Things You SHOULD Know Before Moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba with Realtor, Jennifer Queen (2022)

In this video, we discuss things that you should know before moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba. Your Realtor, Jennifer Queen at RE/MAX discusses key considerations!
#LivingInWinnipeg #MovingToWinnipeg #RelocatingToWinnipeg

1. Our Crime. If you have googled crime in Winnipeg, you may have noticed that we have an above-average crime rate. But honestly, don’t think that we are in a city where you are going to be looking over your shoulder when you are walking down the street. There are definitely areas that are less safe at night, just as in any city. But the majority of our violent crime here is gang-related or of a domestic nature.

2. A variety of communities. If you are looking for downtown living, there are more limited options. What we do have though, are great sprawling neighbourhoods that offer an abundance of green spaces, safe walking trails or sidewalks, and development with family in mind.

3. You need a car. We DO have public transit here, but the scheduling options aren’t as great as some other cities – and with our weather, standing outside at a bus stop in the Winter can be pretty unbearable.

4. Our education systems – we have arguably some of the best schools in Canada, from preschool to post-secondary and graduate studies. There are also great options for Montessori schooling and private schools here too. We have two major and well renowned universities, the University of Winnipeg which has a downtown campus, and the University of Manitoba which offers a variety of programs including Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Pharmacy, Agribusiness, and so much more.

5.It’s Cold. Like, really cold. I moved here from two hours east in Northwestern Ontario – and let me tell you, it is actually colder in Winnipeg than it is in Kenora, Ontario. This is mostly due to the windchill factor.

7. The cost of living in Winnipeg. We have very affordable housing here – almost half of the national average at the time of recording (national average was around $700,000 and we are sitting at an average home price of $321,000). Then you need to look at our utility costs. We play home to Manitoba Hydro – a huge hydro electric exporter – and because we are receiving that electricity direct from the source, our kilowatt hours are about a third of what people pay in other provinces.

8. We also have great sports here – whether you want to be a participant or a spectator. For professional sports, the Canada Life Centre is home of the Winnipeg Jets NHL hockey team, as well as the Manitoba Moose, AHL hockey team. Pro-tip: If you are lucky enough to get Jets tickets during playoffs, be sure to wear white! We are known for our Winnipeg Whiteouts! IG field plays home to our CFL football team, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers as well as our professional soccer team, FC Valour. And Shaw Park, right on Waterfront drive plays home to the Goldeyes. If you are wanting to get involved yourself, there are a number of leagues that you can join depending on your sport of choice. Winnipeg Rec League, CanLan Sports, University intramural leagues among other options offered around the City.

9. There is NO REASON to be bored in Winnipeg. There are a variety of programs offered by the City of Winnipeg – their leisure guide comes out twice a year with program offerings. There are often an abundance of affordable activities that you can sign up for – whether it be swimming lessons, dance, or even sushi-making and painting! Or getting outside and skating on the Assiniboine river trails, or enjoying a race at Assiniboia Downs in the summer. There are a ton of options!

10. The people are amazing. Read the license plate – friendly Manitoba! I moved here from a small town, and was worried about meeting new people and Mom groups – finding friends. But Winnipeg has absolutely welcomed me with open arms.

11. The majority of the population in Manitoba actually lives in Winnipeg. However, there are other great alternatives in the province to living in the province. Brandon is the next biggest City, and it is halfway between Winnipeg and Regina, Saskatchewan.

12. Real Estate Market. Winnipeg has turned out to be a very stable market for investing in Real Estate. No, we don’t tend to get the huge rates of inflation like some of our major city counterparts, however if you look at Winnipeg home values over the last 50 years, you will see a slow increase in property prices over time. It’s been a very solid and predictable market otherwise, which has allowed many homeowners stable investments.

The Jennifer Queen Team
RE/MAX Professionals
[phone]

[alastairclarke]

Great points. We moved from Toronto to Wpg in 2023. Housing here is SO CHEAP! Kids love their schools. Our commutes to work are so easy and so fast. We used to spend so much time in traffic and it added a lot of stress to our lives. As you said, the downtown is sleepy. Not that much going on. For us, the $$$ we save from low mortgage, etc, we use that to take 2 or 3 int'l trips each year.

[fuimaygeetang]

Winnipeg is a good place to raise a family. Its got the small town feel with the conveniences (and inconveniences) of a the city. Every community has its pros and cons. Its how you adapt to your surroundings.

[josevich]

Comprehensive and honest! I just moved here a few months ago. I agree with everything except needing a car. The bus system works just fine for me even in the winter. Maybe because I live right across the bus stop. Uber is pretty reasonable if I’m running late and groceries can be delivered to my doorstep for cheap

[kevinf.]

Thank you for the video. We are moving back to The Peg after moving to the Vancouver area in the mid-80's. Much less expensive to retire in Manitoba.

[stephengillies]

This is a good summary, except it doesn't mention the arts scene. For a city its size, Winnipeg has an abnormally high number arts facilities, including art galleries, a symphony, an opera company, Fringe, Jazz and Folk Festivals, Folklorama, theatre companies, music clubs, several recording studios, book stores, and thousands of citizens who patronize or particpate in the arts.

[wishwasvlogs]

Thanks for your valuable information. I am prospective students looking forward to move to Canada. You clarified most of my questions and you have removed my bad impression regarding the Manitoba

[OhJustEatIt]

I disagree with a few things you've said. First, slum seems like a harsh word for downtown. I moved here from Toronto. I live and work downtown and I love the lifestyle. There are definitely transient people downtown, but generally they don't cause any trouble and you will find transient people in any downtown core. I have lived here since 2016 and I haven't owned a car since I moved here. I love walking and biking and I take the transit, cabs and have a membership with Peg City Car Co-op. The city is so small, you really don't need a car. Especially if you live within walking distance to work. Also, the culture in Winnipeg is like most big-city suburbs - most people have cars. So if you go out with a friend, just ride in their car. Winnipeg is one of the few capital cities in Canada where you can easily afford to live in comfortable to luxurious accommodation in a downtown setting.

[suziesaintb]

Just to add about things to do in Winnipeg, especially if you're looking for night life. Winnipeg (precovid) has definitely seen a resurgence over the last few years. Unfortunately, due to covid restrictions, these bars and venues have taken a hit, but hopefully, we will see another resurgence. The food scene in Winnipeg is also great. However, like most consumer items, expect a price increase...but inflation is hitting all of Canada, not just Winnipeg.
Thanks for highlighting the positives in Winnipeg.
I lived in Toronto for 3 years before moving back home to Winnipeg and just like Wpg, there are certain neighborhoods in Toronto that you do not want to venture into at night. As for Toronto's downtown ...there are only certain parts of the downtown that stay busy. It's not as lively as people think (I know cause I lived downtown Toronto for a few months). Certainly Winnipeg needs to improve its downtown "quality of life", but I think it's improving with all the "revitilizing" going in Winnipeg's core.
Again, thanks for the video! 😁

[nanunanous]

Many thanks for all these informations...Could you, please tell us next video about Universities with more details.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Greetings from Algeria

[martinbernict]

Jen Thank you so much for this video. I live in the Czech Republic and I was just curious what life in Winnipeg is and your video was so helpful. Greetings to Canada!

[abdullah-lcor]

Hello Jennifer I'm so happy to hear that greatful information from Canada in city Winnipeg/ 😊 and Winnipeg is seems my family future 😊 and I'm so glad to hear this information in city Winnipeg 😊😊

[clearstream]

In term of Coldness, wet cold feels much colder than dry cold, bc and Ontario have wet cold, Manitoba has dry cold, global warming also makes Winnipeg warmer than I came 20+ years ago. I was born and lived in a mega city in Warm weather for 20 years, overall I don’t think winter is terrible here

[emjeispyder]

Very very good coverage, and thank you for being positive when so many are not lol.
I wouldn't say that you need a car, i used to get everywhere on a bike even during the winter and many many people don't bother with cars. I've also driven for 20 years without winter tires but moving here for the first time might take some getting used to lol
I live in my dream house in the North End and I'll probably be here until I croak lol. All the bad rap we get is just complete misconceptions.

[calebrauser]

I was born in Winnipeg myself.. it always sounds so bad but it's really localized.. there's some really safe places to live and not worry. Avoid the west end, north end, maybe the west Broadway area... St James is iffy but honestly, I work downtown, and there's alot of good things happening. Don't take the stigma for fact.. Definitely stay out of the west or north end, and the point Douglas area

[rcheale]

To clarify on the weather, winter average during Dec, Jan, Feb, and March is between -15C to -25C. Summer average June, July, Aug, and Sept, is between +20C to +35. Only once in my 40+ years here, has it ever been -50C, and only a dozen or so times has it been worse than -40C with the wind-chill...but yes, when it's cold, you best have a warm place close by!

[econhelp]

My wife got an excellent job in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1996. We bought a house and moved down there and were there for 9 years and had exactly zero problems with crime of any sort. Little Rock had so many wonderful people and great things to do, we greatly enjoyed so many things during our time there. Here’s the odd part, we had no idea that Little Rock had one of the highest murder rates in the USA for cities of its size, the kind of murder rate that Winnipeg would gladly point out they did not have. BUT the violence in Little Rock was almost exclusively between certain types of people and happened in certain neighbourhoods and we had no idea it even existed (this was before social media and smart phones). Yes, anything can happen in most any city, but don’t let crime statistics make you fearful when considering places to live, do your research on the best places in your destination city and when you make your move it’s highly likely you will be fine. Good luck!

[debbiepapo]

I loved this video! Very well explained

[ahlamabdulhameed]

Winnipeg my city I live since 2002 thank for your nice report about winnipeg

[youthpunjab]

My friend is moving to winnepeg for his studies may god bless him he can achieve his goals soon ❤️

[SalikRafiq]

I lived there for many many years and did my Uni there. When I moved to Ottawa, the peg is thought of as a slum. I really liked the place. Now I've been in the UK (not london) for 20 years and my wife and I are now planning of moving back to Winnipeg.

Houses in Winnipeg affordable for us aside from the taxes. The land transfer tax is quite high and the solicitor fees are quite high compared to the UK. Crikey. But we'll make a go of it!