SWAP GUIDE TO Winnipeg

Welcome to Winnipeg, Manitoba’s provincial capital! Also known as “The Peg” and “Winterpeg,” Winnipeg, is located right in the middle of North America. With diverse population of about 740,000 people, you’ll find lots to do, see, and discover. Winnipeg has four distinct seasons and if you stay a year, you’ll experience all the extremes from -25° Celsius and long nights in the winter to +30° and 16 hours of daylight in the summer. This guide will help you discover the city and provide you with resources to make your stay in Winnipeg as exciting and fun as possible! Finally here... WHAT DO I DO NOW? Relax, give yourself a day or two to adjust and get over jet lag. Don’t try to do everything at once!

Contact the East Coast SWAP office (416-646-7927 or Toronto@swap.ca) to check in and to ask any questions you may have.

Get your Social Insurance Number

Set up a mobile phone

Open a bank account

Canadianize your resume using SWAP resources (make sure you have a French and English version!)

Look for a place to live

But most of all, have fun and meet other fabulous backpackers!

Remember, SWAP is here to help every step of the way! You are not alone!!!

MEMBERS’ LOUNGE Get online and on to your SWAP Members’ Lounge! This exclusive SWAP website gives you access to the information you will need to work, live and travel in Canada. Prior to your departure from home, you received a username and password to access the Lounge (email toronto@swap.ca if you haven’t received it!) Sections include: SWAP Services, Visas, Health, Jobs, and Travel. Don’t forget to check out the Canada-wide job database! WHERE TO GO IN WINNIPEG? Winnipeg is made up of many different neighbourhoods with their own cultural and economic identities. Make sure you check out The Forks, where the Assiniboine River and the Red River meet. It is now a great public place to walk along the river(s) or take a boat ride, check out the market, or go skate boarding. In the past, this was the main canoe route taken by the area's Indigenous people and fur traders. Chinatown: first developed in 1909, this neighbourhood is where you want to go to eat the best Cantonese, Szechwan, Huaiyang and Shandong food. You’ll also find cool shops filled with spices, teas and ancient herbal medicines. There are gardens at the Dynasty and Mandarin buildings where you can relax and have lunch. Corydon Avenue is Winnipeg’s Little Italy. In the summer, you can eat on outdoor patios and have some gelato! It’s not just Italian food, though: there are more than 30 restaurants from around the world and a whole bunch of wonderful boutiques to browse in. The Exchange District is in the heart of Winnipeg and has some great terra cotta and cut-stone architecture from the turn of the 20th century. This neighbourhood is the original cultural and commercial centre of Winnipeg and is now still a great place for shopping and cultural opportunities. West Kildonan features Garden City where streets are names after flowers. Kildonan Park features beautiful floral displays and elm and cottonwood trees. In winter, go tobogganing or skating on the lit-up pond next to the Peguis Pavilion. Also in the park is Rainbow Stage, an outdoor theatre that puts on musicals. One of the oldest areas in Winnipeg, the North End and Mosaic Market area features many stores, bakeries and restaurants along Main Street. Makje sure you check out Gunn’s Bakery, an old country-style kosher bakery serving up goods since 1937. Ross House Museum, first Post Office in Western Canada, is one of the last remaining examples of Red River frame architecture in Winnipeg. Are you an artsy type? Then Osborne Village (“The Village”) is for you! Recently named ‘Canada’s Greatest Neighbourhood’ it has an amazing vibe created by artists, dance studios and music venues. You can go out to its clubs and pubs in the evenings or after hours and to bakeries and restaurants to satisfy your taste buds. Early 1900s architecture, high rises, and unique shops are all there waiting for you to discover them. LANGUAGE Winnipeg is a multicultural city and has the highest Aboriginal population of any Canadian city. You will hear many languages on the street: English, French, English, Ojibwe, Tagalog, Cree, German… 99% of the population speaks English (although for many, it is not their only language). Only 4% of Winnipeggers are French native-speakers, but you will feel their presence in the francophone area called St. Boniface (it even has a French-language university!).

WORK Looking for a full-time job…is a full-time job!

If you are looking for work in different fields, you will want a resume for each field that focusses on relevant skills and experience.

Contact your references to let them know that they may hear from employers.

Network! Every person you meet in Canada will be a connection. Tell everyone you meet what your goals are. Collect business cards and names. People are always happy to help, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask! You never know whose sister is the hiring manager at that big company!

The “walk in” approach is best for casual jobs. Walk into stores, restaurants, cafes, bars, and other businesses and ask to speak to a manager. Either leave your resume with the manager or with another employee. Ask for the manager’s name or card and return to follow up a few days later.

Keep track of the companies you apply to (you don’t want to pick up the phone and agree to an interview... then have to ask what company you’re talking to and where their offices are!)

Follow up with the employers 3-5 days after you have sent your resume. After interviews, write a thank you email.

SIN NUMBER www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/sc/sin/index.shtml You will need a SIN (Social Insurance Number) before you can start working! This is the number that identifies you with the government. You need it to work and to get paid. To apply for your SIN, you will need to bring your passport, work permit and mailing address to a Service Canada Centre. There are many Services Canada Centres on the island of Montreal, but the downtown Service Canada Centre is located at: Portage Place Mall, Floor Ground 393 Portage Avenue, Unit 122 Winnipeg, Manitoba

It is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. You will receive your number immediately from the agent. They will give you a piece of paper with your SIN and other information on it. Don’t lose it! The government no longer issues SIN cards. RESUME (CV) There are great job opportunities in Canada…but you must have a Canadianized resume. SWAP staff can edit your resume(s) and provide you with professional advice and ideas!

Resumes can be 1-2 pages. 1 page for retail, bar, and casual work and maximum of 2 pages for professional work.

10.5-12 size font is acceptable.

Adjust your resume to Letter page size NOT A4.

Always have an address and local phone number.

Start off with a skills summary. Choose relevant skills for each job.

Avoid sentences and paragraphs. Stick to bullet points.

Keep the same verb tense. Past tense is best (e.g. ResearchED, assistED).

Don’t put your resume in a folder to give to each employer, just the resume is fine.

Do a Canadian spell check.

Cover letters are generally for office or professional work (or any time you send an application by email). They aren’t needed if you’re using the “walk in” method.

SWAP has resume templates if you need to start from scratch.

Do NOT include personal information like pictures, marital status or birthdate.

JOB LISTINGS Online job listings Monster www.monster.com Indeed www.indeed.com Craigslist winnipeg.craigslist.org Kijiji www.kijiji.ca Good Work www.goodwork.ca Charity Village charityvillage.com PHONES You will want to get a phone number in order to receive calls from employers and to make calls to landlords! There are different plans you can go one: pay-as-you-go, pre-paid monthly plans and yearly plans. We recommend pre-paid monthly plans, as these plans let you set up with no contract or deposit and you can modify your plan to fit your own needs. Pay-as-you-go is not recommended as it can be very expensive to receive incoming calls and it can be hard to keep track of your credit. Bill pay/yearly plans are expensive as well and can be very expensive to cancel (if you manage to cancel at all!). The big three companies in Manitoba are Manitoba Telecom Services, Rogers, and Telus. They can be rather expensive and are not very traveller-friendly, so SWAP recommends Fido, Virgin or Koodo as they have pre-paid monthly plans with the same network coverage as Rogers, and Telus. When setting up an account, you will need your passport, work permit, credit card and possibly your SIN number. Every phone company has a booth set up in the Polo Park Shopping Centre, so it is a good place to go to compare different plans to see what works best for you... and bargain if you can! BANK ACCOUNT There are 5 main banks in Canada known as the “Big Five”: RBC, TD, Scotiabank, Bank of Montreal, and the CIBC. SWAP recommends Scotiabank’s Start Right Program or TD that both have good deals for newcomers. Otherwise, it can be 5-15$ per month for basic services. When opening your account, you will need your passport, work permit and proof of address. This can be a letter from your hostel, the SWAP office or from your landlord. ACCOMODATION For short-term accommodation in Winnipeg, hostels are the least costly, and provide the opportunity to meet other travellers passing through the city. For example: Guest House International 168 Maryland Street Phone: (204) 772-1272 Web: http://www.backpackerswinnipeg.com/ 1 800 743-4423 UWinnipeg Downtown Hostel 370 Langside Street (204) 789-1486 Web: http://uwhostel.com/

You can find more hostel options at websites like www.hostelworld.com or www.hostelbookers.com. During the summer months, University residences are rented to the public and, while more expensive than hostels, may be a good option for more apartment-style short-term accommodation! University of Manitoba Residences: umanitoba.ca/campus/housing/guests/conference.html Other ways of saving money on very short-term (a couple of nights) accommodation are Couchsurfing (www.couchsurfing.org) or Air BnB (www.airbnb.com). For long-term accommodation, try checking out the various neighbourhoods before committing to a place! Each area offers different scenery and different community feel. For housing listings: winnipeg.en.craigslist.ca www.kijiji.ca www.padmapper.com Be sure to visit the apartment before agreeing to rent. If the landlord will not let you see the apartment or doesn’t want to meet you, it is quite possibly a scam. Finding an apartment with roommates is a good way to save money as single apartments are often more expensive. Subletting an apartment is another good option! TRANSPORTATION BICYCLES While it is no Amsterdam, Winnipeg is a relatively and increasingly bike-friendly and there are many used bike stores around the city. Make sure you have front and back lights on your bicycle and a bell. CARS You can drive on your own licence for 3 months. If you have an international drivers’ licence, you can drive with that for one year. If you want to purchase a car, your car needs to be registered, insured, and pass and air-emissions test. For information about driving with a foreign driver’s licence, check out: www.mpi.mb.ca/en/DL/DL/Pages/New-to-Manitoba.aspx You need to be at least 21 to rent a car and, often, if you are under 25, renting a car can cost more. There is also a car-share company operating in Winnipeg: www.zipcar.com TAXIS There are many taxi companies in Winnipeg. It is a relatively expensive way to get around, especially if there is traffic, but a good option if you are sharing with friends or if it’s 3am and freezing cold! Here are a few numbers of some of the larger taxi companies. Duffy’s Taxi (204) 925-0101 Unicity Taxi (204) 925-3131 Spring Taxi (204) 774-8294

PUBLIC TRANSIT The public transportation system in Winnipeg is called Winnipeg Transit. A regular cash fare is $2.55. Keep in mind that bus drivers do not carry or make change and do not accept bills or pennies. So make sure you have the exact change! Ask for a transfer when you pay your fare. Transfers are valid on the date they are issued. They allow you to ride the bus until the expiry time shown on the transfer. This includes a return trip on the same route. Bus Tickets are $2.20 each and offer convenience. Tickets are sold in sheets of 5 or 10 and are available at over 140 retail outlets throughout Winnipeg. For retail locations, click here: winnipegtransit.com/en/fares/where-to-buy There are also passes available: The MaxPass gives you unlimited travel for a week, Monday-Friday. It is $19.80. The SuperPass is valid Monday-Sunday and costs $22. A monthly pass is 84.70. For more info: winnipegtransit.com or call 311 for routes, schedules, and fare information. PROVINCIAL/NATIONAL BUSES For intercity travel, there is really only one bus company: Greyhound (www.greyhound.ca) – Ask SWAP about discounts with an HI card (you get 25% off). If you book 3 weeks in advance, your discount gets even better! The Greyhound Bus Terminal is located near the airport at 2015 Wellington Ave. TRAINS: Via Rail (www.viarail.ca) is the national passenger train company. Trains can be expensive in Canada, but via often offers special fares, so check their website often for “Express Deals”. If you buy your ticket on a Tuesday (for travel on any day), you get extra-special fares! FLIGHTS: Air Canada (www.aircanada.com) is the major airline in Canada, but there are other carriers like West Jet (www.westjet.com). There are also many smaller regional airlines. RIDESHARE: Another way to travel between cities is through ridesharing: when driver and passenger(s) share a vehicle and costs to a shared destination. The largest site for ridesharing in Canada is www.kangaride.com. Do not enter a car if you feel uncomfortable with the driver. HITCHHIKING: SWAP does not recommend hitchhiking in Canada as it is no longer a wide-spread practice. Some communities embrace hitchhiking and it is still done, but use your judgment and common sense at all times. TRAVEL While in Winnipeg, the centre of North America, take the opportunity to travel throughout the province! Churchill: The world’s polar bear capital! Visit for your chance to come face to face with a polar bear (but keep a safe distance) or a beluga whale. Because there are no roads to Churchill, you can only get there by train or

air. National Parks: There are two amazing national parks in Manitoba: Riding Mountain (wonderful hiking trails and nature-adventure opportunities) and Wapusk (where you can spot some polar bears- please make sure you follow safety precautions). There are also several provincial parks to discover: www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks FOOD Sobeys, Real Canadian Superstore, and Extra Foods are the main supermarkets in Winnipeg, but many neighbourhoods have smaller supermarkets and fruits stores. Winnipeg also has great public markets throughout the city for buying food directly from the producers. Click here for a list of farmers’ markets: fmam.ca www.marchespublics-mtl.com/en/markets For eating out, Winnipeg has a variety of restaurants and take-out places around the city. There are also some great food trucks (check out Pimp My Rice for yummy Filipino food: pimpmyrice.ca) and bakeries. For more food ideas, check out www.urbanspoon.com/lb/332/best-restaurants-Winnipeg For something extra-special, check out the pop-up frozen river restaurant in the winter at the Forks.

WINNIPEG EVENTS There are always great things going on in Winnipeg! For concert listings, neighbourhood parties and other events, check www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/events. FESTIVAL DU VOYAGEUR (www.heho.ca): Every year since 1970, the French quarter of Winnipeg transforms into a winter paradise! The largest winter festival in western Canada, this is a great place to listen to amazing music, try food, play in the snow, and get to know the local Voyageur, Native and Metis histories and cultures. And the best place to try caribou (a warm mix of red wine, usually whisky, and maple syrup). WINNIPEG FRINGE FESTIVAL (www.winnipegfringe.com): North America’s second-largest Fringe Theatre festival takes over the Exchange District every July. There’s something for everyone from comedy to drama to dance and musicals and tickets are only $5-$10 so go for it- take a risk and see something crazy! WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL (www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca): Known around the world, this music festival attracts over 70 amazing performers over this fun weekend in July. A great sense of community, yummy food, and a chance to go camping in Birds Hill Park! DOORS OPEN WINNIPEG (www.doorsopenwinnipeg.ca): for one weekend in May, you get the chance to discover Winnipeg’s most fascinating buildings and enjoy many walking tours and events- all for free. Perfect if you love history and architecture. SPORTS Winnipeg is a sports city like any other major city and there are tons of sporting events you can check out! But hockey is really a way of life here.

Hockey: The Winnipeg Jets were founded in 1972 as one of the original teams of the World Hockey

Association and, after the WHA folded in 1979, the Jets entered the National Hockey League. In 1996, the

team was sold to a group from Arizona and were relocated, becoming the Phoenix Coyotes. From 1996-2011,

the home team was the Manitoba Moose, a minor league team affiliated with the Vancouver Canucks. In

2011, Manitoba bought the Atlanta Trashers and relocated them to Winnipeg. After public pressure, they

renamed the team the Winnipeg Jets. They play out of the MTS centre.

Canadian Football League: The Blue Bombers have won 10 Grey Cups (American football). Soccer: Winnipeg no longer has a soccer team, but the city will be one of the hosts of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Curling: Now’s your chance to try out this crazy sport! Winnipeg has had some of the best curling teams in the world. Many curling clubs will allow you and your friends to rent a sheet of ice to learn and play on. GOING OUT! Winnipeg is a great place to go out- some of the best DJs play in its downtown clubs. For everything you need to know about going out, check out this website: www.gowpg.com The legal drinking age in Manitoba is 18+, and beer and wine can be purchased at Liquor Mart. There is a pilot project underway to have beer and wine available in supermarkets, but that has been very slow to roll out. IMPORTANT: If you look under 25, you may need to have ID proving you are over 18 to enter bars and clubs. It is highly recommended you use other ID than your passport (especially as it contains your work permit) as it can be difficult, very time consuming and expensive to replace if you lose it or it gets stolen.

Enjoy your time in Winnipeg and don’t forget that SWAP is here for you. Contact us with any questions at toronto@swap.ca or vancouver@swap.ca or by calling 416 646 7927 or 604 689 2887.