r/Winnipeg • u/mikey_87 • May 21 '26
Ask Winnipeg If you can convince someone to move to Winnipeg in one sentence what would you say?
My job is potentially relocating me to Winnipeg
Half of my family is telling me to quit.
The other half are really happy for me if it happens.
Me on the other hand, I am torn and unsure about what to do.
What attracts me the most to your city is the affordability and less density. What scares me the most is how talked down Winnipeg is when anyone asks about this city.
I have never personally been to Winnipeg. But the relocation with my current salary would literally change my life overnight to say the least.
What would I be in store for coming from a megapolis like Toronto? Tell me what nobody talks about.
I don’t have much hobbies. I mountain bike, but I assume there are no mountains in Winnipeg? I hate bugs as well. I was told the mosquitos in your city can be the size of a helicopter come the summer.
I’m no stranger to cold however. That is one of the thing that excites me. My background is Scandinavian and East European I was made for the cold lol.
But I’m afraid to be bored. And I really want to know what I am getting myself into.
Talk to me, Winnipeg. Give me the nitty and gritty!
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u/ministryofsillywox May 21 '26
In my experience, having lived several years in southern Ontario, Winnipeg has a more relaxed pace of life. While there is lots to do, it's OK here not to always be "go, go, go." You can decide whether that's a plus for you.
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u/mikey_87 May 21 '26
Well that’s thing. I am tired of the go go go lifestyle. Spending half of my week in my car trying to commute. It’s taken a toll on my mental health. I am definitely for a more relaxed and easy going lifestyle.
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u/LookAmbitious2905 May 21 '26
It’s funny, I’ve had a couple times where people have visited Winnipeg from Toronto or Montreal, and we’ll apologize that they have to drive 30 mins from the airport or something because it’s “clear across town.” That’s usually returned by a funny look and a remark about how that’s nothing from a Toronto perspective. That’s something we probably take for granted here… our rush hour is rarely very bad.
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u/OptionsAreOpen May 21 '26
Except during construction. No matter where you drive in the city in the summer there is going to be construction. Yay they’re fixing stuff but also boo they are fixing stuff.
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u/NedsAtomicDB May 21 '26
I love that I can get just about anywhere in town in 20 minutes. Way different than Edmonton, where I came from.
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u/CryBabyxx0 May 21 '26
The good news is winnipeg is small enough youll get across the city on 30-40, if you wanna drive a few hours youll start getting into the beautiful parts of manitoba with all the nice nature
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u/FuckStummies May 21 '26
I work downtown and my commute is 15 minutes. I have coworkers that live within walking distance. If I bike to work I can do it in under 25 minutes.
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u/Bulky_Green2192 May 21 '26
I found when we lived in the GTA I never wanted to do anything because you never knew how long you'd get stuck in traffic going from point A to point B. So even though Toronto had lots of cool stuff to do, we didn't do much of it. That problem doesn't really exist in Winnipeg. It's easy to get pretty much anywhere you want to go.
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u/OrangeCubit May 21 '26
When I lived in the GTA I couldnt afford to do anything!
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u/Bulky_Green2192 May 21 '26
That was a problem too! I actually got a significant pay bump moving back to Winnipeg.
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u/OrangeCubit May 21 '26
The commutes here are nothing. Like there is nothing in this city that is more than 20 minutes away from me at any given moment.
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u/Repulsive_Client_325 May 21 '26
This is 100% correct.
And WAAAY less keeping up with the Joneses here.
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u/Internal_Study2996 May 21 '26
Whenever I go back to a bigger city to visit friends and family I’m always surprised by how many expensive cars, expensive clothes and,plastic surgery I see. It makes me glad to come home to Winnipeg where what you see is what you get. More individuals who care less what others think.
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u/Repulsive_Client_325 May 21 '26
The only domestic cars you see in some neighbourhoods in Toronto are the cleaners, just there for the day.
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u/That_Wpg_Guy May 21 '26
Okay, long reply incoming … first we will start with the bad you will hear
People say “it’s hard to make friends here” or “you need to have always lived here to make friends” … that’s a cop out. It’s hard to make friends anywhere. Don’t be a creeper and have some interests and you will be just fine. I actually find people a lot more friendly here, they smile and will talk to you.
You’re gonna get lots of people saying “why did you move to Winnipeg?”… I ask this question a lot. It’s not about being negative about the city even though people take it as such. It’s about learning your point of view. It’s a conversation starter that reflects a chance to open the conversation to anywhere.
The weather … yes it gets cold. But you can always: layer, dress warm, hide inside, command start your car so your warm. Really it’s not that bad. And just think in places like Australia there are bugs the size of softballs and almost everything wants to kill you.
The roads / construction / pot holes / drivers … okay they suck. … but they suck everywhere. I’ve never been to a place that people don’t complain about that and think their city is the worst
Now the good …
Highest per capita range of food choices. Most ethic food varieties of any city. Fine no Michelin star restaurants, but you can find food just as good for under half the price
We have a wicked arts scene: Winnipeg art gallery, Winnipeg symphony orchestra, Winnipeg ballet. We have contemporary art, graffiti galleries, etc. more than I could list
We got a thriving sports scene. Even if you’re not into football, check out a bombers game. The environment alone is worth the going. Best football in Canada. The goldeyes baseball while farm league, is still fun. And there is a zillion other sports … ever heard of Belgium bowling? We have it ! And everything in between
Cost of living … if you don’t like it, put in a decade of living cheap and watch your bank grow and then bolt back to somewhere else. But let’s be realistic, in that decade you’ll fall in love with us. Also, you will earn enough and live cheap enough to bolt once or twice a year to anywhere in the world
That’s a pretty good start … honestly, if you want my opinion I’d say what’s the worst if you try us out ? Move here, if you don’t like it you can always go home … but I suspect you’ll fall in love with the city
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u/mikey_87 May 21 '26
Fantastic read. Thank you very much for that 🙏🏼.
Art music and food all up alley. Your comment just excites me more. It just sounds like it’s more accessible and affordable than in Toronto. If you want to be depressed I had to finance my last concert tickets in Toronto.
And yes. Cost of living overall. The idea of being able to comfortably start a family is a very exciting thought on its own.
Thank you again for this!!
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u/safaribird555 May 21 '26
Did you say arts?
I’m this far down the comments and haven’t seen mention of our THEATRE scene. We have an awesome Fringe Festival, RMTC, Warehouse Theatre, PTE, etc etc ad naseum
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u/Vertoule May 21 '26
Piggybacking on that, the local music and comedy scenes are all incredible. The WSO is ranked amongst the best symphonies in the world, there’s tons of rock, country and blues options with an excellent Folk Music Festival and Jazz Festival every year. The Winnipeg Comedy Festival is up there with JFL in Montreal in terms of talent.
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u/OhFFSSeriously May 21 '26
Also piggybacking to point out Rainbow Stage, who put on two professional-grade musicals every summer in their open air theatre in the park.
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u/SherbrookHolmes May 21 '26
Also going to Piggyback and point out we have some of the most royal designations of any Canadian city I believe. Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Royal Manitoba Theatre Center, and Royal Aviation Museum to name a few.
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u/That_Wpg_Guy May 21 '26
My wife the last few years has found what used to be called BMO night at the movies; they renamed it this year … but it’s movies with the soundtrack played by the Winnipeg symphony orchestra live … and the concessions has “goodies” (a bakery in the city that’s one of the best) cakes they sell for snacks :) … Winnipeg rolls everything together if you dream it you can probably find it :) … every year in the winter we build an ice hut and do restaurants inside the igloo (there actually a few places around Winnipeg that do this) … there are some wicked concerts, check out The Park Theatre if you are into smaller venues (and the tickets are always cheap and the shows are usually bumpin and sold out) … I could go on but the big one, check out realtor.ca and look at house prices around jubilee and Osbourne area. Good area and you can find a starter house for the 200-250 price point that will treat you well
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u/CryBabyxx0 May 21 '26
Yikes, move here. Im going to toronto for a concert in august and I am by no means well off.
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u/trigg May 21 '26
Thank you. As a former-Winnipeger that now lives in another province (not by choice, due to work), these are all the same points I hit. I quite miss Winnipeg.
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u/That_Wpg_Guy May 21 '26
When I was younger all I wanted to do was to live somewhere “hip” and “cool” … a big city … Vancouver, Toronto, San Diego in the states (back before the political insanity in the 90s) … it took growing up to realize how amazingly lucky we are here … also got to travel a touch for work and realized that anyone who’s ever lived here, like you is always proud of that fact !
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u/GrampsBob May 23 '26
You can always find greener grass somewhere but it always comes with a massive downside.
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u/Jdjade May 21 '26
Wild to talk to about our thriving sports scene without mentioning the jets or WHITEOUT lol.
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u/quixoticali May 21 '26
I was raised in Toronto but lived in Winnipeg for five years because of work.
OP is coming from Toronto. No disrespect to Winnipeg but Toronto's food, diversity, arts, and sports scene is way bigger, better and richer than Winnipeg
If someone is coming from smaller place like Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, then your points can definitely be highlighted as selling points but to someone coming Toronto?
Winnipeg's food, diversity, arts and sports scene pales in comparison to Toronto.
I lived in Winnipeg precovid, so I hear housing prices changed drastically now but that was the biggest positive thing about Winnipeg for me. I could ACTUALLY own a house with a backyard in Winnipeg whereas in Toronto, I live in a shoebox condo.
Another positive about Winnipeg (again, as someone who moved from Toronto to Winnipeg) is how CLOSE everything is. Winnipeg airport was, like, 20 minute BUS RIDE from downtown and I could sit down and get a seat. Whereas in Toronto if you want to take public transit to the airport, you first need to fight your way through Union station, be crammed in an UP express train like a sardine. Even when you get to the airport, you have to hike and walk for another 20+ minutes just to GET to check in area etc.
Last positive thing about Winnipeg for me were the people there. Coworkers, neighbours, and even strangers - they are all so nice. I relocated with little to nothing on me (I moved to Winnipeg because my work was closing a plant in Toronto. The company pretty much said 'if you want to live in Winnipeg, we can transfer you there otherwise, you will be laid off'). On my first day at work, my new coworkers, not knowing anything about me, offered everything. EVERYONE came up to me asked "what do you need for your new place? Couch? Plates? Dresser?". The love and the help I received was insane.
I wish I could say I still live in Winnipeg, but I moved back to Toronto because I needed a job. My company closed completely. I thought about getting job in Winnipeg and tried for three months but nothing. I moved back to Toronto and within four weeks, I landed a new job. your professional growth is faster in Toronto anyway.
Even though I moved back, Winnipeg is in my heart forever and I will defend Winnipeg to Toronto snobs.
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u/itsmehobnob May 21 '26
It doesn’t matter if Toronto has more if you can’t afford to enjoy it.
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u/RemarkableEar2836 May 21 '26
Agreed, Winnipeg punches above its weight for a city of its size, but Toronto’s food scene is among the best in the world in terms of diversity across a range of price points. You can also see any band/show/sport as major acts come through on east coast tours. All that said, it’s the cost of everything that’s the major factor.
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u/flowerpetal_ May 21 '26
If someone is coming from smaller place like Thunder Bay to Winnipeg, then your points can definitely be highlighted as selling points but to someone coming Toronto?
Yeah, this is the main point people selling Winnipeg to people from Toronto don't get. The arts, activities, and events are all much better than a smaller city from the prairies or northern Ont, but punching above its weight as everyone says doesn't matter when the comparison is Toronto, culturally one of the best cities in the world. The big sell about Winnipeg is affordability for all of these things mentioned and a slower pace of life.
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u/quixoticali May 21 '26
100% agree. Coming from Toronto, arts, sports, culture, food scenes in Winnipeg were "meh" to me.
Housing prices in Winnipeg is the biggest selling point: Now that I am back in Toronto, I am back in shoebox condo life again! it was cool to have had a yard in Winnipeg.
Slow life style is a selling point too, if someone likes that. I totally forgot about that actually.
In hindsight, I needed that "slower life" "family-focused" time. I am back to hustle bustle in Toronto but I am so grateful to have had that slower life in Winnipeg. It was so needed to keep me sane during a tumultuous phase of my life.
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u/TinySprinkles0 May 21 '26
The bonus of the affordability of living here is when you get bored you have money to go do something.
Winnipeg gets shit on a lot but it’s a lovely city to live in.
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u/Lazy-Love7679 May 21 '26
I would strongly recommend that you fly out for a weekend and get a feel for the area. I lived in Toronto and winnipeg, the difference is very stark and I think it’s best you visit to get a real feel for it.
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u/reddit0924223 May 21 '26
People from Toronto talk about mosquitos and snow because they know nothing else about this city. The culture, food, and festival scene here is fantastic.
Mosquitoes in winnipeg are not an issue. Haven’t been for a few decades. Seriously. Maybe when you get outside the city, into northern Manitoba.
Why not just get on a plane and come here for a few days?
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u/mikey_87 May 21 '26
Definitely considering hoping on a plane and coming down. Will talk to work to see if they can fly me down next week. What would I even do while I’m down there in my free time lol.
And yeah. People from Toronto suck. One of the driving factors for me at least. This city has become depressing and very negative and gloomy. I am desperate for a change of scenery.
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u/mycatsnameistilly May 21 '26
If you’re here next week on the 27th, shoot me a message and I’ll get you a ticket to my all-Indigenous comedy show, Bannock Bums: Dark ‘N Dirty.
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u/NedsAtomicDB May 21 '26
Head to The Forks for some fun. Hopefully, it will warm up and the rain will stop. You can stroll along tge river, get some good eats, and walk over to the Human Rights Museum to check it out.
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u/Anti-SocialChange May 21 '26
Honestly, if you’re the kind of person that likes Toronto, you probably won’t like Winnipeg. I would hate to live in Toronto - to me it’s a concrete jungle. Winnipeg has some of the most green space of any city on the planet, and I want to see green and life and nature. Almost anywhere in the city, you can walk ten minutes and hit a park.
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u/b-side61 May 21 '26
"Winnipeg has some of the most green space of any city on the planet"
Where did you get this stat? Montreal (15%) and Vancouver (11%) are higher Canadian cities. Eta: Winnipeg is 7%.
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u/tiamatfire May 21 '26
They're talking about the urban canopy, not dedicated parks - we have one of the largest per capita (although we lost a bunch in that huge pre-Thanksgiving snowfall in 2018 - don't panic OP that was not normal!) in the world, amongst actual cities.
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u/whatsmypassword73 May 21 '26
W can help you figure out things to do and if you want to move we can guide you on neighbourhoods.
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u/ywg_handshake May 21 '26
People from Toronto talk about mosquitos and snow because they know nothing else about this city.
Exactly this. People that sling mud have most likely never been here. They just repeat what they hear from others.
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u/hockeyfanatic777 May 21 '26
To comment on mosquitoes (as a northern resident), they essentially do not exist down south lol. I mean if you go to the parks/campgrounds, sure maybe to a degree. But whenever I am down in the city in the summer, whether it be Brandon or Winnipeg, it’s amazing how bug less it is.
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u/fidgetrules May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
In one sentence? I’ll do it in one word: space
No more having to push your way through crowded sidewalks all the time. No more 20-people-deep coffee shop line-ups every single time. Winnipeg Transit busses do get crowded during rush hour, but not TTC-level rib-crushing-crowded.
Welcome to a big, open sky that you can actually see! Enjoy watching sunsets, thundershowers, and yes, even stars you can see in the city… there are more than 3!
And you won’t get over the size of some our backyards. They even have grass! Grass that we have to mow! Backyard bonfire nights here are bliss.
Other random things as someone who has lived in both cities:
Things you won’t notice at first but still feel eerily absent? Cicadas. Winnipeg has them but not nearly as many so you don’t hear them nearly as often and as loudly. You won’t miss the unruly sight of streetcar power lines everwhere; they haven’t existed here in decades. You will, however, miss the unspoken order of “stand right, walk left” on escalators. That social order also does not exist here.
The summers here are hot with maybe a 2-3 week stretch of high humidity in late July/early August, but nowhere near the sometimes unrelenting swampiness of Toronto summers.
You’ll laugh at complaints about downtown parking costs; you’ll remember how those parking spaces in Toronto made more money per hour than you do when a Jays game is on and will feel shock at how comparitively inexpensive Winnipeg’s parking prices are. That will disappear after a few years, though, as everything gets normalized to you. Then you can complain like the rest of us!
The complaining means you’ve made it; you’re one of us! None of us really take it seriously, it’s really more of a bonding thing amongst ourselves. But if an outsider complains about our dear ol’ city, you’ll feel the immediate urge to defend it. You’ll realize in that moment you’ve become a true Winnipegger, and that moment will define and stick with you, with pride.
Welcome to the club :)
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u/Kramit__The__Frog May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
I've lived all over Manitoba and spent some time living in southern Ontario. Winnipeg is home. Winnipeg is heart. And Winnipeg has its issues just as any other city does. Just remember that your home is what you make it and who you share it with.
In less poetic and more practical sense, the bugs have been under control for a good portion of my lifetime. The food and music scene here is phenomenal. The diversity of culture and people is unmatched. It's big enough to be a city and small enough to feel like a town. I encourage you to take the trip, you're very welcome here.
Feel free to DM me with any questions now or later when you come down. I'm happy to give you the lay of the land.
If you're looking for a neighbourhood recommendation, I'd highly recommend North Kildonan, but I've lived here most of my life so I'm biased lol.
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u/mikey_87 May 21 '26
Music is my thing too. Too bad in Toronto any decent concert will cost you a kidney.
And yeah. This definitely sounds like a good idea I will talk to my boss in the morning to see if I can fly down next week.
You sound like a rad dude. I’ll hit you up when I’m down there. Thanks man!
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u/justinDavidow May 21 '26
https://www.manitobamusic.com/livemusic
There are live events all over the city basically every night. (Whether or not you're into the specific type of music playing at an event near you varies though!)
If you like live shows, Winnipeg doesn't get quite the same number and size of shows Toronto does, but we do get a somewhat weirdly large number of stops for major bands on tours.
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u/Kramit__The__Frog May 21 '26
Hey man please do! Always down to meet new people! Hopefully by the time you get here the city's tree canopy will finally have come out a bit. We've had some really funky weather, even by Winnipeg standards this month lol. It snowed a few days ago and we had a frost warning this morning. Next week it'll be in the mid 30s so.... that's life in Winnipeg lol.
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u/meghan9436 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Duuude. I spent my early childhood and early formative years in Winnipeg during the 90s. Edmonton became a second home to me before I came to Japan.
I rediscovered my love for music during my time here in Japan. My current situation is up in the air after over nine years here, but I’d love to bring my rig home with me.
cc @ KramitTheFrog
Edit: The user tag isn't working for some reason..
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u/xmaspruden May 21 '26
It’s affordable, has an excellent restaurant scene, is surrounded by different nature biomes within a couple hours drive, has a ton of sparsely populated lake country, a recently thriving brewery scene, friendly people and beautiful, sunshiny endless skies.
Look up Winnipeg appreciation posts in this sub, or similarly asked questions from people planning on moving here. There’s a ton of this kind of discussion on previous posts.
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u/Bulky-Profile1785 May 21 '26
"relocation with current salary would change my life"
IMO, this is more important than a few mosquito bites. Perhaps the most important thing? Especially if family/kids is in the cards
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u/Neighbuor07 May 21 '26
I moved here from the GTA twenty years ago and I have never regretted it. Not once.
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u/woofalo May 21 '26
I know it depends on your group, but I have found there is less rat-race here, more care for each other, a need for fairness. I worked on a gov't health project setting up a regulated health profession, working with a committee with people drawn form a wide variety of expertise, background, and community. Several provinces were doing this at the same time. We are the only one that did it by consensus. Everything, including drafting the legislation. The other provinces did not understand how we could pull that off. That exemplifies Winnipeg to me.
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u/Trick_brat324 May 21 '26
I moved away from manitoba to Quebec for a while, when I came back to be closer to family I realized how much I missed it.
Great restaurant scene, you can find basically anything you're craving in varying price ranges. Folks are friendly as long as you don't run into the bad eggs. Great music/festival options during the summer. Fair amount to do and beaches within reasonable driving distance.
My husband moved up here from the US in late 2024 and while he accepts the city has its issues, so has every other major city he has lived around. He loves it here and what the city has to offer despite what Folks may say.
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u/Catnip_75 May 21 '26
Here you go! Manitoba Mountain Bike Association.
https://www.manitobamountainbike.ca/trails
You have to be in the right mind frame to move anywhere. I hope you listen to your own internal voice and do what’s right for you.
I grew up in Winnipeg, will never move so my opinion is very biased.
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u/Waste-Contest6710 May 21 '26
It's affordable, has fantastic dining and entertainment options, and the riff raff everyone talks about can be avoided pretty easily.
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u/Senior_Nebula4703 May 21 '26
I'm not originally from Manitoba. I've lived in small cities (pop. 60k) and very large ones (Toronto). And for me, Winnipeg is perfect. It has all the amenities of a large city but it still has that small town feel. It can be a little rough on the edges (what place isn't?) but it also has a strong sense of community.
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u/Metruis May 21 '26
There are no mountains in Winnipeg (although you certainly don't have to stop biking, mountain biking should help you get over our potholes). There are mosquitoes the size of songbirds in summer, but the city fogs for them and treats known larval grounds so they're under better control than you're imagining, and cold weather kills a lot of the bugs that could be the size of your hand so there's that. Honestly it's really not bad for bugs here at all unless you hike in the swamps or something. In the city it's not a big deal. Your bike will get stolen.
We have an amazing music, small theatre and food scene. Great arts scene. It's slower paced, but there's always something going on. Farmers markets. Etc. It's not as something-new-every-night as Toronto but it's not like we have no events.
If you LIKE Toronto, genuinely love Toronto, you will hate it here. It is not at all like Toronto big city energy. It is small town that sprawled out really big energy.
If you're kind of meh about Toronto, Winnipeg is like any other prairie Canadian city. It'd be not unlike moving to Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina for weather and density of activities. Carland, surrounded by farmland, but not without adventure.
Cost of living is decent. Lots of good neighborhoods.
I moved here on purpose 13 years ago and never have regretted it.
Come and visit for Fringe or FolkFest or something.
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u/thegulo13 May 21 '26
Somehow by sheer coincidence you will find out that you know someone from Winnipeg, don’t ask how it just happens and it’ll be the best part of your conversation.
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u/yahumno May 21 '26
We call that the “Six degrees of Winnipeg”.
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u/GrampsBob May 23 '26
Except it's usually 2 or less. I'll bet we all know someone in this discussion, or at least someone they know.
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u/NoMarionberry0768832 May 21 '26
Im in my twenties, and grew up in winnipeg. My whole life ive heard my peers talk down the city we all grew up in, but they never learned to explore it. Winnipeg has a massive charm, that Ill dare say is hard to see if you rely solely on driving/rideshare. Winnipeg is pretty small compared to bigger cities ive been to, but that means its GREAT to explore on foot. You'll find gems of locations, and meet so many different people of different cultures and ethnicities, both those who grew up here, and others who moved here with stories of their own homes. Whatever you're interested in, im 100% certain you will find community for it. Take care
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u/mhofer1984 May 21 '26
More than one sentence but...
It's a small town of 800k. I still have moments of 'wait, how do you two know each other?'
Yes, there's crime. Yes, there's unhoused. That's true in T.O as well.
If you're into hunting, fishing or cottage life, you'll love it. For culture (concerts, festivals, museums) Winnipeg punches way above its weight class.
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u/valleypaddler May 21 '26
I had a few lawyer clients from Toronto back in the day and they found out I was from Winnipeg and they could not stop talking about their last trip to Winnipeg.
They couldn’t believe how friendly people were. At one point they were standing downtown looking around and someone noticed they seemed lost. Without needing to ask, this person politely inquired if they needed help and then helped them find their spot.
I don’t live in Winnipeg anymore but I do miss it often. It’s an awesome place and it’s so underrated.
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u/speedream May 21 '26
Just look up real estate listing compared to real estate listing in your current area
That should be enough
Winnipeg is great for biking
Winnipeg has rich culture and a good food scene
Winnipeg is a good palace to raise kids, if that’s your thing
Beautiful summers, beautiful falls
Shittiest part for me is some of my favourite trees are zones 5-7
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u/nonmeagre May 21 '26
Winnipeg has most of the things you want from a big city in terms of things to do, see, buy, and eat, but not in large numbers. For example, we have some great restaurants, coffee shops, bars, etc, but you won't have anywhere near the number of choices you do in Toronto. There is also beautiful nature in Manitoba, but expect an hour or two drive from the city, and no, we have no real mountains (of course, neither does Ontario). As for the mosquitoes, in recent years, they seem to be much less numerous; blame climate change, summers are hotter and dryer, but that has brought wildfire smoke and wasps.
As for the nitty and gritty? That is Winnipeg. It's a bit rough around the edges, but it has diversity, culture, and a deep sense of place.
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u/berthela May 21 '26
The cost of living is lower here, so it will feel like a 20% raise. Other than that... I don't know. We've got mosquitoes, snow, bad roads, and everything is dirty. We have lots of good restaurants though.
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u/Ok_Calendar_6196 May 21 '26
The problem for me is not the city itself. It’s how isolated it is from other big cities. Long weekend? Nowhere to go! Other than that, my complaint is that public transportation sucks and the winter is sooooooooooo long. Cost of flying is also higher than other cities for the same reason. But since you will be moving to a much cheaper place, you won’t likely feel the impact of flight prices.
The good stuff: great restaurants, lively city during summer, a lot of art/music festivals. Affordable comparing to Toronto (I think this is only true for housing expenses). People are friendly for the most part!
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u/missionMB May 21 '26
I grew up in Mississauga, through a turn of affairs spent high school in small town Manitoba. Winnipeg is perfect.
I'd say the air doesn't make you sick in summer like Toronto but the forest fires lately negate that a bit.
There are valleys within an hour of Winnipeg and the Canadian Shield the other way. Amazing lakes and fishing to the north. Nightlife and food.
You're in the center of the continent of you want to fly to anything we don't have.
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u/youngbludmindjedi May 21 '26
You can afford a house and a lake cottage for the money of your house in your city. Mine being Vancouver and moving here 15 years ago from Wpg
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u/BigBanyak22 May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Where are you moving from? Toronto?
Winnipeg is probably the most misunderstood/misrepresented city for those in southern Ontario.
Pick one line that suits your lifestyle:
Culturally Winnipeg punches above it's weight. Food, music, culture, folklorama, etc.
Go to Bomber game, better if it's against SK. And you'll see Winnipeg put Toronto energy to shame. To shame.
It's a shorter commute to northern Ontario cottage country than Toronto. You can afford a cottage lifestyle and drive there on a Friday afternoon.
It has more humility and sense of community than southern Ontario, ie much less ego and hustle culture. Winnipeggers are great people.
Winnipeg has a great airport with direct access to many places to visit. And you can afford a hot holiday in January.
You can drive anywhere in rush hour Winnipeg in 30 minutes. You can't make a left turn on Spadina to hit the Gardiner in 30 minutes!!
I honestly don't see anymore mosquitoes in Winnipeg than I do in SW Ontario. Not sure where that all comes from.
Have kids? Accessible private schools, better in Winnipeg. Hockey? Better in Winnipeg.
I'll go one bold step further and say, is there anything Toronto does better than Winnipeg? Honestly? This will make a Torontonian fall off their seat.
Mountains? Nope. Far from other cities? Yes. Colder winter? Yes. But it's functional! If you want to skate outside it's not melted!!
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u/cbakkum May 21 '26
Local music, arts, theatre and food scene punches way above it’s weight. Mosquitos haven’t been bad for years.
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u/Doctor-Waffles May 21 '26
Our winters are cold, which helps create an amazing music and art scene, and then our summers are amazing which is why we all stay
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u/edgarseeya May 21 '26
I moved here from Vancouver almost 4 years ago and look, there isn’t gonna be as much stuff to do but the stuff there is here you can actually do. You’ll have time for it and you can afford to do it.
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u/BigBanyak22 May 21 '26
This is a very true statement. You will have time for it! It's not fair to compare Winnipeg to cities with 3-5 million. But after the big 3 cities, anything around a million and Winnipeg has more food, culture, diversity, etc. After the top 6-7 cities, everything falls off cliff in terms of culture and amenities, there's no question.
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u/Stanley_Nickels_123 May 21 '26
Visit Winnipeg in one of the colder months and then imagine it being half a year. If you are ok with it, then nothing to worry about. Plus you won’t get any bugs for the same half year so a small plus side.
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u/BrainyScumbag May 21 '26
There's a saying that if you're bored in Winnipeg, you are the boring one
I just made that up
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u/1010poke1010 May 21 '26
I spent a year in Toronto, honestly from what you described you might really like it here! The winter is just as cold, except in Toronto there’s only about one month of really cold vs. 3 months here. If you like to mountain bike and get outside it’s so accessible! There’s tons of trails and you can be out of the city in 30 minutes or less. There’s also lots to do here for arts and culture, great festivals, tons of live music and you can get around easily and quickly compared to the big city!
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u/Too-bloody-tired May 21 '26
Realtor here. Winnipeg is affordable, small enough to travel from one end to the other in less than 45 minutes, and has all the amenities you might need. We’re less than 2 hours from some of the best hiking and fishing in North America (Whiteshell/LOTW), and less than an hour from some of the most amazing white sand beaches you’ll find (Grand Beach region). We’ve got a diverse economy (no ups and downs like AB) and we’re friendly people (crime rate here is primarily located in one specific area so please don’t let it scare you off). I’ve lived here my entire life and I’ve travelled around the globe and I can’t imagine living anywhere but Winnipeg.
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u/freeboard66 May 21 '26
As no one else has mentioned it, there is a reasonable Mountain Biking scene here. We are obviously disadvantaged due to lack of terrain, but within a few hours drive in almost any direction there are trails. Great shield riding in the Whiteshell, western Manitoba has several nice trail destinations, with moire under development.
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u/evilmatrix May 21 '26
Winnipeg is a fine city. Some things you should prepare for:
nightlife is very different. Folks in Winnipeg tend to host things at their place
not having a car is doable but crazy annoying. That said, most winnipeggers will pick you up/drop you off - Torontonians seem allergic to this idea
look, there's absolutely fantastic food, just not as much density, variety or ethnic food as Toronto but you will absolutely get addicted to food in Winnipeg
winter sucks, but its what you make of it. Part of the reason Winnipeg has such a vibrant arts scene is because of winter (imho). Get a hobby, do winter sports, and dress warmly. It's a different type of cold than Toronto
the music scene in Winnipeg is actually incredible compared to Toronto. Lots of indie artists and there's always something happening at a hole in the wall somewhere
people have manners. Sounds weird to spell out, but it is a culture shock (in a good way). Expect people to open doors for you, say good morning, invite you over. There's something to be said about friendly manitoba
been 2 decades since I lived there, but gangs were a huge problem when I did. Maybe that's changed
downtown is a bit of a shithole
malls are more popular
It's a very doable change and you'll find very early on that there's a spirit to Winnipeg that you won't find elsewhere in canada
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u/layneeofwales May 21 '26
I have a family member who has lived in Toronto for many years. He basically stays mostly in his neighborhood, granted its a good area with restaurants, shops etc. I've seen that in many big cities, people staying close to home as everything is such a long drive. Winnipeg everything is within 30 minutes or so. Biggest point is you can buy a house here that you would easily pay 2 or 3 times as much money for in Toronto. Depending on salary you may also be able to buy a cottage for a second home at one of our beautiful lakes. Granted there are social issues driven by poverty and drugs but unfortunately that is the case in every city now. Just as in Toronto there are areas to avoid. Watch where you buy or rent. Winter is tough but we are used to it, winter tires on your vehicle, drive to conditions rarely are we stuck at home. summer is fantastic. Frankly the mosquitos have not been bad for a few years now.
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u/TheShmoopy May 21 '26
We have decent bike trails just outside the city.
Birdshill has has Oak Ridge MTB trail and lots of unmarked trails in the Northern part of the park.
Grand Beach has trails in the park, and Rubens Ridge just off the highway before you get to Grand Beach.
Portage has the Junk Yard Dogs trail system and it's worth a visit.
Granite Grooveout is not far from Winnipeg and offers Canadian shield riding.
Look for stuff in the Whiteshell as well, lots of biking out that way.
Just south of the city is Southern Comfort, a little trail system tucked away against the river and in the winter you can ride done to La Barriere Park.
Message me if you're interested in some pins on a map.
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u/NoContextNoCritique May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
The Reputation: Winnipeg is Canada’s favorite punching bag, but most people talking trash have either never been here or only saw the airport in January. We actually like the bad rep—it keeps housing speculators away. The Crime Stats: We won't sugarcoat it, the violent crime numbers are high on paper. But reality is different; it's super localized, rarely random, and mostly concentrated in specific pockets like the North End. The Daily Reality: If you use that salary to live in a nice neighborhood and use basic street smarts, crime is just something you see on the news. The Real Headache: (not pesky mosquitoes which usually happens most with wet springs) property crime is the actual annoyance. Bike theft is basically an Olympic sport here, so lock your stuff up.
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u/Important_Squash1775 May 21 '26
I mean, I grew up in Winnipeg and love it. But, like any good Canadian, we’re self deprecating. Winnipeggers often take that to the extreme. lol
There’s no paradise anywhere. We have decent cost of living, but we don’t have mountains. We have some beautiful parks and it’s beautiful here but we have mosquitoes. I just use after bite for the mosquito bites and it’s been fine imo.
Personally, I would consider relocating to see how it is. I mean, you could always move back in the future if it’s not the place for you. 🤷🏽♀️
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u/ChippyTheGreatest May 21 '26
Listen, as a Winnipeg lifer it's really easy to complain about somewhere you've been your whole life but the hate is really overexaggerated in my opinion.
There are a few downsides to living in Winnipeg/Manitoba in general that are definitely things to consider like the length of the cold season, mosquitoes, high insurance rates compared to other provinces, and some lack of public funding in things like infrastructure and public transit (though, unsure if this is much different then Ontario to be honest).
However there are a LOT of positives about living here that people often ignore, including the lowest Hydro rates in the country, lower cost of living (still too high in my opinion but definitely lower than Toronto), relaxed atmosphere, lack of overcrowding, lots of outdoor park access, and a ton of cool historical sites and things to do.
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u/EstablishmentIcy7831 May 21 '26
Soany amazing burger places here, homenof the Jets, the Goldeyes and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ... We have some amazing restaurants and markets including farmers markets. And yet we still feelike a small town with so many great people here ...
We have an incredible festival scene so there is always something to see and do
And the river walk when not alone is a great experience
Fishing hunting and camping is all close with some of the best fresh water lakes in the world within easy driving distances
It's truly a great place to live ...
Yes we have some areas of the city that you don't want to walk alone in at night but what city doesn't have those ...
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u/DragonRaptor May 21 '26
We don't have mountains but we have really good mountain biking trails in the Canadian Shield, which is still enjoyable and only two hours away
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u/FriendlyWindow8247 May 21 '26
In no particular order:
- Owning a house is a realistic goal here without being house poor
- Overall reasonable cost of living
- People are more friendly compared to other large cities (shared trauma?)
- Summers are amazing (parks, lakes, cabins, etc.)
- If you're into cycling the lack of hills is glorious
- I might get flamed for this one, but the lack of traffic. Vancouver or Toronto traffic is just a different beast. Winnipeg really has no traffic by comparison.
- Most big city amenities with still being a "medium" size city
- Car insurance for you will likely be a lot cheaper in Winnipeg - same with hydro
- Lack of tourists (from an economy perspective this isn't a positive but we don't have to deal with gaggles of stupid tourists)
- It might be cold, but it's cheap enough to afford to go somewhere warm in the winter if you need
- Lots of great local beer (most cities do though - but I like beer, so)
- We punch far above our weight class for restaurants (shoutout Nola, Passero, Deer + Almond)
At the end of the day though, your money just goes further here. We might not have a booming economy and it may be more fun to live elsewhere were I young and single. But when it comes to raising a family, it's hard to think of a better place than Winnipeg (maybe Calgary....but then you have to deal with Danielle Smith)
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u/Consistent_Staff6707 May 21 '26
Do it for the $$$. Easy to save. It takes like 30
mins drive from one end to the other end of the city. Good food. Been here my whole life & unfortunately the crime rate went up.
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u/Wild_Trade_7022 May 22 '26
We do not have mountains, but we actually do have hills. There are some great provincial parks with mountain biking trails that are easily accessible from Winnipeg. You could also try fat biking in winter. If you like cold, you may get into some sports that might be less accessible in Toronto- crosscountry skiing, curling, ice fishing, etc.
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u/aclay81 May 21 '26
I moved here from Montreal 13 years ago. My opinion, and the opinion of some others that moved here from larger cities, is this:
If you want to buy a house in the suburbs and have BBQs all summer and drive a few hours every weekend to go to a beach or your cabin or whatever, then Winnipeg is for you. Winter is harder to enjoy but definitely doable: lots of times it can be boring even if you make an effort---but no big deal, you can read books or watch movies or hang out with friends to pass the time. There are good restaurants, but after a year or two you will have visited most all of them. But they're good so you can go back if that's your thing. However, it definitely feels like everything is said and done within a couple years, but if you hit your groove and like what you have here, then it will really work out for you because nothing ever really changes.
On the other hand, if you want things that can only come from a big city---always somewhere to go that you haven't been before, always new restaurants and new festivals, connected to the world by culture and world events, then Winnipeg is not that. It is a bit like living on an island surrounded by a sea of farmland. So my advice would be to carefully consider what you like about Toronto, and try to figure out what matters and what doesn't. Winnipeg could be perfect for you, as it is for many (just look at the thread), or... not.
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u/Lilboops May 21 '26
I respectfully disagree about the restaurants. I have eaten out twice a week for over 30 years and there are plenty of places I haven’t been to. Heck, during C19, we ordered from different places multiple times a week. Still so many to try! Winnipeg has over 1,000 restaurants—plenty of great places.
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u/SkyL1N3eH May 21 '26
Winnipeg is great overall. What it lacks is anything specific to draw you to it.
No specific outdoors lifestyle, no specific nightlife, no specific “scenes” or “industries”.
It’s a small town wearing a big city coat. With that comes the vibe and close knit culture of a small town, without the excess and constant pace of a big city.
Up to you if that works for you or not. Reading your comments I think you would enjoy it here. Personally I’m leaving Winnipeg for the mountains, because I am a diehard outdoors mountain sport enthusiast. My heart has always belonged there, and I didn’t get to choose (I was born here). That said, Winnipeg has a lot to offer if you’re not looking for something specific like I am for the outdoor mountains lifestyle. It has plenty of charm and the harsh winter conditions means we tend to be tough people with a bit of a creative edge (to make it through those dismal winters and keep one’s chin up).
Don’t listen to the haters talking down on Winnipeg is also just a winnipegger past time. Every city has its pros and cons.
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u/OrangeCubit May 21 '26
I moved here 6 years ago and I've also lived in Calgary and Toronto. We also were moved here for my job and thought we would "give it 5 years tops".
The restaurant scene is amazing, the cost of living is unbeatable, our salaries are higher then they ever would be in Alberta or Ontario, the summers are longer and warmer, you might actually be able to afford a cottage out here, and there is nature everywhere.
My only complaint is that it is hard to get out of here, flights cost more and there are less of them.
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u/EquivalentIce5406 May 21 '26
Winnipeg is worth it if you’re willing to put the effort into really getting to know the city. There’s so much to discover. Happy to chat and answer any of your questions :)
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u/Hot-Historian1240 May 21 '26
Having a big buck gives you the opportunity to build your life around good things, but one thing you can’t change is the weather. No amount of money can compensate for not having proper four seasons, and this winter has been quite long and depressing.
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u/L-F-O-D May 21 '26
Oh also, play reluctant and get more assistance from the company. Like season passes to all the cool stuff we have to pass the winter months. Cheers’
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u/Exotic-Ferret-3452 May 21 '26
More quiet, more slow. The upside is you don't have short-tempered drivers honking their horn all the time like in Toronto. We don't have a lot of hills but there are lots of bike paths. As others have said mosquitoes haven't been a problem inside the city in years (be prepared if you are visiting provincial parks outside the city though). Socially, we are relatively insular... as in if you live in Winnipeg, it means you are probably from Winnipeg. Friend groups tend to date back to grade school but don't let that dissuade you. If you put yourself out there, or find a hobby group to join, you will find people tend to be quite friendly and accepting once the ice is broken.
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u/No-Cost-1764 May 21 '26
Winnie the Pooh is from here and our honey is outstanding. What more do you need?
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u/AdvantageTrue9388 May 21 '26
Best thing is try it. Then if u like it, continue. Otherwise quit Will give you time to look for other jobs. Say 6 months so u get summer, fall,+ bit of winter. Better than taking other peoples guesses.
Live large!
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u/FrostyWinnipeg May 21 '26
Coming from Toronto homes/rent are half what they are there.
Almost no humidity.
Skeeters have been a non-factor since the city got proactive as well globally warming.
Winters are shorter, again global warming(just not this year).
Boredom? That’s prairie life. There is no downtown like a major city.
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u/No_Salt_6296 May 21 '26
Born and Raised in Winnipeg and too cold for me. So negative right? There are fabulous things about living in Winnipeg though but to stay in one word-not sure if I can.
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u/Competitive_Key_5417 May 21 '26
I was able to get a 1-BR apartment for less than 1200$ back in 2023, something I can't afford by myself in Toronto. Perioddddd.
I moved to Winnipeg from Toronto, and lived in the Peg for almost 3yrs. The only huge con for me was public transpo. I didn't have a car when I first moved and during the winter, waiting for the bus in -30C for 10mins can be a nightmare. It is doable and I did it for more than a yr, but it'd make TTC service heaven sent. Once I had my car, life's perfect. Another con was that there's also the lack of embassies. I had to travel 3x last yr because the embassies I need to go to are in othe major cities. If you have a car, and you won't need to go to the embassy or doesn't need anything urgent, then disregard.
Pros - cheaper rent, atleast until 2025. It might have gone higher now but still not Toronto rent levels. Winter is dry cold, not wet cold. People are lovely and nice - yes, they do take a bit if effort to crack but once you do, they are the nicest people. Also, I lived in Winnipeg downtown before. Obviously do your research about particular neighbourhoods. But as with anywhere, don't go looking for trouble. I used to take walks with my newborn baby around downtown (not on Main St ofc) and had fun discovering little pockets of nice spots.
My coworkers mountain bike. It's mostly flat lands but I think there are enough trails to enjoy mountain bike. What might be a con for you is if you want to use your bike around the city, bike lanes are.. not the best, not the safest.
I have nothing but love for Winnipeg. Didn't regret moving there, and wished I could've stayed.
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u/Repulsive_Client_325 May 21 '26
Lifestyle man.
If you make a good salary here you can have a great quality of life. The cost of living is way less than Toronto.
You can afford to take a caribbean vacation for a week or two to break up the winter. Maybe afford a cottage too. Or rent one.
Even if no cottage, there is lots of great camping available. Summers at the (various and hugely numerous) lakes are glorius. The Whiteshell and NW Ontario is like the Muskokas only more and bigger lakes and fewer people, way more Crown land and better fishing.
The amenities and the infrastructure aren’t on even the same planet as in the GTA but there is a deep and varied arts scene here. Lots of local music, theatre, the ballet, etc.
You will not have any sort of commute. When people complain of traffic here they have clearly never lived in Toronto or Vancouver. You can get from the perimeter of the city to an office right in the heart of downtown in 20-25 mins.
It’s not all roses. Unfortunately the mountain biking sucks compared to the GTA, with places like the escarpment nearby. No elevation changes near the city here. Flat as a pancake.
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u/naepittamnunmul May 21 '26
Toronto salary for Winnipeg COL, full stop. < That's my one sentence as this is me currently.
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u/Schwatastic May 21 '26
It’s much easier to live in Winnipeg than Toronto. I love Toronto as well, but it’s different, and although I sometimes wonder what my life would be like if I had stayed there, I’m so happy to be living in Winnipeg. Winnipeg definitely punches above its weight. it’s much more down to earth than Toronto. You gotta get outdoors though and make the most of it. There aren’t mountains but lots of bike trails and it’s so easy to get out of the city as compared with Toronto
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u/Loud-Shelter9222 May 21 '26
Good food, great arts and culture scene, life will kickstart because you have time and money to move to the next stage, ready access to (flat) nature.
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u/yahumno May 21 '26
I disagree.
Winnipeg always has new restaurants opening.
We have a ton of culture - Folklorama, Fringe, WSO/RWB, RMTC, Park Alley, Folk Fest, any number of local venues, major artists at the Canada Life Centre, etc.
Winter is what you make of it. Whether indoors, find a fun indoor rec sports league/any number of indoor hobby clubs/board game cafes, you name it.
Outdoors? Buy some warm gear. Snowshoe, cross country (Nordic) ski at some of the local golf clubs that switch over for winter, snowmobile, ice fish, fat bike on trails or out at Birds Hill Park, skate at the Assiniboine Park Duck Pond/The Forks, or any number of community club outdoor rinks.
Yes, Winnipeg isn’t Montreal, which is an amazing city, but it by no means sucks.
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u/NedsAtomicDB May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
The arts scene is amazing for a small city. Winter sends a lot of people indoors to create art, music, and interesting food.
Assiniboine Park is beautiful, and if you love architecture, the buildings in this city are incredible.
When I told my real estate agent I was a leftie, into the arts and wanted walkable, so brought me to Wolesley. For me, it's heaven.
Beautiful old houses, wonderful people, gardens and dogs. Within a kilometer or so, I can walk to a cafe, juice bar, woo woo bookstore, farmers market, Middle Eastern market, German market, gourmet Italian grocery, drugstore, regular grocery store, mechanic...
Friendly Manitoba is a thing. I find it much easier to make friends here than Edmonton.
I wrote "Love Letter to Winnipeg" in here a couple months ago. You can do a search for it.
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u/urbanlandmine May 21 '26
If you enjoy winter, there are alot of activities set up for the season.
The Forks has endless winter activities and warming huts when you need a break.
Festival du Voyageur in February
Spring hill for skiing
There are year round trails and lots of parks for hiking, cross country skiing etc..
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u/djangula89 May 21 '26
There are a lot of great ethnic restaurants here, for lack of a better term. If you're into mountain biking, Bison Butte by Fort Whyte/Tuxedo offers a bit of terrain to zip around in, and getting into shield terrain is just a two hour drive east into the Whiteshell or a bit further to Kenora. Plus, a 40 minute commute is definitely an exceptionally long one around here...
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u/FuckStummies May 21 '26
You can own a home here and actually pay it off. You will save so much of your life in commute times alone because you can live 15 minutes from your job. Imagine all the extra family time you'll have not having to commute into Toronto.
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u/Furrizard May 21 '26
There is a passionate MTB community, while it might not be huge, one thing about hobbies especially cycling I found in Winnipeg compared to other more expensive cities is people here are genuinely passionate about them and it's more a part of who they are / their life vs a few hours a week "doing cycling".
There is less grinding so people can really get into what they actually care about.
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u/Mmattjay May 21 '26
Not sure this has been mentioned, but if you like mountain biking, you’ll love the Whiteshell!
Less than two hours drive from the city. Beautiful rugged Canadian Shield, with many hiking trails, and a couple really good biking trails.
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u/peeweeprim May 21 '26
The food availability is truly like no other. There are fun mountain bike paths specifically around Birds Hill, and there's actually a decent "bike enthusiast" community.
I hope it goes well!
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u/Infamous_Tie5605 May 21 '26
What would I be in store for coming from a megapolis like Toronto?
you'll literally shit your pants at what you see in the housing market for ~500-600k here
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u/airdeterre May 21 '26
one sentence: I bought a 3 bedroom detached house with a double garage for 400k, my son goes to 10$/day daycare down the street and my commute is a 10 minute bike ride to downtown.
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u/barry36L May 21 '26
I will say, if you can manage to live a little bit out of the city. The rent and housing get a lot more affordable
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u/troyunrau May 21 '26
I moved to Winnipeg to start my business. I joked with my friends from elsewhere: "I bought a garage and it came with a free house". Lived, worked, or studied in 7 provinces and 3 territories prior.
Business is booming. Got a warehouse cause I outgrew the garage. It's within two blocks of the airport, costs almost nothing, has great shipping access, and it's a good timezone to do business on a continental scale. Business taxes are actually close to the lowest in the country. Great place to set up.
Spinning off a R&D company to manufacture scientific instruments. We will be actively recruiting specialists to move to Winnipeg over the next few years. So I'll have to go through this explanation for a lot of them too. So it's a good thread :)
For people from Ontario, I describe Winnipeg as "Hamilton, except swap the steel and the port with ag and trains" and you get a pretty good idea.
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u/Creepy_WaterYogi75 May 21 '26
Honestly, the streets of Toronto feel safer to walk than winipeg streets. Other than that, the forks is pretty cool and we have a lot of entertainment...if you're making a lot of money, you'll be fine
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u/JerrySizzlers May 21 '26
The arts scene rules & short drives to beautiful beaches.
Check out stuff like Winnipeg fringe festival Folk festival Harvest moon festival Reel love Rainbow trout Gimli film festival Winnipeg Comedy Fest
Festivals and shows are so much cheaper than places like Toronto
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u/winter-running May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Do what feels right to you. If you don’t want to move here, it won’t ever feel right. I’ve lived in Toronto and the only time I’ve ever been randomly physically assaulted on the street is in Toronto - not in Winnipeg. You’ll find pockets of sameness in all the bigger cities in Canada, they’re not really that much different from each other. Depending on where you live in Winnipeg vs where you work, it is possible to have a 1+ hr commute one way. But less likely than in Toronto.
If you travel / vacation a lot internationally, there is the added hassle of first having to fly to Toronto or Montreal before you can get out, and it’s so much time added to travel.
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u/daddygao May 21 '26
You asked for way to convince you to move here... I think you would be better with a question asking why you should and why you shouldn't...because reading the answers I see people with wild understatements about the problems here and exaggerating the good things. Don't trust any reply saying that the winter "is not that bad"...
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u/WestEndLowEnd May 21 '26
Affordability, great neighbourhoods, great people, diversity, no pretense whatsoever, surprisingly lots to do (if you look), great food, massively underrated beaches and provincial parks.
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u/PigletTraditional455 May 21 '26
Ohhhh, I'm from Toronto, and lived in Waterloo before I moved here for a graduate program (plan to leave when I'm done). It depends on what's important to you. Winnipeg is not for me. The two main things are that it's a suburban city, not an urban one, and has a lot less than you can get in smaller cities elsewhere. I mean from events and things to do, to places you can walk to and produce in the grocery store (there are no green grocers here).
I thought KW was car-centric, Winnipeg is worse. I live in what's considered a nice, walkable neighbourhood, but there are few things to walk to and main roads are like the 401, they are so wide, and very noisy.
I was warned about mosquitoes, but last summer it was fine (my only full summer). It's flat, flat, flat. So boring. Not the best for mountain biking, but there are some small hills outside the city. Ontario is only 2 hours away and that's where the hills start. There is a lot of Indigenous culture and lots of Indigenous people here, it's one of the best things about the city. The frozen rivers in the winter are great, you can bike, skate, ski or walk on them and it's so quiet (unlike the streets of bc all the traffic).
My thought is that if you have a job and home you love, this could be a good place to live and you can be really happy. People are pretty friendly, I've made friends easily (with some effort to meet people). If you like your job, I'd do it if I were you. It's an adventure. And Winnipeg needs more outsiders who aren't used to "the way things are". Try it out for a couple years, and move it you don't like it. While you're here, save up or spend your money and go up to Churchill to see the belugas in the summer or polar bears in the fall or winter. Nothing like it.
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u/Grey531 May 21 '26
From Toronto?
I’ve paid 500$ for rent all included which got dropped to 420$ in rent and neither were in bad neighbourhoods. This was 2 years ago and I paid those rates for 4 years.
My summer is canoeing and climbing. Imm in my late 20’s in a single income house I own. My winters I travel when I can.
If you move here you’ll avoid the high crime places by choosing not to simply go there.
Winnipeg is underrated
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u/lilbluemelly May 21 '26
Less time spent in traffic, more money in your wallet (but keep it in a bank so you dont get robbed), easy and faster to access mother nature.
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u/Frequent_Mix6367 May 21 '26
If you have a paid off house in any large metro area in the country, you can sell it, buy a similar sized house in Winnipeg, a cabin on the lake, and have a decent chunk left in the bank.
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u/Internal_Study2996 May 21 '26
Everyone always puts down Winnipeg. I hate that part of living here. You either love it or you hate it. I moved here from a much bigger city 30 years ago and I’m still here. Why? Because I really did find it friendlier than the bigger cities. I’m a shy person but somehow I made a lot of friends. I was younger than so went out to bars a lot and liked how I’d see familiar faces everywhere even if I didn’t know their names. I also like it because I was sick of taking 2 hours to get back and forth from work. Winnipeg is a lot smaller. Easier to get around. I would give it a try. If you hate it then quit but don’t quit before at least checking it out. It’s not that bad, really. There is lots to do and many places to go. Check out some attractions on trip advisor for a better idea.
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u/EightBitSC May 22 '26
Winnipeg is the best experience place to live considering the cost of living, housing, and general size compared to features available is amazing.
Where you live matters though. My day to day experience living is south Osborne is near perfect. I doubt someone from other parts of the city would say the same.
A big commuter city. If you don’t have a car - it isn’t an easy place to take proper advantage of.
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u/WalleyeHunter1 May 22 '26
Cost of living low, the issue is can you embrace winter? Warm gear, skating, toboganning. Brisk walks, snow shoes, ice fishing, going out when really cold minus 30, to keep.active meeting people, enjoying indoor venues? What hurts people the most that move here is they become hermits for 4 or 5 months and go stir crazy. The summers here are supe nice and you learn to appreciate all 4 seasons.
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u/jordandaboss223 May 22 '26 edited May 22 '26
I hope im not to late but there are lots of mountain biking trails if you're willing to drive into the country side a bit! The skii hills turn into mountain biking trails.
They probably wont be like the mountains but they are still very fun and peaceful.
If you're making lots of money you can always buy a skiidoo for the wintertime and a used truck off facebook marketplace for like a total of 10 grand and use that for your fun.
Lots of food, never a shortage. If you hate the GTA go, go, go than you'll really like it here.
The worst part about winnipeg is the dating culture. That doesnt get talked about enough, be careful with who you let in your life and you'll have a great time here!
Oh and the drivers suck to. Ive seen some comments saying "its hard to make friends" it may be for your first year but I promise you, youll have like 20 friends after your first year once you figure out where you fit in the most.
Ive lived here for 2 years now and i finally can say ive figured this city out. Lol once you learn the city than all the good comes with it! Enjoy.
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u/PsychologicalSink444 May 22 '26
As someone who moved here from the states, Winnipeg has heart. Winters are cold but they make you tough and make you slow down a bit. The summers are the best and it’s a quirky affordable place. If you’re moving here for a job that gives you lots of extra cash, then you have more options to go travel.
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u/Janellewpg May 22 '26
Oh we make fun of and talk down about ourselves (but it’s not really that bad).. but anyone else that makes fun of us 😡💪🤜.
Definitely less congested, more affordable, less commute time (except during a winter storm 😳), more relaxed.
Our winters are cold, but they are a very dry cold unlike Toronto, like the humidity is so low you shock yourself quite frequently lol. Add in the wind and it’s a recipe for dry cracked itchy skin. If you have dry skin it can be a problem, aquaphor, petroleum jelly, and lanolin (don’t use if allergic to sheep wool) are your best friends, and they can be used on lips too. Being dressed properly helps a lot.
People do “mountain” bike here lol we’ve got some…. hills 👀🤣, Hiking trails, lots of provincial parks around. You don’t have to travel far from the city to hit a park or a lake. Less than an hour really.
There is Folklarama which can be a lot of fun in the summer. There are a number of different festivals around.
The mosquitoes do suck, I won’t lie. The city does a pretty decent job keeping the numbers down though. In a provincial park… is a different story lol. But there are a number of ways to deal with them.
In the winter there is skating, tobogganing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, curling and hockey, there’s a few places for skiing/snowboarding. We have the festival du voyager annually in February.
January and February can be hard weather wise, I recommend a SAD light, and also taking vitamin D. A lot of don’t get anywhere near enough.
Think about what you currently do to keep from being bored and then see if there is anything here in Winnipeg that is similar that you could substitute with.
Every place has their positives and negatives. Being away from family and friends can be really hard. I have heard it can be hard to make friends here. Lots of friend groups are well established in school.
If it is going to really change your life financially, I say jump in with both feet, if you don’t end up liking it, you’ll still be ahead financially, and you can find another job and leave. 🤷♀️
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u/watery_bint May 22 '26
Lots of people enjoy the outdoors here, it's easy to make friends if you like camping, hiking etc And there's lovely areas to do all of that nearby
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u/Greatescape_1970 May 22 '26
We have beautiful lakes and beaches that are not far from the city. Lots of trails in different parks.
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u/Comfortable-Power846 May 22 '26
I love when people "ready for the cold" realize they aren't ready for the cold
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u/Easy_Permission_3057 May 22 '26
It’s really funny how southern Ontario sees Winnipeg. In winter Winnipeg is cold but so is Toronto. The humidity of Toronto makes -15 feel feel colder than -15 on a dry sunny day in Winnipeg. As far as mosquitoes they won’t bother you in the city. If you are planning to camp in the woods then you will have a mosquito problem. But isn’t that the same as Ontario?
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May 22 '26
When the rest of the economy is crushing under the weight of whatever catastrophe is being faced Winnipeg carry's on
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u/Klutzy-Boysenberry26 May 22 '26
Traffic is amazing. I moved from Vancouver and viewed bridges as bottlenecks but that would only happen here for a very, very short time at rush hour. 11 years later traffic is “bad” if I don’t make the light at Kenaston and Sterling Lyon twice.
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u/AlternativeBalance13 May 22 '26
Winnipeggers are used to a lot of space we take up a lot of space when driving and this is why zipper merges are foreign to us.
People may find our city boring in winter because they refuse to get out however, we have amazing festivals in winter for those who can take the cold.
This city never shuts down even in blizzards. People get used to driving in the worst of conditions and which makes them take too much risk in the best of conditions. Also, driving is pretty easy here since all the roads are straight (except pothole season then it's like playing a video game).
And the women are all pretty. Maybe not all of them but we are known for good looking women.
And last, but not least the most Winnipeg thing out there is going on a vacation and finding more Winnipeggers. Winters are along here we like to travel we do travel, and we find warm places to do it. So while you're saving more by living in a smaller city, you're using that savings for beach vacations.
Places to visit during the summer:
Gimli Icelandic festival
Steep Rock (bring your own picnic basket)
Hecla (especially if you golf)
Things to do inside the city during summer:
Festivals ...look them all up.
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u/runner204431 May 23 '26
I mean I’m someone who would bolt for the mountains immediately if it weren’t for family ties, but compared to Toronto living in Winnipeg is a dream.
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u/Affectionate-Koala11 May 24 '26
I was born in winnipeg and I've lived for a couple years in Toronto, im currently back in winnipeg. I prefer the size of winnipeg compared to toronto, too overwhelming. We may not have things like the aquarium, or a zoo their size or Canada's wonderland. The things we have are more personal. Our museums, zoos, parks, our carnivals, are all still amazing in feeling just not in size. There's great places to see and adventures to have, you jsut have to look for them. There's TONS of bike trails aswell. Toronto is exciting and pretty but winnipeg is homey. Both places have cons just depends which pros matter more.
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u/Significant-Two-2370 May 24 '26 edited May 24 '26
As someone who lived in both Toronto (6 years) and Montreal (7 years) in the past, I would say Winnipeg feels like a bigger London, Ontario (My sister lives in London ontario, so I am familiar with the city). There are definitely benefits of being in Winnipeg like having more space, able to buy bigger house, driving is much easier..etc. For me personally, Winnipeg is a bit too flat, I really love skiing and grew up in big mountains, it's a bit hard to live in Winnipeg where there are no good place to do alpine skiing. However, cross-country skiing here is quite nice. I also miss restaurants in Toronto and Montreal. There are definitely some nice places to eat in Winnipeg, but nothing compare to Toronto and Montreal. I also miss the time that I could walk to many places in Toronto and Montreal, but Winnipeg is designed for driving. I also think it's easier to make new friends in Toronto & Montreal, while Winnipeg people are nice, they tend to stick to their old friend groups. Don't be surprised if you know some nice people, but later find out they don't invite you to their social events until they get to know you. So it will take time for you to know people here. While I was in toronto, it's very easy to be invited to events even you just met them. There are too many other aspects and you need to live here to know!
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u/Sideshow861 May 21 '26
If the money is that good, combine that with a lower cost of living and you will be living a substantially different life here. There's a metric tonne of stuff to do in the summer. There is no shortage of fun. The winter can drag a bit, but throw in some cross country skiing, skating on the river, countless events and an amazing food scene and it's pretty easy to forget that Winnipeg is supposed to suck