Winkler, Manitoba, a city nestled in the heart of Canada, is a vibrant community with a rich history and a thriving cultural scene. With a population of 13,745, it is the fourth largest city in Manitoba, serving as a regional hub for commerce, agriculture, and industry.
Before European settlers arrived, the land that is now Winkler was home to the nomadic Ojibwe-speaking Anishinaabe people. They used the land for hunting, fishing, and trapping, and their territory spanned both sides of the US-Canada border and the Red River. On August 3, 1871, the Anishinaabe people signed Treaty 1 and moved onto reserves.
European settlement in Winkler began in 1876 when Plautdietsch-speaking Mennonites started settling in the area known as the West Reserve. The first official Mennonite Brethren congregation was founded in Burwalde, near Winkler, in 1888. In 1892, Valentine Winkler, a lumber entrepreneur, founded the village of Winkler, persuading the Canadian Pacific Railway to build a spur route on the northeastern edge of the settlement.
Winkler was incorporated as a village on May 9, 1906, and by World War I, Mennonites outnumbered all other groups. The village experienced significant floods in 1916, 1917, 1933, and 1966. Despite a decline in population in the early 1900s due to emigration, the population increased after World War II, and Winkler was incorporated as a town on April 7, 1954.
After a period of halted growth in the 1960s, Winkler's population began to rapidly increase again, continuing into the 1990s. On April 7, 2002, Winkler was officially granted city status, and in 2006, the city celebrated its centennial anniversary.
Winkler is located on the western edge of the Red River Valley, at the intersection of provincial highways 14 and 32. The city's climate is typically continental, with dry cold winters and hot, frequently dry summers. Winkler is situated on the prehistoric beaches of Lake Agassiz, with rich soils that are ideal for crop production.
Winkler's main transport connection to other communities is the highway system. The city also has an airport located in its industrial park, and a Canadian Pacific Railway spur line that connects to the La Riviere subdivision.
According to the 2021 Census of Population, Winkler had a population of 13,745 living in 5,089 of its 5,239 total private dwellings. The average household size is 3.0 and the average family size is 3.3. The average income for a family in the city is $44,227.
The most common ancestries in Winkler are German, Dutch (Netherlands), Canadian, Russian, Ukrainian, French, Aboriginal, Scottish, Irish, Polish, and Icelandic. Most residents are of Mennonite descent.
Winkler is home to the Pembina Thresherman's Museum, which includes a collection of agricultural machinery, tools, and household items. The city's main festival is the Harvest Festival and Exhibition, held in mid-August. Other events include the Canada Day celebrations and the Cripple Creek Music Festival.
