Manitoba means “lake of the prairies” in the Cree Indian language and people come from all over the world to appreciate the beauty of those prairies. With over 110,000 lakes, Manitoba is a playground for tourists and residents alike no matter what the season.
There are five major cities in Manitoba; Churchill, Linden Woods, Winnipeg and Whyte Ridge. Living in any of those cities is affordable and convenient. In fact, you can live better for less since Manitoba has some of the most affordable prices in the country. Income for residents averaged $68,642 and immigrants made around $60,472 in 2005. This may not sound like much to some people but after paying basic costs like housing, taxes, child car, insurance and utilities a family that earns $75,000 will usually have around $25,000 per year left over to save or invest. A two storey detached home that costs $654,500 in Vancouver will go for just $334,000 in Winnipeg.
As you can see, Manitoba is a very affordable place to live but that’s not why most people make it their home. Manitoba has professional football, hockey, soccer and baseball teams. You can enjoy everything that people travel thousands of miles to see—the great shopping, the performing arts, folk festivals and multicultural fairs and activities. Enjoy the beach in the summer and swim, fish, boat and water ski in one of the thousands of lakes. Enjoy winter sports in the crisp and sunny winters. You can go bird-watching, hiking and mountain biking in the beautiful wilderness areas or travel to the town of Churchill to watch polar bears and beluga whales.
Manitoba has a fairly strong economy, mostly based on natural resources. Its GDP was about $51 billion in 2008 and the economy grew 2.5% that year. Average individual income is the 5th highest in the provinces. The unemployment rate in 2009 was just 5.8%. Manitoba’s major employers are the government and government funded institutions such as hospitals and universities. Private sector employers include financial establishments, insurance, manufacturing and the tourist industry. It is also the only province with a deep-water Arctic seaport that provides the shortest shipping route between North America and Europe and Asia.
You’ll see agriculture in south and west. The most common type of farm is cattle ranches (34.6%) and most of the rest grow grains and oilseed. Manitoba is Canada’s largest grower of sunflower seed and dry beans and a major source of potatoes; it provides French fries for major fast food chains all over the world. There is also manufacturing, mining, energy, tourism and forestry.
Manitoba is a beautiful place to live whichever area you choose. It is affordable and its amenities provide challenges for the mind, the spirit and the body. You will certainly never have reason to be bored when you live in Manitoba!
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