LOOK: Winnipeg is Officially a Winter City

^{PhotoCredit to www.cbc.ca}

It’s official, Winnipeg is now an official winter city! Winnipeg can now own “Winterpeg.”

In a ceremony held at the Assiniboine River on January 30, 2017, the City of Winnipeg and Economic Development Winnipeg Inc. (EDW) officially announced that Winnipeg is now an accredited member-city of the World Winter Cities Association for Mayors (WWCAM). The association is network of 20 northern cities worldwide dedicated to promoting winter technologies and experiences.

Mayor Brian Bowman:

“Everyone knows that Winnipeg is famous for our cold weather… Today I’m excited to announce that we are making our frosty reputation official.”

Winnipeggers need not to defend the fact that our city is a cold barren place, this city is now recognized as a place to embrace during the frigid and snowy season.

Winnipeg has been embracing winter in fun ways for years, efforts have been made to promote Winnipeg’s winter identity. The city is known for places that highlight winter attractions like The Forks and the Journey to Churchill at Assiniboine Park Zoo and Fort Whyte Alive. Aside from that, Winnipeggers and a lot of people outside the city look forward to the annual celebration of Festival du Voyageur, Western Canada’s largest winter festival.

^{Photo by Von Louie Cruz}

Because of the very cold climate in Winnipeg, the city is home to GE Aviation Engine Testing, Research and Development Centre, New Flyer Industries’ manufacturing plant that test its electric buses in cold weather, Red River College’s imminent Motive Lab, and the new MTS Data Centre, where cold weather reduces their cooling costs.

“From both a recreation and economic perspective, Winnipeggers are increasingly embracing their winter-city reality with open arms, open minds and open wallets,” said Dayna Spiring, president and CEO of EDW in a statement. “We want to do more to capitalize on these Winnipeg strengths by connecting local ingenuity with like-minded external markets on the lookout for better strategies to address winter living. Becoming an accredited WWCAM member positions Winnipeg on a higher level as a smart city ready to share its know-how and elevates its appeal as a place that owns winter unlike anywhere else in the world.”