28 Weird & Interesting Facts About Winnipeg

Winnipeg at night

Winnipeg is a city that Canadians love to hate. It’s rare that you hear a kind word spoken about the place. When I told my brother-in-law, who was born and raised in Winnipeg, that I was heading off to visit Winnipeg in January he said REALLY? In January? Are you nuts? Maybe I am but I plan to discover the charms of the city and see what keeps the 730,000 residents from leaving.

28 Fun, Weird and Interesting Facts About Winnipeg
Winnipeg looks beautiful lit up on a winter night

Here are 28 fun, weird and interesting facts about Winnipeg.

Winnipeg is the capital of Manitoba – and the geographical center of North America. It was incorporated as a city in 1873.

There are 841,000 people living in Winnipeg as of 2023 with a growth rate of just under 1% a year.

The closest city to Winnipeg with a population of over a million is Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota – 700 kilometres away.

The city sits at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers – a place referred to as The Forks.

28 Fun, Weird and Interesting Facts About Winnipeg
The Forks in Winnipeg is a great place to eat – year round

Temperatures in Winnipeg

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Winnipeg was -47.8°C (-54°F) in December 1879. For a long time Winnipeg was the coldest city in the world with a population of 600,000 or more. Ulan Batar in Mongolia has moved into first place. Winnipeg – because of its geography – is susceptible to polar highs which are in effect Arctic high pressure systems bringing in lots of cold air.

Winnipeg is covered in snow 132 days of the year.

Winnipeg averages 27 thunderstorms per year.

There is measurable sunshine on an average of 318 days of the year.

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Winnipeg was 42.2°C (108°F) on July 11, 1936.

Winnipeg has been called the Windy City but that is incorrect. It is the 12th windiest city in Canada. Hamilton is first.

Recommended reading: BEST Things to Do in Winnipeg

28 Fun, Weird and Interesting Facts About Winnipeg
What a view of the Canadian Museum of Human Rights from the Ice Castle

On the shortest day of the year the sun rises at 8:24 AM and sets at 4:29 PM. On the longest day of the year the sun rises at 5:20 AM and sets at 9:41 PM.

Winnipeg on a cold January day
Winnipeg on a cold January day

Famous people who hail from Winnipeg include Carol Shields, Clara Hughes, Cindy Klassen, Phil Fontaine, Fred Penner, Monte Hall, and Izzy Asper.

Winnipeg’s train station was designed by the same architects who designed New York City’s Union Station.

Winnipeg was the first city in the world to develop the 911 emergency number.

There are over 600 murals in Winnipeg and a fantastic amount of street art.

10 metre high emptyful by Vancouver artist Bill Pechet
10 metre high emptyful by Vancouver artist Bill Pechet

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is Canada’s oldest dance company. It’s also the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

The Winnipeg Art Gallery has the biggest collection of contemporary Inuit art in the world.

Sculpture at the entrance to the Winnipeg Art Gallery
Sculpture at the entrance to the Winnipeg Art Gallery

Winnipeg area rivers

Winnipeg has four major rivers – the Red, Assiniboine, La Salle and Seine. The city is extremely flat and is at risk for major flooding. In April and May of 1997 the biggest flood since 1826 occurred. Although the flood affected Winnipeg it was Grand Forks and East Grand Forks that were most affected.

The LONGEST skating rink in the world – that freezes naturally is found in Winnipeg – and not in Ottawa as was recently reported in Outside Magazine. The skating takes you along the Red and Assiniboine Rivers over a length of 8.5 kilometres.

Recommended reading: Skating at The Forks in Winnipeg

If you dress warmly you can skate at the Forks on very cold days
If you dress warmly you can skate at the Forks on very cold days

Curling is big – so big it might be the curling capital of Canada.

Winnipeg was the first city in North America to build a stand-alone ice tower. Its 20 metres high and within sight of downtown Winnipeg. Its open to experts and novices alike.

The Festival du Voyageur celebrates Canada’s fur trading past and French heritage and culture. It’s the biggest winter festival in western Canada. Every year it takes place over 10 days in February.

Winnipeg is the headquarters for Canada’s grain industry. It is home to the only commodity exchange in the country – the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange.

The Winnipeg Jets – one of the professional hockey teams in the NHL – has an amazing fan base. Although they have the smallest market of all the NHL teams they sold more merchandise than any others.

Other professional sports teams include the Winnipeg Blue Bombers (football) and the Winnipeg Goldeyes (baseball).

The polar bears are definitely a highlight at the Winnipeg Zo
The polar bears are definitely a highlight at the Winnipeg Zoo

Winnipeg has mosquito issues in the summer (that’s why I’d rather visit in the winter) and in fact boasts 51 insect management areas on their public works website.

One of the best diners in town according to Debra Smith a Winnipeg born writer – is the White Star Diner on Kennedy, south of Portage.

Universities in Winnipeg include the University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, the Canadian Mennonite University and the University of St. Boniface.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is the first national museum to be located outside of the capital region.

28 Fun, Weird and Interesting Facts About Winnipeg
The Canadian Human Rights Museum

More interesting facts about cities in Canada

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28 fun, weird & interesting facts about Winnipeg

 

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