Living in Winnipeg

You might want to consider booking temporary housing in a hotel, hostel, Airbnb suite or elsewhere for when you first arrive in Winnipeg, since it can take a number of weeks to find off-campus housing. You can book these accommodations well in advance, ideally as soon as you know you will be coming to the University of Manitoba.

A spot in residence is not guaranteed and is not automatically included in your tuition. If you are considering residence as a place to live, visit our on-campus housing page for a listing of all available buildings on campus. We recommend you apply as early as possible. You do not need to have received your letter of admission in order to apply.  

In addition to University of Manitoba’s main residence buildings, St. John’s College and St. Andrew’s College have small independent residences also located on the Fort Garry main campus.

If you have been approved for on-campus housing, you can contact them to see if an early move-in date is an option for your room.  However, there may be limited services (food) if you arrive earlier than the set move-in date.

We recommend that you arrange to stay in temporary accommodation (hotel) until you can move in, so that you can still arrive early enough to settle in, recover from jet lag and attend all Orientation programming.

What to bring if you’re living on campus

Ensure you’ll have everything you need to set up your new residence in Winnipeg. Refer to "Packing for residence life" in our Moving in information.

While you will need to conduct your own search to find off-campus housing, our rental search resource can be helpful. Once you’ve been accepted to UM, it will be important for you to become familiar with your options for off-campus housing, such as a house, apartment, condo, shared apartment, etc. You can also become familiar with maps of different neighbourhoods in Winnipeg and proximity to campus.

It is possible to begin your search for off-campus housing from your home country, but you will likely find it easier to conduct your search when you are in Winnipeg. Rental listings usually do not go up more than one to two months before a move-in date. For this reason, many international students consider arriving in Winnipeg three to four weeks before classes to secure off-campus housing.

It's important to verify a rental space is legitimate and as advertised before committing. You should carefully inspect a location in person before sending any deposits, and fully read and understand the rental contract before you sign.

Students at the Bannatyne campus can consider the Medical Centre Apartments, which are limited to Health Sciences Centre or University of Manitoba students. However, as with University of Manitoba residence, a spot in the Medical Centre Apartments is not guaranteed.

Another option to consider is living with a local family through the Polar Trails Homestay Program.

We always offer a session on Renting in Manitoba during International Centre Orientation where you can learn about how and where to find safe housing in the city and tips to avoid rental advertisement fraud.

If you want to watch a recording in advance, a session recording is available:

Renting Housing in Manitoba (recording)

As a renter in Winnipeg, you should familiarize yourself with your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. A lot of this comes down to mutual respect—this applies to your landlord-tenant relationship, as well as your relationship with your roommates and neighbours.

Insurance

It is strongly recommended to purchase tenant insurance for any rental unit. Contact any insurance provider for information and pricing; it is usually very affordable to include in your monthly budget.

Learn more about the importance of purchasing tenant insurance.

Rights and responsibilities as a renter

The Residential Tenancies Branch is a government service that can provide information on matters such as rent, repairs and deposits, and mediate disputes between tenants and landlords. They provide information on your rights and responsibilities during a tenancy, investigate problems, and hold hearings to make decisions and make legally binding orders on certain issues.

All landlords and tenants in Manitoba are governed by a law called The Residential Tenancies Act, which contains all of the laws and rules that renters and landlords must follow. The Residential Tenancies Branch enforces that law. The Residential Tenancies Branch can overrule any decision made by a landlord if the landlord isn't following the law.

This helpful guide explains what renters need to know about their rights and responsibilities.

Things to be careful when deciding on a rental property:

• Be sure you, or someone on your behalf, sees the place you want to rent in person before you sign any papers or pay any money, to make sure it is as you expect.
• Always try to get a lease agreement in writing. If this is not possible for some reason, verbal agreements are still legally binding. Learn more about tenancy agreements.
• Always pay your rent in full, on time. If you don't, you could be evicted. There are special rules that a landlord has to follow to evict someone, and you can ask the Residential Tenancies Branch for help if you are in danger of being evicted. However, if you don't pay your rent, the landlord will likely be allowed to evict you.
• Try to pay your rent in a way that creates a record, such as by e-transfer, so you can prove that you've paid your rent. If you pay with cash, always get a receipt from the landlord.
• You are not protected by The Residential Tenancies Act if you are in a 'shared accommodation' (when a homeowner allows someone to occupy a room in their house while the owner still lives there). This means that your landlord could evict you without notice. If you are not sure if your living situation is a shared accommodation, contact the Residential Tenancies Branch.
• Make sure your room meets fire and safety codes. Some landlords will rent rooms in locations that are not safe and do not follow the laws. If a room is illegal and is discovered by City of Winnipeg inspectors, you could be evicted with very little notice. If you are not sure if your room is legal, call the 311 service and ask them to send someone to look at the room.

Living in a rooming house

A rooming house is a building rented by several tenants at the same time, sharing facilities like the kitchen, washrooms, laundry and entrances. In most cases, each individual tenant has a separate rental agreement with the landlord, and each tenant is responsible to pay their own rent. Each tenant has the right to have keys to entrances to the building, as well as a private room with a lock. Usually, each tenant is responsible to supply their own food, bedding, linens/towels, cook their own food and do their own laundry (although some landlords offer these services for a cost). If one tenant doesn't pay their rent, or causes problems, the landlord is not allowed to threaten any other tenants who were not involved with any kind of punishment or demand payment of any money.

How & where do I get phone SIM card?

Usually, cell phone providers offer three types of plans:

• Prepaid (or pay-as-you-go) – basic plan starts at $15 (varies with the features add on like internet data/speed)
• Monthly plans (or postpaid) –basic plan can start at $35 (varies with the features add on like internet data/speed)
• Contract-based – will vary depending on the phone you decide to buy (phone EMI + plan)

The conditions, offerings and prices may vary within these plans. Make sure you to talk to the provider before purchasing the one that best suits your needs.

Some main providers are:

• Rogers, Bell, Koodo, fido, Virgin Mobile

Quality child care and family-friendly policies are indispensable to our student, staff and faculty parents. We are committed to providing services and supports that help our students and staff with children thrive, including on-campus child care, change tables, breastfeeding-friendly spaces and more.

Explore the childcare page to learn about existing child care services and supports.

Eating on campus

Whether you’re living in residence or off campus, there are many dining options on our campuses. Check out dining services to learn about our restaurants and meal plans.

Off-campus restaurants

Winnipeg is home to a range of diverse restaurants. Find the best places to eat according to Tourism Winnipeg. You can also read more PegCityGrub, Winnipeg’s most popular culinary website.

Buying groceries in Winnipeg

There are many places to purchase groceries (food items) convenient to where you live. Popular grocery stores in Winnipeg include Sobeys, Co-op, Safeway, Superstore and Walmart. Superstore on Bison Drive has a range of foods from all over the world.

Small convenience stores and gas stations, such as 7-Eleven, can be very expensive places to purchase groceries compared to larger grocery stores.

To find grocery stores near the University of Manitoba, explore google maps.

If you cannot find what you’re looking for at a major grocery store, you can visit a specialty food store.

The following is a list of grocery stores that have curbside pick-up or delivery options in Winnipeg for those who want to minimize their exposure. If you are self-isolating or in your mandatory quarantine period delivery is the recommended option.

Many delivery and curbside pick-up options are limited due to increase in customers using these online methods. As a result, many items may be sold out due to an increase in demand. * Please note that this list may not include all options available for your area.

Grocery Delivery Companies:

* Instacart
Provides delivery from: Walmart, Real Canadian Superstore, Bulk Barn, M&M Food Market, Shoppers Drug Mart and Staples.

Despite the renowned cold, Winnipeg has the sunniest winter season in Canada with 358 hours of sunshine! The average low temperature in the winter is −20.2°C.  It’s important to dress properly so you can be safe and enjoy the winter weather.

Wind chill

The wind chill index is what makes cold temperatures feel even colder, combining the temperature with the wind speed. You might hear reports that it “feels like…” a lower temperature with the wind chill. Be sure to cover any skin that will be exposed to the wind on cold days.

Frostbite

When skin is exposed to cold temperatures, it can be damaged by what is known as frostbite—this is similar to a burn caused by heat. It is important to seek immediate shelter and go inside if you experience pain, numbness, tingling, swelling or colour change in your fingers, toes or exposed skin. Frostbite can happen in as little as 10 minutes, so keep these tips in mind:

• Dress in warm layers. For example, wear a long-sleeve sweater under a coat, a thin layer of pants underneath your jeans or ski-pants on top of your pants.
• Wear a warm coat with down (feather) or synthetic filling that retains heat. Your jacket should be wind- and water-resistant.
• Cover up bare skin, especially on your fingers, toes, neck and face. Use a hat (toque), scarf or neck-warmer and, glove or mitts.
• Stay dry. If you over dress, you might start sweating, which can make you feel colder.
• Seek shelter from the wind when standing at the bus stop or going outside for breaks.
• Wear insulated, waterproof boots.

For more information about winter safety, visit the Government of Canada website

Where to Buy Winter Clothes

Looking for warm winter clothes? The list below is just a small sample of where you can find winter clothes in Winnipeg.

The following list and links are provided for informational purposes only. The University of Manitoba does not endorse, promote or have any affiliation with any of the vendors listed.

Price Range (where $ = not expensive and $$$ = expensive)

There are several affordable stores that sell household items (such as towels, linens, cookware, furniture, clothing, etc.) in Winnipeg. Popular stores and shopping centres include Ikea, Walmart, Giant Tiger, JYSK, Marshalls, Winners, Superstore, Dollarama, St. Vital Centre and CF Polo Park Shopping Centre.

Shopping on campus

You can get many of your basic needs without leaving campus!

The UM Bookstores sell all the textbooks you’ll need for classes, as well as computers and accessories, UM clothing, office supplies and much more.

The U of M Re-Shop offers used office equipment and furniture to students free of charge. Search their current inventory.

Thrift stores

It may take a little extra time to find exactly what you’re looking for, but buying used goods at a thrift store (also known as a secondhand store) can be very affordable. Popular options include Value Village, Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores.

Yard sales and garage sales

On most weekends in spring to early fall, you’ll see signs on the roads in residential neighbourhoods advertising yard sales and garage sales. These sales are a great way to find used household items and clothing in good condition at affordable prices. Bedbugs can be a problem, so avoid buying used items with cloth material such as mattresses or pillows. If you purchase clothing, be sure to wash in hot water right away and dry in high heat.

There are many ways to get around once you arrive in Winnipeg: public transit, ride-hailing services, taxis, biking, walking and driving are a few popular options.

Landing at the airport

The University of Manitoba does not provide pick-up services from the airport. Taxi service from the airport is provided by Unicity Taxi, which is available near Exit 3 at the terminal building. For more information about transportation at the Airport, visit the airport website.

Winnipeg Transit

Winnipeg Transit is the bus system in Winnipeg. To learn how to take the bus in Winnipeg, visit Transit Travel Tips.
To watch a video on how to take a Winnipeg transit bus, watch here:

Taxis and other ride-hailing services

There are a number of taxi companies in Winnipeg that need to be requested in advance, either by phone or through an app. You can request an estimate before you use a taxi, but the cost of the ride is determined by a meter that runs in the vehicle throughout your drive.

TappCar and Uber are ride-hailing companies that let you book a vehicle to pick you up. Their app allows you to get an estimate cost of your trip, request in advance and pay through the app so there is no payment required to your driver.

The above information is provided for information purposes only, and does not imply endorsement or support to any of the linked information, services or providers.

Driving in Manitoba

There are many factors to consider if you plan to drive in Manitoba, such as ensuring the correct authorization, testing, getting insurance and ensuring you can drive for Manitoba’s winter driving conditions. If you are considering driving in Winnipeg, please meet with one of our international student advisors.

Plan your route on: our Getting Here page has for more information on public transportation, biking, parking, carpooling and getting around campus.