Winnipeg is the capital city of the province of Manitoba and it is also the largest city. It has a population of over 730,000 people in its Metro area.
The Metro area covers 5,303 square kilometers of the province. Two common nicknames for this city are "Winterpeg" (used because of the province's winter season) and "Winnerpeg" (a name that is used as a term of endearment for the city and when their hockey team the Winnipeg Jets win).
Winnipeg boasts a diverse economy and low unemployment rate. There are 456,000 people who are apart of the labour force in the city and that number continues to grow. The city has the sixth-highest growth rate out of all of the other metropolitan areas in Canada.
The main industries in Winnipeg are manufacturing, retail and transportation. Many large companies that specialize in these industries have their headquarters in the city. For example, Old Dutch Foods, Cabela's Canada and Kindersley Transport all have headquarters here. A growing industry in the city is agriculture. It has been experiencing a boom over the past few years.
There are hotspots for shopping located all over the city to fulfill all shopping needs. Winnipeg is home to the largest shopping mall in the province, CF Polo Park.
It has over 200 stores. Some other shopping areas offer boutiques and smaller shops to add to your shopping experience.
Winnipeg is plentiful in entertainment from festivals, nightlife, sports and more. The arts are strong in the city with a strong community of writers and musicians.
Winnipeg has two major sports teams: the Winnipeg Jets and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The Winnipeg Jets are the city’s NHL team who play at the MTS Centre. They are arguably one of the more popular teams here. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the city’s CFL team who play at the Investors Group Field. They have won the Grey Cup an impressive 10 times.
For those who enjoy attending festivals and events, Winnipeg has a few large events with music and other activities. These include the Big Fun Festival and Canad Inns Winter Wonderland. The Big Fun Festival offers music over 5 days throughout downtown Winnipeg. Canad Inns Winter Wonderland is a drive-through lights festival where vivid displays of lights are shown annually. Although these festivals can be very different, they provide a nice night out with friends and family.
There are hotspots for shopping located all over the city to fulfill all shopping needs. Winnipeg is home to the largest shopping mall in the province, CF Polo Park. It has over 200 stores. Some other shopping areas offer boutiques and smaller shops to add to your shopping experience.
Neighbourhoods
There are 15 city wards within Winnipeg the serve as a good guideline for the sections of the city. These will be further broken into parts of the city referred to as the North End, West Winnipeg, South Winnipeg, East Winnipeg and Central Winnipeg.
The Downtown sector is in the north end of this ward. This area is the home of the MTS Centre. Here there are parks and plenty of places to visit. With many theatres and galleries there is always something happening in this part of town. Chinatown and Central Park are both found in this area.
West Winnipeg is comprised of the wards St. James – Brooklands – Weston, Charleswood – Tuxedo – Whyte Ridge, River Heights, Daniel McIntyre and St. Charles.
This area is largely residential and very ethnically diverse. The neighbourhoods are also diverse in their own right, with some neighbourhoods such as Spence being on the very low scale of household income and others like Armstrong Point on the higher scale.
South Winnipeg is made up of South Winnipeg – St. Norbert and St. Vital. There are original communities and modern suburbs here. There are also many parks and recreational areas here. In the neighbourhood of St. Norbert they have a farmer’s market that attracts people from all over Winnipeg. This is a bilingual part of the city.
Homes in the North End include detached, duplex, single-family and multi-family homes. There are more people who own their homes compared to people who rent. Homes are generally affordable in this area.
West Winnipeg has an abundance of low-rise apartments, detached and single-family homes. There are many properties for rent that are affordable. Purchasing a home here is also affordable.
Homes found in South Winnipeg include condominiums, apartments, and single-family homes. This housing in this area is affordable and some properties include the luxury of being on the river. More condominiums have been showing up in this area recently.
East Winnipeg has everything from apartments to detached and single-family homes. Properties in this area are typically owned but rentals can also be found here. Many of the homes here have yards and the properties are affordable.
Central Winnipeg has plenty of high-rise apartments. There are also single-family and multi-family homes. Majority of properties are rentals in this area, and the properties are affordable.
Average Home Price: $293,500
Average Rent Price: $935
Average Condo Price: $197,000
Average Detached Home Price: $306,200
Home Style
Average Price
2 storey
$317,800
Bungalow
$296,500
Data source: The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA)/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMCH) report for 2020/2021.
Education
The public schools in Manitoba are operated under the Minister of Education. There are 6 school divisions in Winnipeg: Seven Oaks, River East Transcona, Winnipeg, St. James-Assiniboia, Pembina Trails, Louis Riel. The schools in these divisions offer programs in English and French. In high school, there is the option of attending schools that offer full-year schooling, or schooling in semesters.
As for post-secondary education, Winnipeg understands the importance of a knowledgeable and skilled workforce, and offers schools that can give the future work force what they need to succeed. Manitoba is home to three colleges, and four universities including the oldest university in Western Canada, The University of Manitoba.