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According to the people who first decided to reside in the province of Manitoba, Canada, the word “Manitoba” means “where the spirit lives”. A lovely name for a Canadian province whose scenery truly justifies the word’s meaning.
To take it up another notch, Manitoba, Canada, has been recognized as the most friendly people in the country. If you are interested in knowing more about Manitoba, Canada, We are here to Help.
10 Fascinating Facts About Manitoba, Canada
1. The Polar Bear Capital of the World
We start in a town in the northern part of Manitoba, Canada, that goes by the name of Churchill. The town is rather small, with only about a thousand people living there.
But despite its miniature stature, Churchill is recognized as “The Polar Bear Capital of the World”. You will find yourself in the town about 68 miles from the Manitoba–Nunavut border.
As the nickname suggests, Churchill is probably the best place to grab your camera and have a snap of a polar bear. You might be wondering why or how the small town of Churchill became the Polar Bear Capital of the World. The answer goes something like this:
During the summer, the polar bears reside on the tundra for a comfortable and bear-ly existence. When the back end of the year comes around, and the mercury takes a dip, the big white furballs pack their luggage and move out towards the shore, searching for new migratory homes.
Churchill is one of the very few locations on the planet where you can come across a polar bear close to a human settlement. A lot of people from across the country and many different parts of the world come down to see the bears when they come around to Churchill.
Therefore, it is one of the prime locations where you can catch a glimpse of Polar Bears with relative ease. It is called the Polar Bear Capital of the World.
Some even make it a yearly tradition to drive down to the small town of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada, to pay a visit to them with their families and friends.
You’ll most likely be seeing furry creatures during the holiday season, find out other awesome things you can do in Canada while enjoying the holiday there right here.
2. Important Establishments in Manitoba Canada
The province has a lot of buildings and establishments that are of significant historical and functional importance to the country of Canada itself. Some of the most notable examples are:
- Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Located in Winnipeg, the province’s capital. This is a notable example of the only national museum found outside the capital province of Canada, Ontario.
- The Royal Canadian Mint: Also in Winnipeg, this is the second establishment of the Canadian Mint. The first and main one can be found in the country’s capital, Ottawa.
- Wapusk National Park: Located about 45 kilometres south of Churchill, the Wapusk National Park can be found on the shores of Hudson Bay. This place is great to come to if you want to see polar bears.
Of course, that’s not the complete list of the most important establishments in the entirety of the province. There’s the Winnipeg Railway Station, Walker Theatre, St. Andrews Caméré Curtain Bridge Dam, Metropolitan Theatre, and many other historical sites.
3. Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada
Along with being assigned the capital status of the province, Winnipeg also happens to be its biggest city and most popular.
The city has no shortage of offerings to travellers willing to take the time and the money to explore one of the most popular cities in the country. Here are all the places that you should go and see in a nutshell:
- Assiniboine Park and Zoo: The oldest park in Winnipeg spreads out over about 445 hectares and has a lot of variety in its display of flora and fauna. The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden can also be found here.
- Winnipeg Art Gallery: If you’re someone who can appreciate art, then this is what you would call paradise. The Winnipeg Art Gallery has stunning 25,000 pieces for you to feast your eyes on.
- Fort Whyte Alive: This place is one of the best options for people to get away and enjoy some great scenic views of the grasslands. one can go hiking, sailing, paddling, cycling, skiing, and ice skating here under the right conditions. There are five different lakes here, and a decent amount of wildlife can be seen.
- Kildonan Park: This is arguably the single best spot for you to go bird-watching in the city. You’ll come across a golf course, a swimming pool, and the Rainbow Stage, Canada’s oldest open-air theatre. It’s an added plus if you can appreciate floral beauty as well.
4. The History of Manitoba Canada
The aboriginal people have lived in Manitoba, Canada, for quite a while. Fur traders arrived in the province towards the end of the 17th century.
The primary means of their transportation was via the river systems of the Nelson in northern Manitoba and the Winnipeg River.
Manitoba became Canada’s fifth province on the 15th of July, 1870. The province was created by passing the Manitoba Act by the Canadian Parliament.
The history of Manitoba, Canada, also ties into the British declaring it a part of Rupert’s Land under the Hudson’s Bay Company.
The economy was mainly dependent on practices like farming and agriculture.
If you visit the cities of Manitoba, you’ll find plenty of old buildings describing the simplicity of the olden times and the province’s rapid progress in economic development and urbanization.
5. All the Food in Manitoba, Canada
Food can communicate the culture of a place like no other thing. That is why the food takes precedence over the part that talks about the culture of Manitoba, Canada.
The Manitoban cuisine culture mixes many exotic styles like French, Icelandic, English, Jewish, Ukrainian, and Mennonite, among others.
Arguably, two of the most well-known dishes of the province of Manitoba, Canada, have to be the kubasa sausage and the perogies.
However, there’s a rather heated debate on the dish’s spelling and actual origin. There are two alternative versions of the smoked garlic sausage dish, Ukrainian and Polish.
Many other notable dishes include the Schmoo Torte, Imperial Cookies, Winnipeg Rye Bread, Salisbury House Nips, The famous burger Fat Boy, and the Farmer’s Sausage.
Much like Canada’s population, a fair amount of the cuisine culture is based outside the country. But that doesn’t mean that Manitoba hasn’t added its touch to all the dishes that it creates.
6. The Culture of Manitoba, Canada
Manitobans love their curling. It is a sport where two teams, consisting of four players, attempt to slide curling stones into the target circle on the ice. Curling is recognized as a winter Olympic sport.
One of the reasons why curling is so popular is because Manitoba, Canada, has one of the coldest winters in the country, especially in its capital, Winnipeg.
Manitoba is the country’s curling capital and boasts of having the most clubs in all of Canada. The Forks is one of the province’s most notable establishments, located at the meeting point of the Red River and the Assiniboine River.
Once upon a time, it was a railway restoration facility, but it has become one of Winnipeg’s most prominent marketplaces. Forks Market has all sorts of shops and food vendors. You can also have a great view of the two rivers from the Forks.
Royal Winnipeg Ballet, founded as Winnipeg Ballet Club in 1939, is North America’s oldest ballet company. They gained their royal title under Queen Elizabeth II.
Their perfection and breathtaking performances will be an absolute treat to watch.
If theatre is more of your thing, you might want to look at Shakespeare in the Ruins, Le Cercle Molière, or the Manitoba Theatre Centre for a great stage show.
7. The Land of (Too) Many Lakes
Manitoba, Canada, boasts of having a mind-blowing 100,000 lakes within its borders. Lake Winnipeg, in the province’s capital, is the world’s tenth-largest freshwater lake.
It would be crazy to try and see all of them. You’d have to live in Manitoba, and even then, you would have a slim chance of seeing all 100,000 lakes.
One hundred thousand lakes make for a rather large number of quality fishing spots. The locals like getting away and having a peaceful day by a lake whilst trying to reel one in with all their concentration.
Fishing is a rather therapeutic experience if you need to escape all the noise in your daily life. Cast a line on the Falcon Lake, the Lac du Bonnet, the Aikens Lake, or the Quesnel Lake.
Water sports are popular, and you should consider scuba diving at Clear Lake near Wasagaming. The Little Limestone Lake is a rather special attraction.
It is the largest marl lake in the world and changes colour depending on the temperature. If you know how to swim, then you have an added advantage.
However, keep in mind that parasites also exist in the waters. So be sure to apply a layer of mineral oil or cooking oil before you plunge into the water.
8. About the Wildlife in Manitoba, Canada
About 40 per cent of the land in Manitoba, Canada, is forested. The province also has about 54 provincial parks and two national parks.
This leads to the fact that a good amount of wildlife can be seen in the province. Some of the most notable species that you will find here are:
- Black Bears
- Polar Bears
- Moose
- Deers
- Elks
- Beavers
- Pelicans
- Bald Eagles
- Owls
- Red Foxes
- Beluga Whales
9. Local Festivals of Manitoba Canada
February is a special time to be in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This is because, since 1969, the province’s capital has been the site of the Festival du Voyageur.
In the Western Part of Canada, the 10-day festival is recognized as the largest winter festival to take place. And with good reason.
Millions of dollars are earned in revenue, and over 100,000 people turn up each year to celebrate the fur trading origins of the province and the French ties through art, music, dance, and various eye-catching displays.
There is a lot of diversity in the celebrations, and the Winnipeg Folk Festival is a testament to it. It is the largest folk festival in the world and one of the oldest of its kind.
It is held in Birds Hill Provincial Park and attracts homegrown artists and performers from all over the world to celebrate the folk culture.
Folklorama only adds to the diversity of the celebrations. It is held in Winnipeg in August and is one of the largest multicultural festivals in the world. Over 40 pavilions are set up annually, each displaying its unique culture.
Manito Ahbee is also an amazing display and is the largest Pow Wow gathering in Canada. A powwow gathering is essentially a celebration of the Native American heritage of the North Americas, which involves singing and dancing prominently.
10. Famous Personalities From Manitoba Canada
Manitoba has given rise to a lot of famous people in the world. Some are fictional; some are a lot more realistic. Nevertheless, the list is a good one.
- Winnie the Pooh, the famous Disney bear, is named after the capital of Manitoba, Canada, Winnipeg.
- The inspiration for Snow White was a waitress that illustrator Charles Thorson met at a diner in West Winnipeg.
- The inspiration for James Bond was the WWII spy Sir William Stephenson. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
- Famous musicians include Neil Young, The Crash Test Dummies, Randy Bachman, Bob Rock, and Al Simmons.
- One of the best professional wrestlers in the world, Kenny Omega, is from Winnipeg and is currently signed to AEW.
- Personalities in the realm of the film include Nia Vardalos, Guy Maddin, Adam Beach, and Anna Paquin.
By The Numbers
- Winnipeg is blessed with about 358 hours of sunshine in winter, the most in all of Canada.
- Churchill ranks among one of the top 3 spots in the world to watch the northern lights after prairie provinces.
- Manitoba, Canada, has a province’s land area of 400-mile saltwater shoreline borders Hudson Bay.
- Baldy Mountain is the highest point in Manitoba at 832 meters above sea level.
- It is Canada’s 5th most populous province, manitoba’s population is around 1.3 million. Higher than the national average.
- It is the 12th largest province in western Canada.
- It is home to the CBC news network.
- Having a tree count of about 160,000, Manitoba, Canada, has one of the largest elm tree forests in the riding mountain national park.
Closing Thoughts
Manitoba’s central location dictates that it is the heart of the country. By the time you’re done absorbing this piece of writing, be sure that you’ll find no exactly what makes the heart of the Great White North special.
If you plan to travel to Manitoba and learn more about its historical significance in the Canadian government, Canada’s royal Winnipeg ballet or early European settlement, you should visit its famous library at Brandon university.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty
