Winnipeg is a generally safe city for tourists. Suburban neighborhoods and parks are fine to stroll in, and pedestrians line busy streets in shopping, cultural and theater districts. Offenses involving handguns and other violent crimes including assaults and homicides have increased somewhat in recent years because of an increased presence of gangs and drug trafficking.
Auto theft has been a persistent problem, but authorities have cracked down on offenders and occurrences are dropping. Panhandlers occasionally appear in the downtown area, but local bylaws do not permit them to actively solicit passersby.
Teams of local civilian Downtown Watch ambassadors wearing bright red shirts routinely walk the streets and can be called upon for directions or other help. City police maintain community offices and high-visibility foot patrols and cycle police in business and entertainment districts. Pickpockets are rare, and tourists are not generally targeted by thieves.
Dial 911 in case of emergency or for police, ambulances or the fire department.
Dos & Don'ts
Don't complain about the winter weather. Winnipeg's reputation for frigid conditions is sorely undeserved; other prairie cities (both north and south of the border) endure seasonal cold just as severe, if not more so.
Do appreciate the number of sunny days you'll see while in Winnipeg, and the wonders of each distinct season.
Do try local cuisine when you spot it on a menu: delicate, white-fleshed pickerel (called walleye in the U.S.), nutty-flavored wild rice, or lean and healthy bison.
Do see a Winnipeg Goldeye home baseball game and enjoy the sport as it was meant to be played—small-town-style with sportsmanlike good fun and great ballpark food to boot.
Don't miss the city's Christmas-lights displays if you're there for the holidays. The downtown sparkles in what local tourism officials like to call Canada's Christmas Capital, and there are special drive-through displays mounted in many neighborhoods, most notably Canad Inns Winter Wonderland at Red River Exhibition Park. The Festival of Trees and Lights at Assiniboine Park Conservatory is also worth a look.
Don't be afraid to look people in the eye and say hello to strangers while in Winnipeg. People are friendly there.
