Economic Development in Winnipeg

Each of Winnipeg’s many diverse neighbourhoods have a unique character all their own. Winnipeg’s urban forest of majestic elm trees arching over the streets of established neighbourhoods is a distinctive feature of the city. 

Downtown

At three square kilometres, Winnipeg’s downtown area is comparable in size to that of San Francisco or Philadelphia. The city’s downtown offers a mix of commercial activity as well as multi-unit residences, including condominiums and apartment buildings, and several of the city’s major arts, entertainment and cultural institutions. A recent study showed that 25% of Winnipeg’s population works downtown.

Winnipeg’s downtown also features remarkable architecture and a number of historic districts:

• The Exchange District, whose historic warehouses have been converted for use into offices, condos and galleries, especially for many of Winnipeg’s arts groups
• The Waterfront district, on the banks of the Red River, home to new mixed-use condominium developments, as well as major arts venues and museums
• The Forks National Historic Site, which offers shopping, food and entertainment
• Central Park, home to many families and new Canadians
• Broadway-Assiniboine, a treed avenue home to restaurants and offices and one of the most densely populated areas in Winnipeg
• Historic Chinatown, which remains a cultural gathering place

Neighbourhood “Villages”

Many of Winnipeg’s established neighbourhoods have retained their density, with a rich mix of single-family and multi-unit residences within walking distance of amenities, ranging from grocery stores and restaurants to cafes, bars and boutiques. Many have a well-defined and unique character.

Among the neighbourhoods close to downtown, popular locales for nightlife include:

• Osborne Village -- The city’s most densely populated neighbourhood, with a mix of students, seniors, and single family homes mixed in with a cluster of churches, popular restaurants, cafes and bars
• St. Boniface -- Winnipeg’s French Quarter across the Red River from Winnipeg’s downtown is also developing an active street scene along its primary street Provencher Boulevard
• Corydon Village -- Also known as “Little Italy”, is a strip of cafes, boutiques, restaurants and bars that are well-integrated into a residential area that mixes single and multi-family dwellings.

Other major neighbourhoods include River Heights, Crescentwood, Charleswood, Fort Garry, Fort Rouge, Fort Richmond, Grant Park, North Kildonan, West Kildonan, East Kildonan, The Maples, The North End, Point Douglas, Polo Park, St. James, St. Norbert, St. Vital, Transcona, Tuxedo, West End, Wildwood, Wolseley, Whyte Ridge, Linden Woods, Island Lakes and Waverley West