roomiematch.com’s Winnipeg roommate rundown:

Winnipeg is midway on the Trans-Canada Highway, in the middle of the Canadian prairie.

That’s the floodplain at the bottom of the Red River Valley, where the wind is severely chill.

And there’s a whole herd of prairie bison.

Roaming.

Winnipeg is officially Canada’s coldest city (>= 100,000 residents), with winters averaging 16C (2F). Not as snowy as many Canadian cities, only about 20 inches a year. Winnipeg’s relative lack of snow compared to Toronto surprises many.

But you should know, even without snow, Winnipeg’s severe wind chill can still kill!!!

Winnipeggers cope with substantial stretches of winter where the combined effect of cold and wind can freeze your skin in about 10 minutes. Winter’s severity means safety precautions, or . . . !!!

Winnipeg’s relative lack of public transit means if you don’t already have access to a car, you’ll probably need to rent one until you do. And you may need to tuck it in at night too! (plug your car into a block heater at night, depending on weather and your parking situation)

You’ll end up driving in a blizzard at some point. And blizzard or not, always bring enough gear to go on an unexpected walk, for car trouble or other unforeseen reason.

Downtown has a network of tunnels and skywalk with protected walkway. Winnipeg Walkway is like “pedestrian place,” or retail habitrail for humans who want shopping multiple places, but all climate controlled! Now that’s pedestrian accommodation! (It doesn’t go forever though.)

For cyclists, Winnipeg provides an official map with suggested routes plus recommendations, and some urban roads have bicycle lanes. However, Winnipeg will remain most enjoyably biked for their scenic river trail routes for seasonal exercise than all-weather transportation.

Additional bicycle lanes of the future, even though appreciated, still won’t entirely fix local cycling for all. Because any snow here increases danger. And even when you’re not on actual snow, the snow-clearing sand is hard on tires (not as challenging as snow, but still).

Even in Winnipeg weather that’s not snowy or freezing cold . . . is it all melted? Melting snow unpredictably creates muddy puddles and potholes. Puddles and potholes are terrible for bikes and bikers.

So other than the car itself plus the block heater and immobilizer required to tell it goodnight, The Peg sports a lower cost of living.

Winnipeg is home to the largest population of First Nations and Metis ancestry (13%) of any city in Canada. Winnipeggers speak over 100 languages, including one of the largest groups speaking Tagalog, along with several native languages including Ojibwe and Cree.

And over a quarter of residents are immigrants from other countries, including about 40,000 students typically downtown, attending colleges and universities.

Winnipeggers are described as unpretentious and sincere, but really into their local multicultural festivals. Here are popular menu items, are these unpretentious? We’ll go with yes, if that also equals delicious::-:: goldeye (smoked fish), Winnipeg-style rye bread (using chopped or flaked rye and some white flour), Manitoba maple syrup (likes theirs better than Quebec), schmoo torte (whipped cream, caramel, and nuts on sponge cake), wafer pie (custard and meringue with graham crackers), Bannock-style fry bread, Mennonite sausages, and meat pies.

All significant communities calling Winnipeg home get seen and heard and acknowledged and celebrated. Meanwhile, almost everyone speaks English too?

Your celebrated community may even be awarded its own pavilion!

And if not, you and your roommates would likely be encouraged to tour everyone else’s.