdonnell and 36 Scottish and Irish laborers founded the first Red River settlement.

Beginning in 1776, when there was nobody around except for a few natives and fur traders, there were five floods before The Great Flood of 1826. This flood caused the evacuation of all the town’s settlers, which by this time still tallied less than 1000. There were then six more floods before the Great Flood of 1950. This flood caused an estimated $115,000,000 in damage. Winnipeggers had now had enough and resolved to build the Red River Floodway, an architectural wonder that diverts floodwater around the metropolitan area at the expense of the surrounding villages and farms. This structure was completed in 1962, ensuring that the city would never again have to be evacuated.

But floods were not the only strife early settlers had to suffer before a permanent settlement became viable. Before 1821, the North West Company, its employees and Metis allies practiced a form of protectionism that would land them all in jail today. They killed the competition, which included settlers the company viewed as a threat to the fur trade. They felt, quite correctly, that rising population in the area would quickly deplete the area of its resources in fur bearing animals. On June 19, 1816, in what became known as the Seven Oaks Massacre, 70 mounted, armed North West Company employees and Metis, attacked the settlement at Selkirk, gruesomely murdering, disemboweling and scalping 21 of the settlers there. They then smashed in the skulls and left the bodies on the plains to be scavenged by wolves. That is the way it was done during the earliest struggles between the Hudson’s Bay Company and the North West Company. In 1821, the rival companies agreed to ‘bury the hatchet’, merging their interests and bringing an uneasy peace to the area. However, this did not guarantee the settlement’s success, and until agriculture became sustainable in the late 1840s, the people relied mainly on the buffalo hunt for sustenance. The fur trade remained strong until about 1875, when expanding commerce and trade, effective flood control and agricultural practices became attractive enough to induce a short period of brisk colonial growth. A population of 215 in 1871 grew to 3700 in 1874.

Yet, in 1870, Winnipeg was still less significant than the Red River colonies. These consisted of Scottish, Irish and French settlements located in feudal arrangement all along the Red River. There were three distinct colonies: at the Forks, at Point Douglas (now the somewhat famous corner of Portage and Main Street), and at Selkirk (now located about 15 miles north of Winnipeg). There was still the odd skirmish between colonists trying to secure their livelihoods; but The Red River Rebellion (in which Louis Riel secured the rights of Metis and consequently martyred himself) of the 1860s resulted in Manitoba entering Confederation in 1870. From the mid-1870s on, the area settled into a slow but steady growth.

The Manitoba Act was signed in 1870; Fort Osborne Barracks were founded in 1872, much increasing local trade; 1872 also saw the inauguration of the Winnipeg Free Press, still in business today. The town grew as a trade centre to meet the demands for goods the colonists needed. The first fortunes made here were made by real estate speculators, who correctly predicted a boom, purchased huge tracts of land and parceled them out to the immigrating colonists. In January of 1872, the first issue of the Manitoba Trade Review is published, and calls for the town’s incorporation. On November 8, 1873, The Forks and the Red River Colony merged into an incorporated Winnipeg. The Act of Incorporation followed Ontario’s lead; consequently, the remaking of Manitoba in Ontario’s image began in Winnipeg. By late 1874, a civic government was well established, and the city’s motto became “Commerce, Prudence, Industry. Considering the counterproductive endeavors of early settlers here, the term prudence is a terrible irony.

In 1907, Winnipeg’s Stock Exchange was chartered, and by 1913 manufacturing concerns achieved sales over $50M. In May of 1919, more than 35,000 union employees and unorganized laborers (almost a fifth of the city’s population) went on strike in response to poor trade conditions and a recessed economy, paralyzing Winnipeg commerce. Riots and bloodshed ensued, and before it was over the union leaders were jailed. The following year the Manitoba Legislative Building was erected and topped with a standard symbol of Winnipeg—the Golden Boy.

Travel on the rivers was vital to commerce in the early development of the city. Before this time, however, aboriginal hunting parties, early traders and explorers used these rivers. The ‘forks’ also became a meeting place and area devoted to ritual practices. This rich history is represented in the current Forks development and factors largely in continued development. These rivers continued to be vital until the development of the Red River Cart, a sturdy two-wheeled wagon that could withstand the brutal overland routes used in westward expansion. In addition, the coming of the railroad in 1881, removed the necessity of river commerce. Today, the Red and Assiniboine are used almost entirely for pleasure travel and recreation. The Splash Dash Water Bus is an exception, which makes it possible to get quickly from one river attraction to the next.

It was for these reasons that this city became known as the Gateway to the West; it remains a major distribution centre to this day. Connected to this is the notion that Winnipeg is the “proving grounds of Canadian commerce. It is said by many industrialists and entrepreneurs that, “if it works in Winnipeg it will work anywhere.

Finally, the ‘Peg is known as the “dining capital of Canada. It is widely rumored that this city has more restaurants per capita than any other Canadian city. While it is hard to find verification of this rumor, a trip downtown, especially down Corydon Avenue, seems to bear out this assertion with relative ease. The Yellow Pages here have over 25 pages of entries for restaurants—not bad for a city with little more than 600,000 people.

Entertainment

This city has more than even the hardiest entertainment buff can possibly take in. Not only is this a very arts oriented town, but also it hosts some of the grandest festivals of their kind in Canada—in some cases the biggest in the world. It is also a very active sports town and leisure activities abound. The arts are heavily endowed here, both from the public and private sectors. There’s a multitude of bars, clubs, theatres, museums, and galleries, as well as a full-service Convention Centre that hosts everything from concerts to car shows. Finding amusement In Winnipeg can be as easy as wandering around The Forks or as difficult as trying to pick a play to see.

Theater and Entertainment Arts
The Manitoba Theatre Centre operates both a main stage and the Warehouse just a short walk away. The Warehouse doesn’t have as much in the line-up, but it offers dependable productions. The Prairie Theatre Exchange, located on the third floor of the popular Portage Place mall, showcases local talent and has a drama school. Other theatres in the Exchange Districtinclude the Walker Theatre and Pantages Playhouse Theatre. Gas Station Theatre in Osborne Village, a walk through which is entertainment in itself, features amateurs taking to stage. The Manitoba Theatre for Young People is in The Forks, where there is a Select-A-Seat office that brokers for most of the production companies in town. The Main stage at The Forks Market is host to concerts, featuring local and imported talent. Twenty minutes north of downtown, at Kildonan Park, visitors will find the lovely outdoor venue, Rainbow Stage; which offers Broadway style shows all summer, and takes their troupe to Pantages in winter. If you like opera or dance, check out the Manitoba Opera, which has its own ticket line at 780 3333, or Winnipeg’s Contemporary Dancers.

Movie theatres downtown are distributed almost as tightly as the production houses. In the outlying regions they are found in most major malls; and nearly all movie houses have gone to the multiplex format. Video stores are on every street corner, it seems. Notable for Osborne Village is Movie Village, a shop catering to the viewing preferences of the city’s subculture. Those folks into art films will find their needs met at Cinemateque in the Exchange, where independent films play for six bucks a head. If you’re driving, Winnipeg still has an old-style drive-in theatre, the Odeon, just past the western limit of town.

Note: In recent years Winnipeg has been host to many independent and major film companies.

Museums and Galleries
A person strolling through the core of Winnipeg couldn’t walk four blocks without encountering a museum or gallery of some form or another. Downtown houses the majors, with the Museum of Man and Nature/Planetarium/Concert Hall complex located just north of Portage and Main, and the Winnipeg Art Gallery a short trip up Portage at Memorial Boulevard. Osborne Village and Little Italy have an amazing number of galleries clustered together. Notable are the Sedentary Nomad, featuring work from Africa exclusively, the Prairie Shop gallery, both on Osborne, and the Stoneware Gallery about a mile west on Corydon. Both the core and outlying regions house smaller museums; such as the Transcona Historical Museum, which celebrates that neighborhood’s railway past. Some must-see attractions outside of town include Lower Fort Garry near Selkirk, the only intact stone fort construct in North America, and the Mennonite Heritage Museum in Steinbach, a mock-up of a nineteenth-century Mennonite village.

Music
Live music can be found almost anywhere, and in almost any genre. Concerts are held in the arenas, the parks, stadiums, even Assiniboia Downs Horse Racing Track. Many nightclubs feature live music as well as dance music; some, like Braemar Village Restaurant and Cabaret (open late), even give dance lessons. Clubs like Coyote Cafe and the River City Brewing Company are great places to meet that special someone.

Amusements and Games
Winnipeg has some exciting amusement parks that are great for the whole family. Although some climbing and paintball clubs exist within town, most of the parks are just outside. Fun Mountain Waterslide Park, Grand Prix Amusements and Tinkertown Family Fun Park are all located just east of the city, while A Maze in Corn and Victory Lanes Speedway are a few miles past the South Perimeter Highway. Fifteen minutes north of town, at Lockport, is Skinners Wet & Wild—another big waterslide facility. The Prairie Dog Central Living Museum takes train tours out the west side; and if you go as far as Portage la Prairie, an hour west of Winnipeg, you will find the Strawberry Festival in the height of summer. Games could include anything from our pro teams to golf. This city has some excellent pro golf courses, most notable of which are once again located just outside town. John Blumberg Golf Course & Baseball Complex and Prairie Dog Central Living Museum are two of the finest. There are many courses and driving ranges in the outlying areas, as well.

Festivals & Cultural Events
Mentioning a few and not all seems unfair, but Winnipeg has some biggies that should be pointed out. The Winnipeg Folk Festival, held in the spacious Bird’s Hill Park & Campground, is weekend of music, crafts and outdoor fun for the whole family. Folklorama, a weeklong celebration of ethnic diversity, is the largest of its kind in the world. The Winnipeg International Writer's Festival is fairly new, but is rivaling similar events in Toronto and Vancouver. The Fringe Theatre Festival, is a rapidly growing event that attracts people from the fringes of the earth. We also have some lesser-known events here that may be of interest. The North American Indigenous Games and the Special Olympics for disabled folks are two examples.

Dining and Drinking

The people of Winnipeg, due to the immense cold the city can experience, have developed a restaurant and bar culture that is beyond what a centre of this size might otherwise. People simply have had to learn to live life indoors for much of the year. For this reason, summers in the city are treated as a precious commodity. Unaccustomed to natural light, squinting Winnipeggers emerge from hibernation each spring to enjoy the excellent patio scene in a dry and mild climate that is the envy of anyone living in more humid locales to the south.

Cultural Diversity
Because of its diminutive size, clearly defined ethnic enclaves are few in number in Winnipeg. However, three main regions that specialize in particular national fare exist. Any trip to the city would be wasted without a stop in Little Italy, or the Corydon Village. Dozens of restaurants and bars grace the five-blocks that make up this sub-community. For an authentic experience, Da Mamma Mia Ristorante is a good place to stop, with its elegant dining and the elderly Italian chef clientele and staff alike call Mamma. One of the hottest summer places in this area, Saffron's Restaurant , boasts the most popular patio in the city and offers Canadianized Italian food, a good cocktail list and cheap beer in a relaxed atmosphere. Known for its Italian treasures, other culinary experiences are possible in Little Italy, like Tango, which provides some of the best contemporary food in the city and Liquid Lounge offers a complete bar with any beverage you could ask for.

The French Quarter
The French Quarter is another area that will appeal to those yearning for a European experience on this side of the Atlantic. Quebec may be the dominant French region in North America, but this cultural experience can also be attained in Winnipeg. The cream of the crop is the highly rated Le Beaujolais, which offers fine continental French cuisine. However, a stop on a city culinary tour should include the lower priced cafe in the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Center, which offers classical French fare along with traditional Canadian francophone dishes.

Although not one of the bigger minority groups in the city, the Chinese community has been steadily increasing in size since the beginning of the last century. Located largely in the historic Exchange District, this group has traditionally prospered in small market and restaurant enterprises. Kum Koon Garden is an excellent choice when dining on Asian fare in this area. Chitaly also offers a unique Chinese-Italian experience and is open late for those who have the munchies after a night at the King's Head Pub.

Osborne Village
The Osborne Village is another region that offers cuisine from other corners of the earth. This neighbourhood embodies the multicultural Canadian spirit offering fare from every continent. Latin America is delightfully represented in the spicy Tex-Mex food of Carlos and Murphy's Restaurant and Bar. Bistro Bohemia Restaurant, rated as a top five restaurant in the city, offers Czech cuisine, giving Central Europe a presence. Tap & Grill brings Greek and Spanish cooking to the neighbourhood, tabling Mediterranean fare. Massawa, with its unique Eritrean and Ethiopian experience, produces the taste of an African safari for adventurous diners. Asian favourites in the area include the diverse offerings of Japan, in the Meiji Japanese Restaurant; Thailand found in the Bangkok Thai Restaurant; and Northern China with the exotic Spicy Noodle House. Surprisingly, there is still enough real estate for North American favourites. River City Brewing Company prepares excellent steaks and monster burgers for those with a hearty appetite. This space is also a microbrewery with a brew master who produces some of the best ale in the city. The swinging set will be right at home sipping one of the over fifty martinis shaken or stirred at G Martini Bar. A favourite local watering hole, Toad in the Hole Restaurant and Pub, deserves mention for its English pub feel and vast array of beer.

Downtown
Winnipeg’s downtown core is a huge swath of territory that stretches from the southern Legislative Building to the northern Exchange District. There are no concentrations of dining and drinking establishments, but there is a multiplicity of gems to be found. Near the Legislative buildings, Dubrovniks offers a sampling of fine foods from various European locales. Also in the area is the Rogue's Gallery, an establishment that challenges most of the senses with live music, local art and exemplary cuisine.

Closer to the downtown core where many high-end hotels such asThe Lombard and the Radisson are located, the Amici Restaurant and Bombolini Wine Bar provides extremely fine Italian dining and wines that will impress the most demanding connoisseur. For a more dressed down event, The Elephant and Castle is a great space for the British Isles experience with its excellent imported ales and hearty fish and chips.

Exchange District
Beyond the busy Portage and Main corridor, lies the Exchange District. The most romantic restaurant in the city, Step N' Out, is a new local favourite, which has an intimate atmosphere that must be sampled. The Fyxx Espresso Bar creates amazing sandwiches for a quick lunch and strong coffee for those who wish to sit, relax and discuss world issues in an unhurried manner. Wise Guy’s, also in the Exchange, is perfect for drinking, dancing and generally letting off some steam.

No trip to the city would be complete without a trip to The Forks, the historic central meeting place for Indigenous peoples, settlers and modern Winnipeggers. For tasty Steak and Seafood and a good selection of cocktails in an elegant setting, Remington’s is a good choice. The Old Spaghetti Factory is a spot that provides the perfect environment for a family event.

Winnipeg is a place that offers the complete range of dining and drink, from intimate settings to raucous nightclubs. It has ethnic enclaves of world cuisine, multicultural regions where anything and everything can be sampled and a diverse downtown core with a vibrant and diverse mix offering a plethora of experiences for travellers of all stripes.

Where To Stay

Downtown
If you like to stay in the centre of the action and you have the resources, there are many deluxe and moderately priced hotels in the heart of town. The Fairmont, a building of considerable stature, is at the corner of Portage and Main, and has a commanding view of the entire core area. Closer to The Forks is the Hotel Fort Garry, a beautifully restored old building that gives a sense of Winnipeg’s past. Juxtaposed against the modern styling of the Royal Crown Revolving Restaurant it gives one an anomalous sensation; but this hotel has a bird’s eye view of The Forks and that makes it well worth the stay. Other deluxe hotels in the area include the Sheraton Winnipeg Hotel, Radisson Hotel Downtown and the Delta Winnipeg Hotel; all of which have recently been refurbished and lavishly appointed. All of these hotels are conveniently located near the Winnipeg Convention Centre, Greyhound and Gray Goose Bus Lines, and Union Station, where VIA Rail boards.

If less expensive accommodations are what you are looking for try the St. Regis. Each room is appointed differently, so you can tailor your stay. If shopping is your thing, the Charter House Hotel and Travelodge Hotel Downtown are close to Eaton’s Place and Portage Place malls. A few blocks farther from the centre of town, the Quest Inn provides special services for the disabled.

Airport
The recently opened Four Points Sheraton offers deluxe and moderate accommodations right at the Winnipeg International Airport. The building is attached to the main terminal, and travelers will find that everything they need is near to hand. Another new hotel, the Greenwood Inn, is elegantly decorated and offers a full range of services including a health club. This hotel is across the street from the Radisson Suite Airport Hotel, refurbished in 2000. Both are less than a mile from the terminal and have a great view of the entire airfield. A little farther away are the International Inn, one of Best Western’s finest, and the Comfort Inn. A short drive away on the main drag, Portage Avenue, the Assiniboine Gordon Inn has a great old-style pub and patio. Farther west on Portage is the Holiday Inn Winnipeg Airport West, a family-friendly stay that is more removed from the busy hub of downtown. Going north from the Airport one will find the affordable Days Inn, right next to the McPhillips Street Station Casino, and Canad Inns Garden City a bit farther up McPhillips Street.

Outlying Regions
Moving out of the central area, visitors will find many chains well represented all the way to the outskirts. Outside the core, smaller independent hotels are not as common until you near the limits of town. There you will find them in good numbers. Canad Inns has seven locations in outlying areas, all of which feature nightclubs and most of which have waterslides. Most notable for this chain, Manitoba’s premier hotelier (the Blue Bomber football stadium was just re-christened Canad Inns Bomber Stadium), are the Club Regent Casino Hotel and their Polo Park location. The Regent Avenue location is a mile west of its sister, the Transcona Inn. Near the Royal Canadian Mint you’ll find Canad Inns Windsor Park. Transcona has four independent hotels, as well, where inexpensive lodgings can be found. The above hotels are all located near the TransCanada Highway leading out of town on the east side; there’s an RV resort and some fun amusement parks nearby. Moving north on Main Street, there are not many hotels outside the core area. If you go past the Green Brier Inn there will not be another hotel within city limits. The southern and western areas of town have numerous hotels, both chains and independent, but they will no longer be within walking distance of each other.

Bed & Breakfast
For travelers whose resources are stretched or who like a quieter, more relaxed setting, there are many hostels and B&Bs available. Bed & Breakfast of Manitoba has a brochure line at 1 877 304 0300 (local 661 0300); many of the local B&Bs are represented by this organization. In the downtown area try Free Spirit or Maison Grosvenor. If you can travel, the Hidden River Country House is just north of town, and Inn The Gates is a turn-of-the-century house with a modern feel. It’s worth noting here that Backpackers International has a line at 772 1272, and Hostelling International Canada has one at 784 1131. Travel Manitoba, in the Explore Manitoba Centre at The Forks Market, has a good selection of B&B brochures.

Resorts
Traveler's RV Resort, Trailer Park & Campground is located just east of the city, near Fun Mountain Waterslide Park, Grand Prix Amusements and Tinkertown Family Fun Park. Just north of the city is Bird’s Hill Provincial Park, where the internationally acclaimed Winnipeg Folk Festival is held every summer. This is a sprawling park area with lots of picnic and campsites, and a popular man-made beach.

Winnipeg by the Numbers

Elevation: 784 feet
Average Winter Temperature: 8 degrees F
Average Summer Temperature: 77 degrees F

Population: 698,210
Major Industries: Transportation, aerospace, agribusiness, finance, furniture manufacturing.

Province: Manitoba
Electricity: 230 volts, 60 cycles, AC

Time Zone: GMT-6
Country Dialing Code: 1
Area Code: 204

Did You Know?

The name "Winnipeg" comes from the Cree Indian words "win" (muddy) and "nipee" (water) and is named after the lake located about 40 miles north of the city. In the mid 1600s, Winnipeg was one of the major North American fur trading centers of the Hudson Bay Company.

Orientation/Geography

Winnipeg sits at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. It is the capital city of Manitoba and located 62 miles from the U.S. borders of North Dakota and Minnesota. Winnipeg is bordered by Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west.

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