Word is out.
While The Globe and Mail has recently ranked Winnipeg as the #1 place in Canada to raise kids and #2 for young professionals – we assure you, it’s always been a delight for those in the know. This charming mid-sized city has it all, from cosmopolitan flair downtown to classic neighbourhoods in the suburbs to nature at your doorstep.
You’ll relish our celebrated culinary scene, be inspired by our passion for innovation in architecture and technology, and become smitten of our proud, welcoming and diverse locals.
We’re not afraid to let our quirky nature show, while our world-class attractions continue to be a big draw for families from all around.
From opportunities to adventures, here’s just 15 reasons to live in Winnipeg.
A world-class culinary scene
Winnipeggers love to get together over food, and our tables are always set with a world of local options. For national acclaim, Petit Socco has been named the fifth best new restaurant in Canada by enRoute, the Canada’s 100 best list features, or has featured, wine bars and tasting menu spots including deer+almond, Enoteca, Passero. Plus, there’s Nola by Top Chef Canada alum and Canadian Culinary Championship medallist chef Emily Butcher, and spots like Harth, Sous Sol, The Roost, Oxbow Natural Wine Bar, and Yujiro that continually find local acclaim and international admirers.
We have more than 20 breweries, including hip spots like Kilter Brewing Co., Nonsuch Brewing, and Little Brown Jug, while cocktail bars include Rose Bar, Darling Bar, and Solera. Our summer scene is awash with patios everywhere you look, while even winter doesn’t stop us with celebrity chef Mandel Hitzer’s raw:Almond bringing in some of the world’s best chefs (and plenty of local talent) to cook on a beautifully designed temporary restaurant on the frozen Assiniboine River.
Discover more or our city’s best restaurants on our Best Eats website.
You’ll be surrounded by art
Winnipeg is a city that loves art in all its forms. Ballet lovers can enjoy a performance by Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet, a cultural institution dating back to 1939 with standards higher than a Tour Jeté. Performing arts fans have their pick of theatres, including the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s two stages, Rainbow Stage – Canada's largest and longest running open-air theatre, Prairie Theatre Exchange, and numerous other smaller stages. Visual art enthusiasts will feel right at home at WAG-Qaumajuq, which has been celebrated in publications from across the globe for its presentation of the world’s largest collection of contemporary Inuit art, while smaller galleries dot the Exchange District.
Discover more Performing Arts
We celebrate summer (when the sun rarely sets)
We’re one of North America’s sunniest cities! Take advantage of that sunshine by festival hopping throughout summer (visit Folklorama, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Fringe Fest, Jazz Fest, Winnipeg New Music Festival and so much more), or go kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding or take a boat tour along our winding rivers. Our parks and public gardens always beckon, while recreational trails for hiking and biking will help you find a patio along the waterways, or under an umbrella on a fashionable street for some people watching. Plus, who doesn’t love a 9:30 p.m. sunset?
See our Summer Top 50 for more inspiration.
…And we own winter
We don’t just accept winter, we embrace it and use it for all matter of inspiration. Go ice skating on the Nestaweya River Trail at The Forks – often the world’s longest naturally frozen recreation trail, visit Assiniboine Park Zoo where polar bears will swim above your head, and see how we make ice so nice at Festival du Voyageur – Western Canada’s largest winter festival.
For more inspiration, check out our Winter Top 50 that will get you snowshoeing, sliding, bird and bison spotting, ice biking, and more.
You can start a new life here
Winnipeg’s friendly and welcoming reputation, as well as its cultural richness and growing recognition in North America, is one of the main reasons so many newcomers choose Winnipeg as their home. We have jobs available in many sectors like manufacturing, aerospace, tech and the creative industries, and our rental and property prices are among the lowest in the country.
We are proudly multicultural
In line with being the friendliest city in Canada, we love celebrating different cultures. Winnipeg is no melting pot, it’s a colourful tapestry where more than 100 languages are spoken. Marquee events like Folklorama –– the world’s largest and longest-running multicultural festival, and Manito Ahbee –– one of Turtle Island’s largest gatherings of Indigenous peoples, bring together peoples, cultures and families to learn, celebrate, and promote their cultures.
Discover more on our Annual Festivals and Events listing.
Nature is always nearby
Winnipeggers love nature – whether it’s a pleasant walk around the city’s many parks and forests, a long bike ride along scenic trails, a kayaking trip, or a rejuvenating yoga class by the Red River. Perhaps one of our lesser-known selling points is the city’s accessibility to countless lakes and campgrounds. Manitoba is home to more than 10,000 lakes, with many just a 1-2 hour of drive from Winnipeg. Lake Winnipeg itself, just under an hour north of the city, is the world’s 10th largest lake and home to gorgeous white sand beaches that you’d swear could be on an ocean as you look out over its vast waters.
Discover more: Outdoor Activities
We love sports
When you move to Winnipeg, we’ll be your biggest fans –– much like we are with our pro sports teams. Canada Life Centre, the home of our Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and Manitoba Moose (AHL) is known to be the loudest arena in all of hockey, while our gorgeous outdoor stadium –– Princess Auto Stadium –– is home to Valour FC and the CFL Blue Bombers with their beer cup snake-making fans. Last year, the city welcomed the Winnipeg Sea Bears into the fold, with plenty of sold-out basketball games at Canada Life Centre, while in 2025 we’ll host the Canadian Elite Basketball League Championship Weekend, where four best teams compete to determine the league champion. The Winnipeg Goldeyes have the best little stadium in all of baseball, with Blue Cross Park being located right downtown at The Forks.
With golf courses located across the city, you can get quality tee times spring through autumn, while you don’t need to put away the clubs in winter with our indoor and virtual golf facilities. We have recreational leagues covering almost every sport for any age, from cricket to curling, gymnastics, softball, soccer, equestrian and Esports. If you have the need for speed, check out exhilarating horse races at Assiniboia Downs or dirt track racing at Victory Lane Speedway!
Get into the game on our Sports Enthusiast site.
You’ll never stop exploring
If someone says there’s nothing to do in Winnipeg, they haven’t been to Winnipeg. Not only are your options endless as a tourist, but even after living here for decades, people keep discovering new things to try around the city. Winnipeg is blossoming and booming with new restaurants and attractions, always increasing the quality of life for you to enjoy.
Discover more Attractions, from hidden gems to experiences that have graced the cover of TIME magazine.
It’s the best place in Canada to raise a family
In case you didn’t read the lede, The Globe and Mail recently published a data-driven report naming Winnipeg the #1 place to raise kids. Our housing market, education, childcare accessibility and year-round kid-friendly events are among the reasons for this rating.
... And second-best for young professionals
The same Globe and Mail article named Winnipeg as the #2 place to be as a young professional. That’s no small feat! Enjoy Winnipeg’s high quality of life along with a many opportunities in the aerospace, agriculture, IT, hospitality and advanced manufacturing sectors.
Register now: Work In Manitoba
... And third best overall!
Diverse, brimming with culture and boasting a vigorous economy with an abundance of activities for all ages and interests –– there are so many reasons why Winnipeg is one of the top-three most-livable cities in Canada.
We never stop innovating
Winnipeg is the place to be for innovators and innovation enthusiasts. From engineering to information technology to food, medicine and the creative industries, we love making new things and sharing them with others. The birthplace of canola oil, Pizza Pops, Bugs Bunny, Boler trailers, honey dill sauce, “American Woman,” the cell phone, the fax machine, the Ebola vaccine and Glad-brand garbage bags, this city and its extraordinary citizens have an extensive history in shaping the world.
Learn more by watching our Winnipeg, For Real video.
Your start-up can reach its full potential
In line with our love for innovation, Winnipeg is the perfect ecosystem for start-ups to achieve their big goals. Just look at SkipTheDishes, Bold Commerce and Activate Games, among many other success stories that set up shop or started right here in Winnipeg.
You’ll never get bored
Winnipeggers love staying busy with hobbies, both outdoors and indoors. You’ll never run out of fun workshops to try, active things to do, ways to relax, cool restaurants to try, and places to go when you live in Winnipeg.