West End, Winnipeg
The West End is a mostly residential area in Downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. It includes the neighbourhoods of Armstrong’s Point, Colony, Daniel McIntyre, Minto, Sargent Park, Spence, St. Matthews, West Broadway, and Wolseley. It is bordered by Route 62 to the east, St. James Street to the west, the Assiniboine River to the south, and Notre Dame Avenue to the north. As of 2021, about 35,075 people live in the West End.
Back in 2011, the community’s mix of residents included a majority of white people (about 51%), with Filipino (21%), Indigenous (15%), Black (4%), and other visible minority groups (9%). The area has historically been home to large German, Scandinavian, and Icelandic communities. Armstrong’s Point is one of Winnipeg’s most affluent neighbourhoods, while nearby West Broadway has a much lower median income.
The West End sits in two city wards—Daniel McIntyre and Fort Rouge–East Fort Garry—represented by Cindy Gilroy and Sherri Rollins. Provincially, the West End is divided into four districts (Wolseley, St. James, Notre Dame, Union Station), all represented by the NDP. Federally, it is part of Winnipeg Centre, represented by the NDP’s Leah Gazan.
Development of the West End happened mainly during two big growth periods, from 1890–1895 and 1900–1912, as Winnipeg expanded. It grew as a working- and middle-class area close to downtown. The community gained access to streetcar routes along Portage Avenue, Sargent Avenue, Sherbrook Street, and Arlington Street, helping residents travel to work. The adjacent industrial area near the railway also provided jobs.
In the postwar years, some housing declined and crime rose in parts of the West End, but the area has seen significant revitalization since the 1980s. Urban beautification projects have transformed many blocks, and the West End now hosts more than 1,000 businesses and over 150 restaurants. Polo Park, Winnipeg’s largest mall, lies in the West End and has grown since the 1990s to become a major commercial hub, rivaling downtown Winnipeg.
Key attractions and features include the University of Winnipeg, Vimy Ridge Memorial Park, Omand’s Creek and Park, Westview Park, and the Sargent Park Recreation Complex. The West End Cultural Centre (WECC) at 586 Ellice Avenue is the area’s main live-music venue. It opened in 1987 in a former church and is known as one of Canada’s greenest live-performance spaces. The WECC hosts concerts and events and is supported by multiple cultural and community organizations.
The West End is also known for its numerous murals—one of Winnipeg’s largest collections of outdoor art, with more than 50 murals decorating the area. The district’s rich mix of residential neighborhoods, cultural venues, and commercial spaces makes it a vibrant, evolving part of Winnipeg.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 04:58 (CET).