About Winnipeg

The capital of Manitoba, Winnipeg is also the largest city in the province. Thanks to its position at the eastern end of the Canadian Prairie, it is sometimes referred to as the “Gateway to the West.” With a population of over 650,000 residents, the city has been inhabited since at least the early 1800s. In addition, archaeologists have found evidence of nearby settlements existing in the area around 11,000 years ago. Presently, Winnipeg is a city with diversified industries, including significant trade, manufacturing, and healthcare sectors. Winnipeg is home to numerous banks, including Scotiabank, HSBC, TD Bank, RBC, and more.

Winnipeg is Manitoba’s capital and the largest city of the Canadian province. It’s also the area’s most populous metropolis as well as the economic and cultural hub. Home to more than 700,000 residents, Winnipeg has a cold and temperate climate, with four seasons.

History

Before the European immigrants arrived, Winnipeg was a commercial centre for the native Aboriginal people. In the 1700s, the first forts were built on the site that was going to become Winnipeg; in 1812, they were followed by the Selkirk settlement. In 1873, Winnipeg was incorporated as a city and started experiencing growth.

Geography

Winnipeg is settled right at the confluence of Assiniboine and Red rivers, north of Minnesota (US state), southwest of Lake Winnipeg, and on Canadian Prairies’ eastern edge. Often nicknamed ‘Gateway to the West’, besides its peaceful lakes, the city boasts of beautiful green sceneries dominated by aspen parkland and tallgrass prairie.

Economy

The city’s economy is very diverse with key activities including aerospace technology, food processing, transportation equipment, finance, apparel manufacturing, telecommunications, and printing. Winnipeg has been the country’s grain industry headquarters for a long time as well as one of Canada’s largest financial, industrial, commercial, and communications center. In addition, Manitoba’s capital serves as the northern mining district. All the country’s coinage is manufactured here, as the Royal Canadian Mint has its base in the area. The industrial growth of the city has been supported by the top-notch transportation facilities and cheap hydroelectric power availability. Winnipeg is crossed by the Trans-Canada Highway, two important transcontinental rail lines, and features an international airport.

Leisure

One of the most popular places where people spend their spare time is Forks, a historical national site that draws millions of visitors every year. Forks is also home to the Manitoba Theatre for Young People, the Forks Market, and several shopping centers. Little ones won’t get bored either, as Winnipeg International Children’s Festival is an exciting event that takes place here once a year.
Winnipeg Public Library is a network of public libraries with 20 subsidiaries throughout the city. The Manitoba Museum, the Winnipeg Art Gallery (the oldest public art gallery in Canada), the Western Canada Aviation Museum and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights are other famous attractions of the city.

For foreign visitors to Winnipeg and Canadians preparing to travel abroad, Winnipeg abounds with options for currency exchange. For the best value, Knightsbridge Foreign Exchange offers exchange rates better than what you would find at regular banks. At local or nationwide banks, exchanging a large sum of US dollars can be surprisingly expensive. For those who are exchanging currency for the first time, it can come as a shock that the friendly neighborhood bank does not offer the best rates. Turning instead to an exchange bureau that specializes in the field can reward you with lower rates.

Give us a call at (204) 318-1150 or 1-877-355-5239 for a no-obligation currency exchange quote and one of our representatives will walk you through the process and next steps. Alternatively, you can fill out the form on our get started page and we’ll walk you through the process of how to get the best currency exchange possible in Winnipeg.