The region was a trading centre for Indigenous peoples long before the arrival of Europeans; it is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe (Ojibway), Ininew (Cree), Oji-Cree, Dene, and Dakota, and is the birthplace of the Métis Nation.

French-Canadian fur trader La Vérendrye referred to the lake as Lac Gouinipique or Ouinipigon when he built the first forts in the area in the 1730s.

[16] Evidence provided by archaeology, petroglyphs, rock art, and oral history indicates that native peoples used the area in prehistoric times for camping, harvesting, hunting, tool making, fishing, trading and, farther north, for agriculture.

[30] In 1869–70, present-day Winnipeg was the site of the Red River Rebellion, a conflict between the local provisional government of Métis, led by Louis Riel, and newcomers from eastern Canada.

[31][32][33] Treaty 1, which encompassed the city and much of the surrounding area, was signed on 3 August 1871 by representatives of the Crown and local Indigenous groups, comprising the Brokenhead Ojibway, Sagkeeng, Long Plain, Peguis, Roseau River Anishinabe, Sandy Bay and Swan Lake communities.

[38] The railway divided the North End, which housed mainly Eastern Europeans, from the richer Anglo-Saxon southern part of the city.

[18] It also contributed to a demographic shift beginning shortly after Confederation that saw the francophone population decrease from a majority to a small minority group.

This shift resulted in Premier Thomas Greenway controversially ending legislative bilingualism and removing funding for French Catholic Schools in 1890.

[40] The canal reduced reliance on Canada's rail system for international trade; the increase in shipping traffic helped Vancouver to surpass Winnipeg in both prosperity and population by the end of World War I.

[42] The strike was a product of postwar recession, labour conditions, the activity of union organizers and a large influx of returning World War I soldiers seeking work.

[45] The Manitoba Legislative Building, constructed mainly of Tyndall stone, opened in 1920; its dome supports a bronze statue finished in gold leaf, titled "Eternal Youth and the Spirit of Enterprise" (commonly known as the "Golden Boy").

[46] The stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression resulted in widespread unemployment, worsened by drought and low agricultural prices.

[48] In 1942, the Victory Loan Campaign staged a mock Nazi invasion of Winnipeg to promote awareness of the stakes of the war in Europe.

[49][50] When the war ended, pent-up demand generated a boom in housing development, although building activity was checked by the 1950 Red River flood.

[65] The generally flat terrain and the poor drainage of the Red River Valley's clay-based soil also results in many mosquitoes during wetter years.

[77] Downtown Winnipeg, the city's financial heart and economic core, is centred on the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street and covers about 2.6 km2 (1 sq mi).

[78] The 30-block district received National Historic Site of Canada status in 1997; it includes North America's most extensive collection of early 20th-century terracotta and cut stone architecture, Stephen Juba Park, and Old Market Square.

[79] Residential neighbourhoods surround the downtown in all directions; expansion is greatest to the south and west, although several areas remain underdeveloped.

It has a diversified economy, with major employment in the health care and social assistance (14%), retail (11%), manufacturing (8%), and public administration (8%) sectors.

[116] Winnipeg the Bear, which would become the inspiration for part of the name of Winnie-the-Pooh, was purchased in Ontario by Lieutenant Harry Colebourn of the Fort Garry Horse.

The series' illustrator, Ernest H. Shepard created the only known oil painting of Winnipeg's adopted fictional bear, which is displayed in Assiniboine Park.

Both the First Nations and more recent Eastern Canadian, European, and Asian immigrants have helped shape Winnipeg's dining scene, giving birth to dishes such as the desserts schmoo torte and wafer pie.

[139] Among the most notable musical acts associated with Winnipeg are Bachman–Turner Overdrive,[140] The Guess Who,[141] Neil Young,[142] The Weakerthans,[143] the Crash Test Dummies,[144] Propagandhi,[145] Bif Naked,[146] and The Watchmen[147] among many others.

It was the first organization to be granted a royal title by Queen Elizabeth II and has included notable dancers such as Evelyn Hart and Mikhail Baryshnikov.

The $200 million facility is also the home to U Sports' University of Manitoba Bisons and the Winnipeg Rifles of the Canadian Junior Football League.

The city governance functions off the "strong-mayor" model, which allows for a "two-tiered system" or voting block between the councillors who are on or not on the Executive Policy Committee.

[252] The city's system has over 2,500 km (1,600 mi) of underground water mains, which are subject to breakage due to corrosion and pressure from extreme dry, wet, or cold soil conditions.

[253] Electricity and natural gas are provided by Manitoba Hydro, a provincial crown corporation headquartered in the city; it uses primarily hydroelectric power.

[255] Winnipeg contracts out several services to private companies, including garbage and recycling collection, street plowing and snow removal.

[256][257][258][259] Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg, co-located at the airport, is home to many flight operations support divisions and several training schools.