Manitoba
Discover Manitoba
Manitoba is a province in the Prairies of Canada. It is well known for its agriculture, culture and history. Visitors come for the fishing and other outdoor activities, although there are several historical sites worth visiting. The province has 1.3 million inhabitants, half of them in Winnipeg, the capital. One-tenth of the population belongs to the First Nations (Indigenous) peoples.
What to Experience in Manitoba
Famous Beaches
Taste of Manitoba...
Enjoy the fine grain products such as the different varieties of bread offered in the different communities and restaurants. Manitoba also is known for producing the best pork products in the world, including back bacon. A popular dish in Manitoba are perogies. The drinking age is 18 - younger than most other provinces in Canada. Manitoba is also the home of Crown Royal in Gimli. The tap water in most communities is quite delicious, as far as water goes, though in some locales, where wells are used to supply the municipal water system, there is a pronounced mineral taste. The provincial capital of Winnipeg has an aftertaste to its water, though it does not settle-out solids like, say the water in Regina, Saskatchewan. Manitoba is known as one of the wettest provinces, and has in excess of 100,000 lakes. Those interested in meeting people and learning about Manitoba rural culture could stay at a B&B or a farm. Manitoba is home to many excellent educational institutions, offering a wide range of study options. Winters in Manitoba are harsh, and the relative lack of moderating effects by oceans and its relative flatness makes most of the province exposed to weather extremes. Parts of Manitoba near lakes are prone to lake effect snow. Summers are another story, with the possibility of high humidity when the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico in the south blows through the province.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Manitoba into what it is today.
Indigenous peoples have inhabited what is now Manitoba for thousands of years. In the early 17th century, European fur traders began arriving in the area and establishing settlements along the Nelson, Assiniboine, and Red rivers, and on the Hudson Bay shoreline. Great Britain secured control of the region in 1673, and created a territory named Rupert's Land which was placed under the control of the Hudson's Bay Company. Rupert's Land, which covered all of present-day Manitoba, developed significant settlements of Indigenous and Métis people in the Red River Colony. In 1869, negotiations with the Government of Canada for the creation of the province of Manitoba commenced. During the negotiations, several factors led to an armed uprising of the Métis people against the Government of Canada, a conflict known as the Red River Rebellion. The resolution of the rebellion and further negotiations led to Manitoba becoming the fifth province to join Canadian Confederation, when the Parliament of Canada passed the Manitoba Act on July 15, 1870. Manitoba has an extreme continental climate. Because of the generally flat landscape, it is exposed to cold Arctic high-pressure air masses from the northwest during January and February. In the summer, air masses sometimes come out of the Southern United States, as warm humid air is drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico....
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Manitoba.
There are many festivals in different regions of Manitoba. Some of the best known festivals celebrated in this region is the Folklorama festival found all over Winnipeg. The Winnipeg Fringe Festival is a popular festival that takes place in Winnipeg's Exchange District. Another popular festival in Winnipeg is the Festival du Voyageur during February at Fort Gibraltar. The Corn and Apple festival found in Morden found in the Pembina Valley region which sells some of its delicious Morden sweet corn and apple cider. There are also many inland beaches found throughout the province. Some of the well known beaches are Grand Beach and Winnipeg Beach in the Interlake region that are along Lake Winnipeg. Lake Winnipeg is the world's 11th-largest lake. During the winter time there are many activities available like tobogganing on some of the toboggan slide like the one found in Kildonan Park in Winnipeg.
Climate
Manitoba has an extreme continental climate. Because of the generally flat landscape, it is exposed to cold Arctic high-pressure air masses from the northwest during January and February. In the summer, air masses sometimes come out of the Southern United States, as warm humid air is drawn northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Temperatures exceed 30 °C (86 °F) frequently in the summer, and the combination of heat and humidity can bring the humidex value to the mid-40s. Within Canada, Manitoba has the clearest skies year round, and ranked second for clearest skies in the summer and for the sunniest province in the winter and spring. Southern Manitoba (including the city of Winnipeg), falls into the humid continental climate zone. This area is cold and windy in the winter and often has blizzards because of the open landscape. Summers are warm with a moderate length. This region is the most humid area in the prairie provinces, with moderate precipitation.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsInternational travellers coming by plane to Manitoba will arrive in the international airport in Winnipeg. Smaller cities usually have domestic-only air service. Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) runs for 519 km (322 miles) through southern Manitoba and Winnipeg. The Trans-Canada Highway connects westbound from Ottawa and eastbound from Regina. Nearly the entire route in the Prairies is a divided 4-lane roadway. It is also the only road that crosses the Ontario–Manitoba border. Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) terminates at its junction with Highway 1 west of Portage la Prairie. The highway is an east-west highway travelling from British Columbia along a route significantly more north than Highway 1. Eastbound travel on Highway 16 includes from Edmonton and Saskatoon. Interstate 29 in North Dakota connects to Manitoba Highway 75 at the Pembina ND-Emerson MB border. From Minnesota, traffic on U.S....
Regions
Explore AreasThe province has 1.3 million inhabitants, half of them in Winnipeg, the capital. One-tenth of the population belongs to the First Nations (Indigenous) peoples. It has a widely varied landscape, from a…...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Like most of Canada's provinces, Manitoba is large, so a car or any other road vehicle is probably the most convenient way to get around Winnipeg and all areas in the province. The default speed limit in Manitoba urban areas is 50 km/h and 90 km/h on rural roads. 100 and 110 km/h roads may still be found on divided highways, with some 100 km/h zones on high-quality undivided highways. VIA Rail runs an intraprovincial service from Winnipeg Union Station to Churchill in the far north, three trains weekly. The complete 1700 km journey takes 37 hours. A branch line from The Pas continues northwest to Pukatawagan twice weekly. There are many historical sites and ruins found in Manitoba from the fur trade era of Canada. Learn about the life in the past by visiting the Lower Fort Garry Historic Site found in the Interlake region that shows how life was like in the 1800s. Another place to visit is the remains of the St.
Where to Stay
Those interested in meeting people and learning about Manitoba rural culture could stay at a B&B or a farm. Manitoba is home to many excellent educational institutions, offering a wide range of study options. Winters in Manitoba are harsh, and the relative lack of moderating effects by oceans and its relative flatness makes most of the province exposed to weather extremes. Parts of Manitoba near lakes are prone to lake effect snow. Summers are another story, with the possibility of high humidity when the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico in the south blows through the province. There have been some cases of West Nile Virus in the province it is recommended that you do the following things:
Money & Budget
An 8% provincial sales tax is added to most retail products sold in Manitoba, in addition to the 5% federal value added tax. Enjoy the fine grain products such as the different varieties of bread offered in the different communities and restaurants. Manitoba also is known for producing the best pork products in the world, including back bacon. A popular dish in Manitoba are perogies. The drinking age is 18 - younger than most other provinces in Canada. Manitoba is also the home of Crown Royal in Gimli. The tap water in most communities is quite delicious, as far as water goes, though in some locales, where wells are used to supply the municipal water system, there is a pronounced mineral taste.
Language & Talk
English is the predominant language. French is also spoken in Winnipeg and other parts of the province. Ukrainian, Polish, German, Filipino (primarily Tagalog), Icelandic, and First Nations languages (Cree and Ojibway) are also spoken in local circles. International travellers coming by plane to Manitoba will arrive in the international airport in Winnipeg. Smaller cities usually have domestic-only air service. Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway) runs for 519 km (322 miles) through southern Manitoba and Winnipeg. The Trans-Canada Highway connects westbound from Ottawa and eastbound from Regina. Nearly the entire route in the Prairies is a divided 4-lane roadway. It is also the only road that crosses the Ontario–Manitoba border.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Winters in Manitoba are harsh, and the relative lack of moderating effects by oceans and its relative flatness makes most of the province exposed to weather extremes. Parts of Manitoba near lakes are prone to lake effect snow. Summers are another story, with the possibility of high humidity when the warm air from the Gulf of Mexico in the south blows through the province. There have been some cases of West Nile Virus in the province it is recommended that you do the following things:
Glimpses of Manitoba
an aerial view of a bridge over a body of water
green trees near brown concrete building during daytime
green trees near city buildings during daytime
White polar bears at Winnipeg Zoo
aerial view of city buildings during night time
Field with hills in distance with large sky
white bridge over river surrounded by green trees during daytime
A wintry scene with tipi at the Forks in Winnipeg, MB.
Canadian Museum for Human Rights
a body of water surrounded by trees and a blue sky
an aerial view of a bridge over a body of water
green trees near brown concrete building during daytime
green trees near city buildings during daytime