113-589: Downtown Winnipeg is an area of Winnipeg located near the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. It is the oldest urban area in Winnipeg, and is home to the city's commercial core, city hall, the seat of Manitoba's provincial government , and a number of major attractions and institutions. The City of Winnipeg's official downtown boundaries are: the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline on
226-567: A film festival of LGBT-themed films. Winnipeg has been home to several professional hockey teams. The Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL) have called the city home since 2011. The original Winnipeg Jets , the city's former NHL team, left for Phoenix, Arizona , after the 1995–96 season due to mounting financial troubles, despite a campaign effort to "Save the Jets." The Jets play at Canada Life Centre , which
339-706: A humidex reading of 47.3 °C (117.1 °F) was measured. The frost-free season is comparatively long for a location with such severe winters. The last spring frost is on average around 23 May, while the first fall frost is on 22 September. There are officially 236 neighbourhoods in Winnipeg. Downtown Winnipeg , the city's financial heart and economic core, is centred on the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street and covers about 2.6 km (1 sq mi). More than 72,000 people work downtown, and over 40,000 students attend classes at its universities and colleges. Downtown Winnipeg's Exchange District
452-607: A vaudeville house in 1913. Other city theatres include the Burton Cummings Theatre (a National Historic Site of Canada built in 1906 ) and Prairie Theatre Exchange . Le Cercle Molière , based in St Boniface, is Canada's oldest theatre company, founded in 1925. Rainbow Stage is a musical theatre production company based in Kildonan Park that produces professional, live Broadway musical shows and
565-509: A visible minority . More than a hundred languages are spoken in Winnipeg, of which the most common is English: 95 percent of Winnipeggers speak English as their first language, and 2.8 percent have a first language of French (Canada's other official language ). Other languages spoken as a mother tongue in Winnipeg include Tagalog (6.0%), Punjabi (4.1%), and Mandarin (1.5%). Several Indigenous languages are also spoken, such as Ojibwe (0.2%) and Cree (0.1%). The 2021 Census reported
678-461: A July mean average of 19.7 °C (67.5 °F). Winters are the coldest time of year, with the January mean average around −16.4 °C (2.5 °F) and total winter precipitation (December through February) averaging 55.2 mm (2.17 in). Temperatures occasionally drop below −40 °C (−40 °F). On average, there are 317.8 days per year with measurable sunshine, with July seeing
791-487: A Winnipegger was 40.3. At the census metropolitan area (CMA) level in the 2021 census, the Winnipeg CMA had a population of 834,678 living in 330,326 of its 347,144 total private dwellings, a change of 6.6% from its 2016 population of 783,099 . With a land area of 5,285.46 km (2,040.73 sq mi), it had a population density of 157.9/km (409.0/sq mi) in 2021. Winnipeg represents 54.9% of
904-466: A competition venue for amateur musicians. The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival is the second-largest alternative theatre festival in North America. The Winnipeg International Writers Festival (also called THIN AIR) brings writers to Winnipeg for workshops and readings. The LGBT community in the city is served by Pride Winnipeg , an annual gay pride festival and parade, and Reel Pride ,
1017-483: A demographic shift beginning shortly after Confederation that saw the francophone population decrease from a majority to a small minority group. This shift resulted in Premier Thomas Greenway controversially ending legislative bilingualism and removing funding for French Catholic Schools in 1890. By 1911, Winnipeg was Canada's third-largest city. However, the city faced financial difficulty when
1130-547: A new bicycle-pedestrian bridge to connect McFadyen Park with Fort Rouge Park over the Assiniboine River. The bridge would be partly financed by a grant from the Winnipeg Foundation. There are three designs vying for final approval. The Forks is a 99-acre (40 ha) national historic, recreational, cultural, and entertainment area site in downtown Winnipeg, deriving its name from being located where
1243-452: A population of 749,607 living in 300,431 of its 315,465 total private dwellings, a change of 6.3% from its 2016 population of 705,244. With a land area of 461.78 km (178.29 sq mi), it had a population density of 1,623.3/km (4,204.3/sq mi) in 2021. As of the 2021 census, 16.6 percent of residents were 14 years old or younger, 66.4 percent were between 15 and 64 years old, and 17.0 percent were 65 or over. The average age of
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#17327723874981356-490: A public market building. Originally located on the site of what is now the Public Safety Building , it was the centre of Winnipeg's early commercial trade. In 1964 to 1965, the original building as well as several nearby structures were razed to make room for the current Civic Centre . In 1970, an "Old Market Square Association" was created to lobby for the preservation and improvement of the site. In 1976,
1469-412: A revitalization program began that improved landscaping, drainage, sod and lighting. Developed by Scatliff+Miller+Murray, the new area features a performance space, a sunken event lawn, serpentine seating wall and seating planters encircling elm trees. The focal point of the renovation was "The Cube", a new $ 1.5 million stage, with a skin made up of 20,000 aluminum links. Designed by 5468796 Architecture,
1582-523: A wholesale centre declined in the 1910s and 1920s. By the 1940s, many of the warehouses in the Exchange District had been converted into uses related to the garment trade. As Winnipeg began to experience growth in the years following World War II , much of Winnipeg’s downtown development shifted to the area of downtown south of Portage Avenue , particularly along Broadway and on towards Osborne Village . The lack of new development, mixed with
1695-757: Is Canada's longest-surviving outdoor theatre. The Manitoba Theatre for Young People at the Forks is one of only two Theatres for Young Audiences in Canada with a permanent residence and the only Theatre for Young Audiences that offers a full season of plays for teenagers. The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is the only professional theatre in Canada dedicated to Jewish themes. Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR) presents adaptations of Shakespeare plays. Winnipeg has hosted numerous Hollywood productions: Shall We Dance? (2004), Capote (2005), The Assassination of Jesse James by
1808-408: Is a National Historic Site of Canada . Just one block north is one of Canada's most famous intersections, Portage and Main , the Exchange District comprises 20 city blocks and approximately 150 heritage buildings , and it is known for its intact turn-of-the-century collection of warehouses, financial institutions, and early terracotta -clad skyscrapers. Winnipeg's theatre district is located on
1921-464: Is a comedic rumination on the city's history. The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra is the largest and oldest professional musical ensemble in Winnipeg. The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra runs a series of chamber orchestral concerts each year. Manitoba Opera is Manitoba's only full-time professional opera company. Among the most notable musical acts associated with Winnipeg are Bachman–Turner Overdrive , The Guess Who , Neil Young , The Weakerthans ,
2034-634: Is a new addition to RRC's Exchange District Campus as of 2013. The Institute is located at the Union Bank Building , an 11-storey structure that dates back to 1903, and is the home of the Culinary Arts, Hospitality and Tourism Management and Professional Baking and Patisserie programs. Old Market Square hosts the annual Winnipeg International Jazz Festival , the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival , and
2147-613: Is a newly emerging mixed-use development located in the northeast corner of downtown Winnipeg. The district runs along the west bank of the Red River along Waterfront Drive and features Stephen Juba Park . The Waterfront District has seen a number of residential construction projects since 2005. Moreover, there have been plans to extend Waterfront Drive further north, to connect it with the Disraeli Fwy . Developer Leon A. Brown has offered up to 12 properties for redevelopment in
2260-411: Is a nonprofit children's museum at the Forks that features twelve permanent galleries. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the only Canadian national museum for human rights and the only national museum west of Ottawa. The federal government contributed $ 100 million towards the estimated $ 311 million project. Construction of the museum began on 1 April 2008, and the museum opened to
2373-685: Is a railway and transportation hub with a diversified economy. This multicultural city hosts numerous annual festivals, including the Festival du Voyageur , the Winnipeg Folk Festival , the Jazz Winnipeg Festival , the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival , and Folklorama . Winnipeg was the first Canadian host of the Pan American Games in 1967 . It is home to several professional sports franchises, including
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#17327723874982486-771: Is known for its intact early 20th century collection of warehouses, financial institutions, and early terracotta -clad skyscrapers. The Exchange is home to the Manitoba Museum as well as the Planetarium and a Science Gallery. The Exchange District spans two distinct areas, the East Exchange and the West Exchange . The east Exchange area is located between the Disraeli Freeway, Waterfront Drive, William Stephenson Way, and Main Street , and
2599-540: Is located on the Graham Avenue Transit Mall , as many bus routes converge there. Formed in 1909, the area is home to many shops and restaurants including Asian grocery stores and an herbal products store. Winnipeg's Chinatown covers 0.1 square kilometres (0.039 sq mi) northwest of City Hall and is home to about 600 people, of whom 90% are in the Chinese visible minority group. 40.5% of
2712-487: Is named after the area's original grain exchange, which operated from 1880 to 1913. The 30-block district received National Historic Site of Canada status in 1997; it includes North America's most extensive collection of early 20th-century terracotta and cut stone architecture, Stephen Juba Park, and Old Market Square. Other major downtown areas are the Forks , Central Park , Broadway-Assiniboine and Chinatown . Many of Downtown Winnipeg's major buildings are linked with
2825-441: Is no dominant age group of residents. The district has a lower proportion of visible minorities, with only 13.5%, as compared to 28% for the whole of Winnipeg. Over 30.6% of respondents in the district reported as "Never married (single)", as compared to 31.4% of Winnipeg. The district lends itself to pedestrian travel: over 44.3% of employed respondents stated walking as their primary mode of transportation, significantly higher than
2938-464: Is ranked the world's 19th-busiest arena among non-sporting touring events, 13th-busiest among facilities in North America, and 3rd-busiest in Canada as of 2009. Exchange District The Exchange District is a National Historic Site of Canada in the downtown area of Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada . Just one block north of Portage and Main , the Exchange District comprises twenty city blocks and approximately 150 heritage buildings , and it
3051-426: Is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. As of 2021 , Winnipeg had a city population of 749,607 and a metropolitan population of 834,678, making it Canada's sixth-largest city and eighth-largest metropolitan area. The city is named after the nearby Lake Winnipeg ;
3164-628: The Countess of Dufferin , the first steam locomotive in Western Canada. Festival du Voyageur , Western Canada's largest winter festival, celebrates the early French explorers of the Red River Valley. Folklorama is the largest and longest-running cultural celebration festival in the world. The Jazz Winnipeg Festival and the Winnipeg Folk Festival both celebrate Winnipeg's music community. The Winnipeg Music Festival offers
3277-648: The 2016 Census . The most common transportation method of the people in South Portage is walking, with 42.4%, more than five times higher than the overall 4.9% for Winnipeg. The average employment income for the area is just $ 52,267, which is lower than Winnipeg's average employment income of $ 61,164. South Portage is the location of the main branch of the Winnipeg Public Library system, the Millennium Library . The area also has
3390-460: The Assiniboine and Red Rivers meet. The Forks was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1974 due to its status as a cultural landscape that had borne witness to six thousand years of human activity. South Portage is the group of city blocks located between Portage Avenue , Main Street , Broadway , and Memorial Boulevard. The population of South Portage was 1,865 as of
3503-608: The Conference Board of Canada , Winnipeg was projected to experience a real GDP growth of 1.9 percent in 2019. Gross Domestic Product was $ 43.3 billion in 2018. The city had an unemployment rate of 5.3% in 2019, compared to a national rate of 5.7%. Household income per capita was $ 47,824, compared to $ 49,744 nationally. The Royal Canadian Mint , established in 1976, produces all circulating coinage in Canada. The facility, located in southeastern Winnipeg, also produces coins for many other countries. In 2012, Winnipeg
Downtown Winnipeg - Misplaced Pages Continue
3616-606: The Crash Test Dummies , Propagandhi , Bif Naked , and The Watchmen among many others. Winnipeg also has a significant place in Canadian jazz history, being the location of Canada's first jazz concert in 1914 at the Pantages Playhouse Theatre . The Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) is Canada's oldest ballet company and the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America. It
3729-479: The Cree and Ojibwe name win-nipi (also transcribed win-nipiy or ouenpig ) meaning "murky water" or "muddy water" (modern Cree : wīnipēk , ᐑᓂᐯᐠ ). French-Canadian fur trader La Vérendrye referred to the lake as Lac Gouinipique or Ouinipigon when he built the first forts in the area in the 1730s. Local newspaper The Nor'-Wester included the name on its masthead on 24 February 1866, and
3842-636: The Esplanade Riel bridge, a river walkway, Shaw Park , and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights . The Winnipeg Public Library is a public library network with 20 branches throughout the city, including the main Millennium Library . Winnipeg the Bear , which would become the inspiration for part of the name of Winnie-the-Pooh , was purchased in Ontario by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn of
3955-585: The Exchange District . Where Winnipeg magazine features listings of things to do in Winnipeg and is also published from the Exchange District. Isbister School is an Adult Education Centre operated by the Winnipeg School Division in the north Portage Avenue area. Other private schools serve business needs, such as CDI and Booth University College . Winnipeg Winnipeg ( / ˈ w ɪ n ɪ p ɛ ɡ / )
4068-551: The Jazz Winnipeg Festival , the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival , and the Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition . Renovations to Old Market Square completed in 2012 added "The Cube", a $ 1.5 million stage, with a skin made up of 20,000 aluminum links. The stage contains a built-in lighting system, green room and two performance levels. The district is home to Red River College 's Roblin Centre and
4181-722: The Manitoba Centennial Centre , which includes the Manitoba Museum , the Planetarium , the Centennial Concert Hall , and the Winnipeg Railway Museum . Although over 60,000 people work downtown, only 17,190 people live in the area covered by the Downtown Zoning By-Law. There are several residential projects under construction on Waterfront Drive and in the Exchange District, and the residential population of
4294-495: The Manitoba Electronic Music Exhibition . Its cobblestone streets and friendly pedestrian environment also contribute to The Exchange District's popularity as a period backdrop for the movie industry. Most notably the 2006 film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford starring Brad Pitt , and the 2006 film The Lookout starring Jeff Daniels . Old Market Square originated in 1889, initially as
4407-490: The Manitoba Museum and Planetarium . Roads There are no high speed roads that pass through or near the Exchange District. Regular urban speed limits are observed on Portage Avenue , Main Street on the boundaries of the area. Cycling There is a painted cycling lane along McDermot Avenue between Main Street and the Health Sciences Centre campus. Transit Several transit routes travel through
4520-598: The Panama Canal opened in 1914. The canal reduced reliance on Canada's rail system for international trade; the increase in shipping traffic helped Vancouver to surpass Winnipeg in both prosperity and population by the end of World War I . More than 30,000 workers walked off their jobs in May 1919 in what came to be known as the Winnipeg general strike . The strike was a product of postwar recession, labour conditions,
4633-660: The Paterson GlobalFoods Institute. Broadway-Assiniboine lies in the southern part of downtown on the north bank of the Assiniboine River . The neighbourhood is one of the more densely-populated in Winnipeg, with 15,452.2 people per square kilometre. It features many notable landmarks such as the historic Upper Fort Garry , Hotel Fort Garry , and the Manitoba Legislative Building . Broadway-Assiniboine features
Downtown Winnipeg - Misplaced Pages Continue
4746-548: The Provencher Bridge . One of the first bridges in Winnipeg was the Main-Norwood Bridge. It carries traffic between St. Boniface , St. Vital , and points east from Marion Street. Originally a toll bridge, it carried Winnipeg's first horse-drawn streetcars between downtown and River Avenue in the early 1880s. Osborne Street Bridge connects Osborne Village to the downtown core. The first iteration
4859-563: The Red , Assiniboine , La Salle and Seine . The city was subject to severe flooding in the past. The Red River reached its greatest flood height in 1826 . Another large flood in 1950 caused millions of dollars in damage and mass evacuations. This flood prompted Duff Roblin 's provincial government to build the Red River Floodway to protect the city. In the 1997 flood , flood control dikes were reinforced and raised using sandbags; Winnipeg suffered limited damage compared to
4972-836: The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre , and Centennial Concert Hall which houses the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra , the Royal Winnipeg Ballet , and the Manitoba Opera . The west side of the Exchange is home to Cinematheque , a small movie theatre located on the main floor of the Artspace building on Albert Street. Red River College 's Roblin Centre is a 220,000-square-foot (20,000 m ) building that features
5085-556: The Swift's and Canada Packers meat packing plants. In 1981, Winnipeg was one of the first cities in Canada to sign a tripartite agreement with the provincial and federal governments to redevelop its downtown area, and the three levels of government contributed over $ 271 million to its development. In 1989, the reclamation and redevelopment of the CNR rail yards turned the Forks into Winnipeg's most popular tourist attraction. The city
5198-541: The Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Canadian football), Winnipeg Jets (ice hockey), Manitoba Moose (ice hockey), Valour FC ( soccer ), Winnipeg Sea Bears (basketball), and the Winnipeg Goldeyes (baseball). Winnipeg is named after nearby Lake Winnipeg , 65 km (40 mi) north of the city. English explorer Henry Kelsey may have been the first European to see the lake in 1690. He adopted
5311-683: The Winnipeg Convention Centre with 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m) of meeting, exhibition and banquet space. Lakeview Square , the largest mixed-use development downtown in the 1970s, was constructed at the same time as the Convention Centre and completed in 1974. Opened in 2004, the Bell MTS Place is located just south of Portage Avenue and is home to the Winnipeg Jets . The area also has
5424-759: The Winnipeg Walkway . Residential neighbourhoods surround the downtown in all directions; expansion is greatest to the south and west, although several areas remain underdeveloped. The city's largest park, Assiniboine Park , houses the Assiniboine Park Zoo and the Leo Mol Sculpture Garden . Other large city parks include Kildonan Park and St. Vital Park . The city's major commercial areas are Polo Park , Kildonan Crossing, South St. Vital, Garden City (West Kildonan), Pembina Strip, Kenaston Smart Centre, Osborne Village , and
5537-453: The "Assiniboine Riverwalk" and is home to many notable restaurants. The population of Broadway-Assiniboine was 5,270 as of the 2016 Census . The most common transportation method of the people in South Portage is walking, with 31.8%, more than 6.5 times higher than the overall 4.9% for Winnipeg. The average employment income for the area is just $ 47,268, which is lower than Winnipeg's average employment income of $ 61,164. Current plans are for
5650-555: The Corydon strip. The main cultural and nightlife areas are the Exchange District, the Forks, Osborne Village and Corydon Village (both in Fort Rouge), Sargent and Ellice Avenues (West End) and Old St. Boniface. Osborne Village is Winnipeg's most densely populated neighbourhood and one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Western Canada. In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada , Winnipeg had
5763-475: The Coward Robert Ford (2007), and A Dog's Purpose (2017), among others were filmed in the city. The Winnipeg Film Group has produced numerous award-winning films. There are several TV and film production companies in Winnipeg: the most prominent are Farpoint Films , Frantic Films , Buffalo Gal Pictures , and Les Productions Rivard . Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg , an independent film released in 2008,
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#17327723874985876-784: The Exchange District: 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 32, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48. Boat At one time the Alexander Docks functioned as an urban dock in downtown Winnipeg which tourist riverboat the Paddlewheel Queen and others had used for decades. This has since been shut down and is in the process of being updated. A pedestrian mall was proposed for the area in August 2010 by local architect Brent Bellamy. The proposed pedestrian mall would be located along two blocks of Albert Street to
5989-616: The Forks , attracts four million visitors a year. It is home to the City television studio, Manitoba Theatre for Young People , the Winnipeg International Children's Festival , and the Manitoba Children's Museum . It also features a 2,800 m (30,000 sq ft) skate plaza, a 790 m (8,500 sq ft) bowl complex, which features a mural of Winnipeg skateboarding pioneer Jai Pereira,
6102-540: The Fort Garry Horse . He named the bear after the regiment's hometown of Winnipeg. A. A. Milne later wrote a series of books featuring the fictional Winnie-the-Pooh. The series' illustrator, Ernest H. Shepard created the only known oil painting of Winnipeg's adopted fictional bear, which is displayed in Assiniboine Park. The city has developed many distinct dishes and cooking styles, notably in
6215-472: The Hudson's Bay and North West Companies merged, ending their long rivalry. Fort Gibraltar was renamed Fort Garry in 1822 and became the leading post in the region for the Hudson's Bay Company. A flood destroyed the fort in 1826 and it was not rebuilt until 1835. A rebuilt section of the fort, consisting of the front gate and a section of the wall, is near the modern-day corner of Main Street and Broadway in downtown Winnipeg. In 1869–70, present-day Winnipeg
6328-430: The NHL's Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose have played since 2004; and Blue Cross Park , where the American Association 's Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball team have played since 1999. The Winnipeg Walkway system, popularly known as the Winnipeg Skywalk, is a network of pedestrian skyways and tunnels connecting a significant portion of the city centre. Several media organizations have broadcasting studio located in
6441-422: The Norquay Building, the Law Courts, Cityplace mall , and VJ's Drive Inn . There are numerous office buildings and hotels in this area, including some of Winnipeg's tallest buildings . A 42-storey apartment building, 300 Main , is currently being built by Artis REIT , owners of 360 Main St. and Winnipeg Square . When completed, it will be the tallest apartment block in the city. Winnipeg's public transit hub
6554-425: The Old Market Square and closed to automobile traffic. The hope of the mall would be to accentuate the uniqueness of the neighbourhood, attract workers from Portage and Main , and be sustained over the long-term with residential development in the area. The city had issued an RFP in 2007 to redevelop the Alexander Docks site, which had been built by the federal government in 1929. Liberal Senator Rod Zimmer won
6667-474: The Red River four days after opening due to ice jams colliding with it. The second version outlived its usefulness and was replaced in the 2000s. The new Provencher Bridge opened to vehicular traffic in December 2003. Located adjacent to the Provencher Bridge is the cable-stayed pedestrian and cycling bridge, Esplanade Riel , opened in 2004. It features space for an indoor restaurant. There are two major sports venues located downtown, Canada Life Centre where
6780-527: The Spirit of Enterprise" (commonly known as the " Golden Boy "). The stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression resulted in widespread unemployment, worsened by drought and low agricultural prices. The Depression ended after the start of World War II in 1939. In the Battle of Hong Kong , The Winnipeg Grenadiers were among the first Canadians to engage in combat against Japan. Battalion members who survived combat were taken prisoner and endured brutal treatment in prisoner of war camps. In 1942,
6893-427: The Victory Loan Campaign staged a mock Nazi invasion of Winnipeg to promote awareness of the stakes of the war in Europe. When the war ended, pent-up demand generated a boom in housing development, although building activity was checked by the 1950 Red River flood . The federal government estimated damage at over $ 26 million, although the province indicated that it was at least double that. The damage caused by
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#17327723874987006-399: The West Exchange is bounded by Adelaide Street, Ross Avenue, Notre Dame Avenue, and Main Street. The Exchange District’s name originates from the Winnipeg Grain Exchange , the former centre of the grain industry in Canada, as well as other commodity exchanges that developed in Winnipeg between 1881–1918, some of which are still active today. (see Winnipeg Commodity Exchange .) Winnipeg
7119-457: The Winnipeg CMA population as of 1 July 2020 is 850,056, making it the 7th largest CMA in Canada. Winnipeg has a significant and increasing Indigenous population, with both the highest percentage of Indigenous peoples (12.4%) for any major Canadian city, and the highest total number of Indigenous peoples (90,995) for any single non-reserve municipality. The Indigenous population grew by 22% between 2001 and 2006, compared to an increase of 3% for
7232-409: The Winnipeg Exchange District was declared a National Historic Site by then-federal Minister of Canadian Heritage , Sheila Copps . The Exchange District is one of Winnipeg's commercial and cultural centers, with an array of specialty retailers, restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, wholesalers, and condos. Winnipeg's theatre district is located on the east side of the Exchange District, home to
7345-422: The activity of union organizers and a large influx of returning World War I soldiers seeking work. After many arrests, deportations, and incidents of violence, the strike ended on 21 June 1919 when the Riot Act was read. A group of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers charged a group of strikers. Two strikers were killed and at least thirty others were injured on the day that became known as Bloody Saturday ;
7458-441: The area in prehistoric times for camping, harvesting, hunting, tool making, fishing, trading and, farther north, for agriculture. Estimates of the date of first settlement in this area range from 11,500 years ago for a site southwest of the present city to 6,000 years ago at the Forks. In 1805, Canadian colonists observed First Nations peoples engaged in farming activity along the Red River. The practice quickly expanded, driven by
7571-439: The area is projected to increase substantially in the next few years. The Downtown Winnipeg Zoning By-Law defines the boundaries of the Downtown planning area, and several sectors within it. The downtown census area is slightly smaller, omitting a three-block extension at the north edge. There is also a significantly larger Downtown community area, used for Community Social Data Strategy for Winnipeg. The Waterfront District
7684-447: The area's residents speak neither English nor French (as compared to 1% of Winnipeg as a whole), while 71.1% of residents speak some variant of Chinese (including Cantonese , Mandarin and Chinese not otherwise specified). Downtown Winnipeg has four bridges that directly connect to other Winnipeg neighbourhoods or suburbs across the Red and Assiniboine Rivers . They are the Main Street Bridge, Midtown Bridge, Osborne Street Bridge, and
7797-461: The area. Sunstone Boutique Hotels had an $ 11-million plan to build a three-storey, 67-room boutique hotel on what is now a gravel parking lot, along with a new casual-dining restaurant in the one-storey brick former Harbourmaster's building. The plans also involve construction of a public plaza area at the south end of the property. The design of the Waterfront District also led to a new road system that included Winnipeg’s first roundabout , at
7910-406: The areas of confectionery and hot-smoked fish . Both the First Nations and more recent Eastern Canadian, European, and Asian immigrants have helped shape Winnipeg's dining scene, giving birth to dishes such as the desserts schmoo torte and wafer pie . The Winnipeg Art Gallery is Western Canada's oldest public art gallery, founded in 1912. It is the sixth-largest in the country and includes
8023-407: The arrival of the British Hudson's Bay Company after France ceded the territory following its defeat in the Seven Years' War . Many French men who were trappers married First Nations women ; their mixed-race children hunted, traded, and lived in the area. Their descendants are known as the Métis . Lord Selkirk was involved with the first permanent settlement (known as the Red River Colony ),
8136-669: The bidding process through his proposed $ 10-million development plan which would include a boutique hotel (restaurant, meeting space) and marina . A consortium comprising CentreVenture, the Manitoba Association of Architects, The Forks , the Exchange District BIZ , as well as several architectural firms held an international design competition, On the Docks , in 2018 for the redevelopment of Alexander Docks. Over 200 designs were entered. The winner of
8249-420: The city as a whole; this population tends to be younger and less wealthy than non-Indigenous residents. Winnipeg also has the highest Métis population in both percentage (6.5%) and numbers (47,915); the growth rate for this population between 2001 and 2006 was 30%. The 2021 census reported that immigrants comprise 201,040 persons or 27.3% of the total population of Winnipeg. Of the total immigrant population,
8362-509: The city centre, along with over 200 wholesale businesses. World War I and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914 slowed Winnipeg's growth, as there was a new route for shipping goods from Eastern Canada and Europe to Western Canada and from East Asia to the larger markets on the Eastern seaboard . As wholesale operations began to open in other Western Canadian cities, such as Edmonton, Moose Jaw, and Regina, Winnipeg's importance as
8475-550: The city was incorporated by that name by the Manitoba Legislature in 1873. Winnipeg lies at the confluence of the Assiniboine and the Red River of the North , a location now known as " the Forks ." This point was at the crossroads of canoe routes travelled by First Nations before European contact. Evidence provided by archaeology, petroglyphs , rock art , and oral history indicates that native peoples used
8588-518: The corner of Bannatyne Avenue and Waterfront Drive. Central Park is one of Winnipeg's most densely-populated neighbourhoods with 13,755 people per square km according to the 2001 Census . Seventy per cent of all refugees coming to Winnipeg live downtown, in and around the Central Park area. Central Park includes many different ethnicities including Arabs, Vietnamese, Chinese, Ojibway, Filipinos, and African (more than half being African). With
8701-542: The demand by traders for provisions. The rivers provided an extensive transportation network linking northern First Peoples with those to the south along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The Ojibwe made some of the first maps on birch bark , which helped fur traders navigate the waterways of the area. Sieur de La Vérendrye built the first fur trading post on the site in 1738, called Fort Rouge . French trading continued at this site for several decades before
8814-402: The design competition was Cornoiu Sabin of Romania for his "Alexander's Garden". According to the 2016 census , the Exchange District has approximately 0.10% of Winnipeg's population with 630 people (+41.6%), up from 445 at the time of the 2011 census. The Exchange District makes up 0.1% of the city's total land area. The district's population age is wide between early twenties and up; there
8927-405: The downtown area include the Exchange District , Central Park , The Forks , and Chinatown . The downtown area is roughly 3 square kilometres (740 acres). Winnipeg Square , Canada Life Centre , Portage Place , and the flagship store of The Bay (closed 30 November 2020) are all located on the downtown section of Portage Avenue . On Main Street are Winnipeg's City Hall , Union Station , and
9040-548: The downtown area, including television stations CTV , Global , Citytv , and Canadian specialty channel APTN ; and radio stations QX-104 , and 93.7 Nostalgia FM. The television broadcast antennas for CBC Manitoba and ICI Radio-Canada Manitoba are located on the Richardson Building , while Global TV Winnipeg is located on top of 201 Portage Avenue . Border Crossings , an internationally known arts magazine featuring Canadian art, publishes from offices in
9153-404: The east side of the Exchange District, home to the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre , and Centennial Concert Hall which houses the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra , the Royal Winnipeg Ballet , and the Manitoba Opera . The west side of the Exchange is home to Cinematheque, a small movie theatre located in the Artspace building on Albert Street. The Exchange District's Old Market Square annually hosts
9266-577: The event polarized the population. One of the leaders of the strike, J. S. Woodsworth , went on to found Canada's first major socialist party, the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation , which later became the New Democratic Party . The Manitoba Legislative Building , constructed mainly of Tyndall stone , opened in 1920; its dome supports a bronze statue finished in gold leaf, titled "Eternal Youth and
9379-469: The existing demand for inexpensive wholesaling and manufacturing space, left the Exchange District largely intact. As a result, Winnipeg today has one of the most historically intact early 20th century commercial districts in North America. In the early 1980s the streetscaping in the area was improved with the creation of wider sidewalks, historically appropriate street furniture, lighting, and decorative paving patterns and materials. On September 27, 1997,
9492-604: The flood led then-Premier Duff Roblin to advocate for the construction of the Red River Floodway . Before 1972, Winnipeg was the largest of thirteen cities and towns in a metropolitan area around the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. In 1960, the Metropolitan Corporation of Greater Winnipeg was established to co-ordinate service delivery in the metropolitan region. A consolidated metropolitan " unicity " government incorporating Winnipeg and its surrounding municipalities
9605-497: The flood's impact on cities without such structures, such as Grand Forks, North Dakota . The generally flat terrain and the poor drainage of the Red River Valley's clay-based soil also results in many mosquitoes during wetter years. Winnipeg's location in the Canadian Prairies gives it a warm-summer humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb ), with warm, humid summers, and long, severely cold winters. Summers have
9718-516: The former Public Safety Building and Parkade (c. 1966). CentreVenture is in charge of choosing the design of Marketlands, featuring a farmers market and residential component. The Centennial Centre area is an arts and cultural district that covers a 34-acre area in the East Exchange District, linking several of Manitoba's important arts and cultural facilities, including the Centennial Concert Hall , Manitoba Theatre Centre , and
9831-747: The health care and social assistance (14%), retail (11%), manufacturing (8%), and public administration (8%) sectors. There were approximately 450,500 jobs in the city as of 2019. Some of Winnipeg's largest employers are government and government-funded institutions, including the Province of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba, the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Hydro , and Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation . Major private-sector employers include Canad Corporation of Manitoba, Canada Life Assurance Company , StandardAero , and SkipTheDishes . According to
9944-605: The increase in the African population, Central Park has been transforming in recent years. It is now the home to the 'Central Market', with more markets planned to come. Many of the markets will sell handmade fashion and imported African crafts. During warm Saturday nights, live entertainment fills the air, residents enjoy free Sunday movie screenings to enjoy an evening outdoors. The Knox Centre at Knox United Church presents international films in various languages - with English subtitles - every Thursday evening. The Exchange District
10057-453: The most. With 2,353 hours of sunshine per year, Winnipeg is the second-sunniest city in Canada. Total annual precipitation (both rain and snow) is just over 521 mm (20.5 in). Thunderstorms are very common during summer and sometimes severe enough to produce tornadoes. Low wind chill values are a common occurrence in the local climate. The wind chill has gone down as low as −57.1 °C (−70.8 °F), and on average twelve days of
10170-585: The name comes from the Western Cree words for "muddy water" – winipīhk . The region was a trading centre for Indigenous peoples long before the arrival of Europeans; it is the traditional territory of the Anishinabe (Ojibway), Ininew (Cree), Oji-Cree, Dene, and Dakota, and is the birthplace of the Métis Nation . French traders built the first fort, Fort Rouge , on the site in 1738. A settlement
10283-511: The national historic trust, Heritage Canada , announced a $ 500,000 grant to towards the purchase and restoration of significant buildings in the Old Market Square area, with a focus on Albert Street and what was then known as "Albert Street Park". The park became the venue for a farmer's market which brought momentum to the rejuvenation of the area. In 1990, a permanent stage was built in the park. Begun in 2008 and completed in 2012,
10396-450: The north, Gomez Street and the Red River on the east, and the Assiniboine River on the south; the western boundaries of downtown are irregular, following along a number of different streets, back lanes, and across properties. Generally speaking, the western boundaries are rarely much further west of Balmoral and Isabel Streets. In 2016, Canadian Geographic produced a map that generalize Winnipeg's downtown boundaries. Neighbourhoods in
10509-480: The northeast, although most of the native prairie grasses have been removed for agriculture and urbanization. It is relatively close to many large Canadian Shield lakes and parks, as well as Lake Winnipeg ( the Earth's 11th largest freshwater lake ). Winnipeg has North America's largest extant mature urban elm forest. The city has an area of 464.08 km (179.18 sq mi). Winnipeg has four major rivers:
10622-412: The original façades along Princess Street, and incorporates modern green building technology. The Roblin Centre's construction merged five prominent heritage buildings on Princess Street as well as a 1905 warehouse on William Avenue. It is home to approximately 200 staff and 2,000 students. The Centre has a focus on modern media, information technology, and business. The Paterson GlobalFoods Institute
10735-479: The population of the province of Manitoba, the highest population concentration in one city of any province in Canada. Apart from the city of Winnipeg, the Winnipeg CMA includes the rural municipalities of Springfield , St. Clements , Taché , East St. Paul , Macdonald , Ritchot , West St. Paul , Headingley , the Brokenhead 4 reserve , Rosser and St. François Xavier . Statistics Canada 's estimate of
10848-473: The public 27 September 2014. The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada , near Winnipeg's James Richardson International Airport , features military jets, commercial aircraft, Canada's first helicopter, the "flying saucer" Avrocar , flight simulators, and a Black Brant rocket built in Manitoba by Bristol Aerospace . The Winnipeg Railway Museum at Via Rail Station has a variety of locomotives, notably
10961-512: The purchase of land from the Hudson's Bay Company, and a survey of river lots in the early 19th century. The North West Company built Fort Gibraltar in 1809, and the Hudson's Bay Company built Fort Douglas in 1812, both in the area of present-day Winnipeg. The two companies competed fiercely over trade. The Métis and Lord Selkirk's settlers fought at the Battle of Seven Oaks in 1816. In 1821,
11074-403: The religious make-up of Winnipeg as: 50.4% Christian , including 24.0% Catholic , 4.0% United Church , and 2.7% Anglican ; 4.4% Sikh ; 3.3% Muslim ; 2.0% Hindu ; 1.5% Jewish ; 0.9% Buddhist ; 0.4% traditional (aboriginal) spirituality ; 0.7% other; and 36.4% no religious affiliation. Winnipeg is an economic base and regional centre. It has a diversified economy, with major employment in
11187-415: The stage contains a built-in lighting system, green room and two performance levels, and was funded by The Winnipeg Foundation , CentreVenture, and several levels of government. The 28-foot (8.5 m) by 28-foot (8.5 m) cube is composed of a flexible curtain of diamond extrusions strung together. The curtain can be drawn back to reveal the stage within. The cube has not functioned properly since it
11300-466: The top countries of origin were the Philippines (62,100 persons or 30.9%), India (27,605 persons or 13.7%), and China (8,900 persons or 4.4%). The city receives over 10,000 net international immigrants per year. Winnipeg has the greatest percentage of Filipino residents (11.3%) of any major Canadian city, although Toronto has more Filipinos by total population. As of 2021, 34% of residents were of
11413-465: The world's largest public collection of contemporary Inuit art. Since the late 1970s Winnipeg has also had an active artist run centre culture. Winnipeg's three largest performing arts venues, the Centennial Concert Hall , Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and the Pantages Playhouse Theatre , are downtown. The Royal Manitoba is Canada's oldest English-language regional theatre, with over 250 performances yearly. The Pantages Playhouse Theatre opened as
11526-441: The year reach a wind chill below −40 °C (−40 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Winnipeg was during the 1936 North American heat wave . The temperature reached 42.2 °C (108.0 °F) on 11 July 1936 while the highest minimum temperature, recorded on the following day, 12 July 1936, was 28.3 °C (82.9 °F). The apparent heat can be even more extreme due to bursts of humidity, and on 25 July 2007
11639-528: Was built in the late 1880s. In the 2010s the bridge was upgraded with a lit wall using LED technology. The Midtown Bridge carries traffic to and from south Winnipeg. It was first opened in September 1955. The Bridge sees upwards of 59,300 vehicles average weekdays. The Provencher Bridge is the third one built. The first version, called the Broadway Bridge, was not engineered correctly and fell into
11752-481: Was established on 27 July 1971, taking effect in 1972. The City of Winnipeg Act incorporated the current city. In 2003, the City of Winnipeg Act was repealed and replaced with the City of Winnipeg Charter. Winnipeg experienced a severe economic downturn in advance of the early 1980s recession , during which the city incurred closures of prominent businesses, including the Winnipeg Tribune , as well as
11865-582: Was later founded by the Selkirk settlers of the Red River Colony in 1812, the nucleus of which was incorporated as the City of Winnipeg in 1873. Being far inland, the city's climate is extremely seasonal (continental) even by Canadian standards, with average January highs of around −11 °C (12 °F) and average July highs of 26 °C (79 °F). Known as the "Gateway to the West", Winnipeg
11978-570: Was one of the fastest-growing cities in North America around the turn of the 20th century. The city became known as the Chicago of the North. Much of Winnipeg’s remaining architecture of the late 1800s and early 1900s is heavily influenced by the Chicago style. By 1911, Winnipeg had become the third largest city in Canada . At the time it had more than two dozen rail lines converging near
12091-469: Was opened in 2010. In summer 2012, the Cube was closed due to concerns about supports for the metal curtain. Repairs for the structure are planned for the spring of 2013 and are expected to include fixes for faulty lights and cooling fans, additional railings and handrails, alterations to the rear of the stage and accessibility improvements. Plans are underway to redevelop the 2.4 acres (0.97 ha) site of
12204-663: Was ranked by KPMG as the least expensive location to do business in western Canada. Like many prairie cities, Winnipeg has a relatively low cost of living. The average house price in Winnipeg was $ 301,518 as of 2018. As of May 2014, the Consumer Price Index was 125.8 relative to 2002 prices, reflecting consumer costs at the Canadian average. Winnipeg was named the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2010 by Canadian Heritage. As of 2021, there are 26 National Historic Sites of Canada in Winnipeg. One of these,
12317-577: Was signed on 3 August 1871 by representatives of the Crown and local Indigenous groups, comprising the Brokenhead Ojibway, Sagkeeng, Long Plain, Peguis, Roseau River Anishinabe, Sandy Bay and Swan Lake communities. On 8 November 1873, Winnipeg was incorporated as a city, with the Selkirk settlement as its nucleus. Métis legislator and interpreter James McKay named the city. Winnipeg's mandate
12430-426: Was the first organization to be granted a royal title by Queen Elizabeth II and has included notable dancers such as Evelyn Hart and Mikhail Baryshnikov . The RWB also runs a full-time classical dance school. The Manitoba Museum , the city's largest museum, depicts the history of the city and province. The full-size replica of the ship Nonsuch is the museum's showcase piece. The Manitoba Children's Museum
12543-477: Was the site of the Red River Rebellion , a conflict between the local provisional government of Métis, led by Louis Riel , and newcomers from eastern Canada. General Garnet Wolseley was sent to suppress the uprising. The Manitoba Act of 1870 made Manitoba the fifth province of the three-year-old Canadian Confederation . Treaty 1 , which encompassed the city and much of the surrounding area,
12656-607: Was threatened by the 1997 Red River flood as well as further floods in 2009 and 2011 . Winnipeg lies at the bottom of the Red River Valley , a flood plain with an extremely flat topography. It is on the eastern edge of the Canadian Prairies in Western Canada and is known as the "Gateway to the West". Winnipeg is bordered by tallgrass prairie to the west and south and the aspen parkland to
12769-463: Was to govern and provide municipal services to citizens attracted to trade expansion between Upper Fort Garry / Lower Fort Garry and Saint Paul, Minnesota . Winnipeg developed rapidly after the coming of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1881. The railway divided the North End, which housed mainly Eastern Europeans, from the richer Anglo-Saxon southern part of the city. It also contributed to
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