Happy Friday, Winnipeg,
It’s officially the weekend before Christmas. We’re hoping most of your holiday shopping is already checked off, but if you still have a few things left, this is a great time to support local and keep those dollars close to home.
We also hope you stayed safe through yesterday’s snowstorm. What a day. It definitely felt like a real Winnipeg winter reminder, right before the holidays.
Below, you’ll find a quick mix of snow updates, a heads up on parking, a look at what City Hall approved this week, a couple of holiday giveaways, and plenty of things happening around the city this weekend!
Now, in today’s edition:
Snowstorm Update: What Happened and What to Know Now
Homes of the Week
Residential Parking Ban Starts This Weekend
Winnipeg Council Passes 2026 Budget
Day 17 & 18 Giveaways Are Live 🎄
50+ Events this weekend & Live Music!
— Jas Singh
News
Source: City of Winnipeg
Snowstorm Update: What Happened and What to Know Now
Yesterday’s snowstorm made for one of those rare Winnipeg days where almost everything slowed down at once. Heavy snow, strong winds, and near zero visibility caused widespread disruptions across the city and much of southern Manitoba.
Honestly, it felt like a true snow day, something we haven’t had in a while, and right before the holidays, too.
Here’s a clear rundown of everything impacted:
All Winnipeg public schools were closed, along with many school divisions across southern Manitoba
The Perimeter Highway was fully closed, with several other highways shut down as well
Garbage and recycling were cancelled
If your pickup is usually on Thursday, it will happen today
If your pickup is usually on Friday, it moves to Saturday
The University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg closed and rescheduled exams
Flights were delayed or cancelled, and several power outages were reported across the city
City crews began plowing major streets early Thursday morning and continue to re plow as conditions allow. Sidewalk clearing was paused and is expected to resume as winds ease.
There are also a few more snow-related updates below, including an important reminder to help you avoid tickets as clearing continues.
If you want to stay ahead of parking bans and snow clearing updates:
Click here: To download the Know Your Zone app
It sends alerts for parking restrictions and upcoming snow operations right to your phone.
And if you prefer to quickly check conditions from your browser, you can also view plow progress and winter routes in one place using the website below.
Click here: To use the City’s interactive snow map
Homes of the Week:
Home 1: Under $450k
Price: $359,900
Address: 16 Woodlands Crescent / Westwood
Details: 1121 sqft / 4 Bed / 2 Bath
Built in: 1960
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 2: $450k - $650K
Price: $499,900
Address: 110 Gateside Way / Riverbend
Details: 1250 sqft / 4 Bed / 3 Bath
Built in: 2003
Parking Type: Attached Garage
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
Home 3: Over $650k
Price: $684,900
Address: 345 Ken Oblik Drive / Prairie Pointe
Details: 1880 sqft / 4 Bed / 3 Bath
Built in: 2022
Parking Type: Attached Garage
Click here: To view the full house & plan your showing!
City Updates
Residential Parking Ban Starts This Weekend
Source: City of Winnipeg
After yesterday’s snowstorm, the City is moving into the next phase of clearing. That means residential streets will be plowed starting this weekend, and a Residential Parking Ban is coming with it.
Here’s what to know so you don’t get caught off guard:
The Residential Parking Ban runs Sunday, Dec 21 at 7 a.m. to Tuesday, Dec 23 at 7 p.m.
Streets are cleared by lettered snow zones, each in a 12 hour window
During this time, the usual winter route parking ban is suspended, so overnight parking on winter routes is allowed
Vehicles left on residential streets during your zone’s window can be ticketed $150 - $200.
This is one of those moments where a quick check can save you a headache, especially with crews working around the clock and the holidays just days away. Click the link below to see what snow zone you’re in and when your street is scheduled to be cleared.
Winnipeg Council Passes 2026 Budget
City Council has officially approved Winnipeg’s 2026 budget, and it comes with a few changes that came directly from public feedback. The vote passed 12–4, and while it includes some increases, it also adds more support in areas many families care about.
Here’s what stood out in the final budget:
More firefighters: The city will hire 20 new full-time firefighters in 2026, double what was first proposed.
Transit improvements: A new transit planner role is being added to help fix issues faster as the new transit system rolls out.
Safer parks: The needle clean-up program is expanding to six more parks, helping keep public spaces safer for families.
Big infrastructure spending: A $3.8 billion, six-year capital plan moves ahead, including road repairs, new buses, and finishing the North End Sewage Treatment Plant.
Costs to know: Property taxes will rise 3.5%, with water and sewer rates increasing 2.8%.
These were the main changes that stood out to us, but there’s more included in the 2026 budget. If you want to see the full picture and dig into the details, click the link below to view the full breakdown.
Click Here: To see a full breakdown of the 2026 budget.
Day 17 & 18 Giveaways Are Live 🎄
We’re deep into giveaway season now, and here are two giveaways that feel extra timely this time of year. They’re easy to enjoy yourself, or wrap up and share with someone else as a holiday surprise.
Here’s what’s up today:
Day 17: A $300 gift card to Clothing Bakery in the Exchange District. They’re a vintage clothing shop, bringing you cozy layers and unique pieces you won’t find anywhere else. (Enter here)
Day 18: A $300 supplement prize pack from Supplement King, packed with pre-workouts, clean greens, and wellness staples to head into the new year feeling good. (Enter here)
Every entry helps us do bigger and better giveaways next year. More people joining in means more local businesses we can partner with and even better prizes to give away.
It’s our way of keeping things festive, local, and fun all the way through the holidays!
Community Digest
Help Deliver Christmas Hampers This Week
If you want to give back this holiday season but donating money isn’t possible right now, this is a really meaningful way to help.
The Christmas Cheer Board is putting out a real call for help. There are still more than 5,000 holiday food hampers waiting to be delivered to families across Winnipeg, and Tuesday, December 22, 2025 is the last day to get them out before Christmas.
Here’s what helping looks like:
Head to the warehouse at 133 Paramount Road
No sign-up required, just show up
You’ll be given 3 to 5 hampers to deliver per trip
Open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Last year, over 21,000 hampers reached Winnipeg families, many delivered by everyday people who simply gave their time.
If you have a few hours, this is one small act that can mean everything to someone else.
Click Here: To learn how to help with hamper deliveries.
Exciting Events: December 19th - 21st
Events marked with ($) require a ticket in advance. Please search them up before going.
Sports🏀
Manitoba Moose vs Rockford IceHogs | Dec 20 & 21 ($)
Location: Canada Life Centre
Winnipeg Run Club (Festive Sweater Day) | 8AM, Dec 20 (FREE)
Location: Forks Main Elevator
Community Fun🎆
Woodhaven Christmas on the Hill | December 19 (More Info)
Location: 200 Glendale Blvd
Description: Come out for holiday fun: Horse-drawn sleigh rides, Bonfire, Skate with Santa, Music, Kids Activities
Canad Inns Winter Wonderland | December 19 - January 3 (Tickets)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park
Description: Canad Inns Winter Wonderland is Manitoba’s largest drive-thru light show and provides a brilliant presentation of over one million lights in 26 different theme areas.
Zoo Lights | December 19 - January 1 (Tickets)
Location: Assiniboine Park Zoo
Description: Wander through a winter wonderland and enjoy stunning light displays, tasty treats, and endless joy and cheer. Zoo Lights is a festive, holiday tradition for the whole family!
Skate With Santa And Friends | 10AM - 2PM, December 20 (More Info)
Location: Jonathan Toews Sportsplex
Description: Join Santa and his friends for a morning of skating, smiles, and festive fun across our two community rinks. Holiday music will set the scene as families glide, laugh, and make memories together.
Markets🎡
St. Norbert Farmers’ Market | 10AM-2PM, Dec 20 (FREE)
Location: Le Marché St Norbert Farmers Market
Description: For more than thirty years the St.Norbert Farmers’ Market has been serving Winnipeg and the surrounding area with fresh farm foods and handcrafted goods made in Manitoba.
Magical Christmas | Dec 20-21 (More Info)
Location: Red River Exhibition Park
Description: Step into a holiday wonderland filled with holiday cheer, sparkling lights, and and fun activities for the whole family including five carnival rides!
Performances🎭
The House Without a Christmas Tree Opera | Dec 19 ($)
Location: Desautels Concert Hall
Description: Based on the beloved 1970s television movie, this touching new opera by composer Ricky Ian Gordon and Canadian librettist Royce Vavrek captures the emotional heart of the holiday season.
Munsch Upon a Time Play | Dec 19 - Jan 3 (Tickets)
Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange
Description: Prairie Theatre Exchange is reviving a Holiday season tradition of presenting the wildly popular stories of Robert Munsch to as exuberant live theatre.
Die Harder: A Manitoba Christmas Story | Dec 19-31 ($)
Location: Canad Inns Destination Centre
Description: Turns a Winnipeg high rise building into ground zero for festive mayhem; packed with 80’s hits, big hair and even bigger laughs!
Elf – The Musical | December 19-28 (Tickets)
Location: John Hirsch Mainstage
Description: Bursting with holiday spirit, joyful song and boundless cheer, Elf - The Musical is the gift we all need this Christmas. Undaunted by a series of misadventures, Buddy sings his way into the lives and hearts of his new family and friends.
The Lightning Thief Musical | Dec 19-28 (Tickets)
Location: Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Description: Adapted from the book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Percy Jackson has new powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook worth of monsters on his trail.
Nutcracker Ballet | Dec 19-27 (Tickets)
Location: Centennial Concert Hall
Description: From an unforgettable clash with the mischievous Mouse King to the resplendent realm of the Sugar Plum Fairy, this production continues to captivate with its unique blend of prairie flair and timeless allure!
Outside Joke's Holiday Musical Extravaganza | Dec 19-21 (Tickets)
Location: Prairie Theatre Exchange
Description: Back by popular demand, Outside Joke is ready to once again mine that bottomless pit of Holiday rom-com movie plots to bring hilarity to your Holiday. New for 2025: a full musical!
Sick + Twisted's Merry Crip-mas Panto | Dec 19-21 ($)
Location: West End Cultural Centre
Description: A collective of artists with disabilities, invites everyone south of the North Pole to its Merry Cripmas Holiday Panto, an inclusive, interactive evening of music, gags, and slapstick comedy.
Holiday Performances at The Leaf | Dec 20-21 (More Info)
Location: The Leaf
Description: Enjoy festive musical entertainment in the Mediterranean Biome at The Leaf this December! Included with regular admission.
Comedy❗
Michael Palascak Comedy | Dec 19-20 ($)
Location: Rumor's Restaurant and Comedy Club
Description: He performed on both The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in the same year!
Kevin Christopher Comedy | Dec 19-20 ($)
Location: Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club
Description: With over a decade of experience entertaining audiences across Canada and beyond, Kevin has built a reputation for sharp wit, bold storytelling, and a fearless approach to blending comedy with cultural commentary.
Tamara Shevon Comedy | Dec 19-20 ($)
Location: The Basement
Description: As seen on CBC's New Wave of Standup and The Debaters, Tamara Shevon returns to The Basement!
Winnipeg Comedy Showcase | 7PM, Dec 21 ($)
Location: The Park Theatre
Description: Winnipeg’s longest-running stand-up showcase returns to the Park Theatre for another night of big laughs!
Special Events🥂
Dinner & A Movie at The MET: It's a Wonderful Life (1946) | 5PM, Dec 19 ($)
Location: The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre
Description: Join us for Dinner & a Movie featuring the Christmas classic - It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Enjoy a delicious holiday buffet followed by this timeless film, perfect for sharing holiday cheer with family and friends!
Deck the Halls of Dalnavert: A Victorian Christmas Tour | Dec 19-20 ($)
Location: Dalnavert Museum
Description: In this festive tour, travel back in time to Victorian Winnipeg and learn how Victorians celebrated Christmas by playing 'dangerous' parlour games, eating lots of candy, and carolling—pretty similar to today!
Candlelight Concert: Christmas Classics | Dec 19-20 (Tickets)
Location: Crescent Arts Centre
Description: Listen to Christmas Classics in a candlelight setting like Jingle Bells, Let it Snow, Let it Go from Frozen and more!
Music 🎵
Events marked with ($) require prior ticket purchase. Other events may require the purchase of food.
Thanks for reading The Winnipeg Digest! Let’s chat again on Monday!
