In this article, I am going to take time to show you all that you need to know about Manitoba, Canada whether as a student who wants to study the information about the area or as someone who wishes to migrate to Manitoba.
Before you begin your application process to relocate to Manitoba for educational or economic reasons, there are certain factors that you need to consider first. See Jobs in Canada.
These factors encompass all social, physical, and economic attributes of the country. Once you have considered them and you feel you can cope with everything you have read about, it means that you are good to move on with the plan.
About Manitoba
Manitoba is one of the Canadian provinces that has its borders with Ontario to the east and Saskatchewan to the west.
It has a landscape of lakes and rivers, mountains, forests and prairies that stretches from Northern Arctic tundra to Hudson Bay in the east and southern farmland.
Much wilderness is protected in more than 80 provincial parks, where hiking, biking, canoeing, camping and fishing are all popular.
All newcomers are welcome to settle in Manitoba’s friendly towns and cities. You can enjoy all that the province has to offer, including:
- help to newcomers who want to:
- find a good job
- start a new business
- settle into a new life in Manitoba
- a strong economy offering many jobs
- more than 200 languages spoken in different parts of the province (English is the official language)
Physical Features
Extreme southern Manitoba is part of the Saskatchewan plain, a land of rich, level prairies and rolling pastures.
The Manitoba Lowland to the north is the basin that once held glacial Lake Agassiz, remnants of which include Lake Winnipeg (9,416 square miles [24,387 square km]), Lake Winnipegosis (2,075 square miles [5,374 square km]), and Lake Manitoba (1,785 square miles [4,623 square km]).
Upland plateaus, wooded river valleys, limestone outcrops, forests, and swamps mark the area that is drained by the Red River of the North and the Assiniboine River into Lake Winnipeg. See Hospitality Jobs in Canada.
Much of this river region is a natural floodplain, which has often been inundated. Modern flood-control measures (particularly the Red River Floodway and the Portage Diversion) have mitigated the problem.
To the north and east of the lowland is the geologically ancient Canadian Shield, an area of rocks, forests, and rivers.
It covers about three-fifths of the province and is drained by the Nelson and Churchill Rivers into Hudson Bay.
The Hudson Bay Lowland extends roughly 100 miles (160 km) inland as a flat plain of tundra and boglike muskeg. Manitoba’s Western Upland is on the Saskatchewan border.
The Riding, Duck, and Porcupine mountains form the Manitoba Escarpment, the highest point of which is Baldy Mountain at 2,727 feet (831 metres).
Soil conditions change from south to north. In the fertile zone, south and west of Lake Winnipeg, black soils suitable for farming dominate, although there are occasional large sandy areas.
North of this region, lower-quality black soil and gray wooded soils are found. Soil in the shield, generally not suitable for agriculture, is characterized as gray wooded, podzol, and peat.
Manitoba Population
The total population of Manitoba is currently over 1.2 million people. This significant high figure makes it the fifth-largest province in Canada.
As the natural population increase has slowed significantly, the province is encouraging increased immigration.
With approximately 780,000 people, Winnipeg residents account for over half of the province’s population.
The rest of the province’s population generally resides in smaller towns, as after Brandon (approximately 53 000 residents) no other city or town in the province has a population over 15,000.
Built on immigration, Manitoba counts among its residents people who claim heritage from every region of the world. Over 100 languages are spoken by people residing in the province, as residents are able to retain their cultural heritage while becoming Canadian.
Immigration to the province has generally come in waves, each dominated by people from a small number of countries or regions. People of British, German, Irish, Ukrainian, Dutch and Polish account for the largest communities in the province.
Manitoba is also home to a large population of Metis and First Nations peoples, together accounting for nearly 17% of the province’s population.
Manitoba Standard of Living
The cost of living in Manitoba is quite low compared to that of other provinces of Canada, making it possible to enjoy a very comfortable life.
Housing, energy, insurance and post-secondary education in Manitoba are all among the least expensive in Canada. With a lower share of income dedicated to these costs, Manitobans have more money left over to spend on other things.
One such example is a cottage/vacation home, as Manitobans have the highest rate of vacation home ownership in Canada. Residents of the province also play golf more than anywhere else in Canada.
Manitoba has a mandatory minimum wage in Canada at $10.70. Manitoba also has the fourth-lowest marginal personal income tax rate in the country.
Not to be underestimated, the friendly nature of Manitobans also contributes to the quality of life in the province. Manitobans volunteer at a higher rate than any other Canadian province, and they also give the highest proportion of their incomes to charity.
This generous spirit helps to create supportive communities that can help new Canadians get off to a good start in the province.
Manitoba Residential Housing
Another important factor that people have been taking advantage of while considering relocating to Manitoba is low cost of housing. The province’s residential housing market is very competitive, and affordable housing is readily available.
The average house price in Manitoba is $271,000, which is among the lowest of any province in Canada. The average percentage of household income taken up by ownership costs varies between 15-30 percent.
Another benefit of the housing market is that without too much urban sprawl, one does not have to go too far outside the cities to find a good place to live.
Winnipeg has the shortest average distance to commute to work of any Canadian city over 500,000 people, with an average under six kilometers. The shorter commute means more time available to spend at home with family or taking part in other activities.
Manitoba Economy and Employment
The major economic activities of Manitoba are mining, manufacturing, and agriculture. Traditionally farming has been a major occupation for Manitobans.
This could be traceable to the rich farmlands in southern Manitoba which support the production of wheat, barley, oats, sunflower, flax and canola crops, as well as dairy and livestock farms. From this agricultural base a considerable food processing industry has emerged.
In addition, Manitoba is home to considerable manufacturing, aerospace and transportation industries. Winnipeg has a sizable financial and insurance industry, as well as government administration and services.
The unemployment rate in Manitoba is as low as 5.6%, relatively lower than the Canadian average of 6.8%. The economy is expected to continue its recent growth.
While this should provide robust job creation, the Government of Manitoba also provides programs to help immigrants settle and find jobs in the province.
Among these is free English as an Additional Language (EAL) classes, job preparation programs, and mentoring with Canadians in your profession.
Employment Standards of Manitoba
Employment Standards enforces the standards set by law for non-unionized workers regarding minimum wages, overtime, hours of work, holidays, vacation pay and ending employment.
The office helps employees and employers define and protect their rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
Staff can answer questions, help clarify the intent of provincial labour legislation and investigate workplace disputes to help resolve labour issues.
Online Form: //www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/forms.html
Website: //www.gov.mb.ca/labour/standards/index.html
Main Office
Employment Standards, Labour and Immigration
604 – 401 York Ave
Norquay Building
Winnipeg , Manitoba R3C 0P8
T: 204-945-3352
1-800-821-4307 (in Canada)
F: 204-948-3046
Rural Manitoba Office(s)
| 328 – 340 9th St Provincial Building Brandon , Manitoba R7A 6C2 T: 204-945-3352 F: 204-726-6749 |
Conclusion
Manitoba has many enticing characteristics that attract foreigners from all walks of life into Canada. To summarize some of the features that have already been discussed in the article in a glance, you have to go through the table below.
| Country | Canada |
| Confederation | 15 July 1870 (5th, with Northwest Territories) |
| Capital (and largest city) | Winnipeg |
| Largest metro | Winnipeg Region |
| Government | |
| • Type | Parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| • Lieutenant Governor | Anita Neville |
| • Premier | Heather Stefanson |
| Legislature | Legislative Assembly of Manitoba |
| Federal representation | Parliament of Canada |
| House seats | 14 of 338 (4.1%) |
| Senate seats | 6 of 105 (5.7%) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 649,950 km2 (250,950 sq mi) |
| • Land | 548,360 km2 (211,720 sq mi) |
| • Water | 101,593 km2 (39,225 sq mi) 15.6% |
| • Rank | 8th |
| 6.5% of Canada | |
| Population (2021) | |
| • Total | 1,342,153 |
| • Estimate (Q1 2023) | 1,431,792 |
| • Rank | 5th |
| Demonym | Manitoban |
| Official languages | English |
| GDP | |
| • Rank | 6th |
| • Total (2015) | C$65.862 billion |
| • Per capita | C$50,820 (9th) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (Central DST) |
| Rankings include all provinces and territories | |
I believe that you have benefited from the information that you have seen in this article. If you have any other questions about Manitoba, Canada, kindly reach out to us via the comment section below this article.
