Economy

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he very early economy of Winnipeg was focused on the fur trade. This was due to the abundance of rivers in the area, the presence of various tribes that lived off the land, and the number of different types of animals that came to the waters as part of their survival. When the railways were developed, Winnipeg became a prime location for moving supplies and as a hub for dispersing goods.

Winnipeg was also a key location during World War II. The factories were used to create various supplies for the soldiers to use. There were also several command centers in the area that were used to keep tabs on soldier locations and to help with aircraft deployment. While the area has been hit hard at times due to recession, the energy crisis, and flooding, it always seems to come back stronger than before.

The development of the downtown area allowed for a central element to be put in place that offers all of the levels of government. The economic foundation of the region is very diversified. This includes:

  • Culture
  • Finance
  • Food and beverage production
  • Government
  • Industry
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Tourism
  • Transportation

Tourism

The area of Winnipeg is one that people are drawn to due to the scenery, the history, and the many activities that take place there throughout the year. Tourism continues to be a very large sector of the overall economic well-being of this area. As of 2011, Winnipeg was ranked #3 out of all Canadian cities in terms of their economy. They also rank very high on the scale of projected future economic growth.

Demographics

The last census in Canada occurred in 2011. There were over 1393,000 people living in the area. This makes it the largest city in Manitoba. Approximately 48% of the population is male and the other 52% are female. A further breakdown of the population includes:

25% – Age 19 or younger
28% – Age 20 to 30
34% – Age 40 to 64
13% – Age 65 and older

Winnipeg is considered to be among the most racially diversified areas of Canada. The population includes Aboriginals and Filipino Canadians. They also have increasing populations of minorities including Chinese and African Americans.