Winkler, Manitoba

Located on the western edge of the Red River Valley, Winkler is located at the corner of provincial highways 14 and 32. It is 70 km (43 mi) northwest of a 24-hour Canada–United States border crossing at Emerson, and about 20 km (12 mi) north of the Canada–United States border crossing at Walhalla, North Dakota.

Winkler is situated on the prehistoric beaches of Lake Agassiz. The lake's shores were formed over 10,000 years ago by the Pembina Escarpment, located a few kilometres west of Winkler. A secondary beach known as the Emerado Beach lies to the west of Winkler. This gentle rise in elevation was formed thousands of years ago when the draining of Lake Agassiz temporarily stalled.[11]

The rich soils of the area are separated by the Emerado Beach. Coarser textured loamy sand soils, located to the west, are suitable for irrigation and produce potato, corn and bean crops. To the east, finer textured clay soils produce sugar beets, beans, canola, corn and small grains.

Winkler's climate is typically continental, resulting in dry cold winters and hot, frequently dry summers. Summer temperatures typically range from 20 to 30 °C (68 to 86 °F), while winter temperatures average between −15 and −25 °C (5 and −13 °F). The Winkler area obtains the most heat units for crop production in Manitoba. Winkler receives an annual average of 416 mm (16.4 in) of precipitation (most of which falls during the spring and summer months) and 119.7 cm (47.1 in) of snow. Winkler's average frost-free period is 125 days.

Valley Fiber head office and data center

Winkler is the economic hub of southern Manitoba. The retail trading area serves an estimated 17,000 households. 4,380 people are employed in Winkler. Approximately 30% of the work force is employed in the industrial sector. The city's second-largest employer, employing 20% of the work force, is the health and education sector.

A number of industries have grown and developed in Winkler throughout the years. One of Winkler's largest employers is Triple E Recreational Vehicles, a recreational vehicle manufacturer. Other products manufactured in Winkler include mobile homes, houseboats, farm equipment, windows and doors. Two foundries, a straw fibre plant and a tire recycling plant are also located in Winkler.

Winkler's agricultural sector is one of the most productive and diversified in Manitoba. The area surrounding Winkler is home to rich, fertile soils which are especially suited to growing potatoes. However, many other crops are grown in the area, including wheat, canola, corn and beans. The area's livestock operations also continue to grow; hogs and cattle are raised, while dairy farms contribute to the making of cheese.

Business development in Winkler has boomed in the years since incorporation. On average, the city becomes home to 10-20 new businesses per year. In 2002, 55 new businesses were established in Winkler. The increase in new businesses can be attributed to low taxes, reasonably priced real estate and cooperation between the city and entrepreneurs. One example of this is the recently established Incubator Mall, a city-owned, five office facility that gives new businesses the opportunity to rent office space at moderate rates. Once those businesses outgrow the space, they relocate, making room for new startups.

A recent development is the rise of and competition in the technology industry in Winkler with startup internet service provider Valley Fiber and Bell MTS installing fiber optic cabling (fibre to the home) throughout the city.[12][13]

City Hall in Winkler, Manitoba.

Winkler is governed by a mayor and six councillors who are elected by residents. The current mayor of Winkler is Martin Harder. The current Winkler city councillors are deputy mayor Henry Siemens, Marvin Plett, Andrew Froese, Michael Greiner, Karina Bueckert, and Don Fehr.[1]

Winkler is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (as part of the Pembina riding) by Progressive Conservative MLA, Cameron Friesen, and in the House of Commons of Canada (as part of the Portage—Lisgar riding) by Conservative MP, Candice Bergen.

Winkler's chief transport connection to other communities is the highway system. Winnipeg is accessible from Winkler either via PTH 14 and PTH 3 or via PR 428 or PTH 23 and PTH 75 or PTH 14 and PTH 75. PTH 32 leads directly to the Winkler Port of Entry on the Canada–United States border. A 4-lane divided highway connects Winkler and the other major city of the region, Morden.

Winkler Airport (CKZ7, 49°10′N 097°55′W) is located in the city's industrial park. It has two runways: an 2,900 ft (884 m) turf/paved runway (09/27), and a 1,540 ft (469 m) turf runway (17/35). Aircraft which need a longer runway are advised to use the Morden Regional Aerodrome which is located 9 km (5.6 mi) from Winkler.[14]

The city has one taxi service, Pembina Valley Taxi. Purolator and DHL courier services also serve Winkler.

Canadian Pacific Railway has a spur line going into Winkler's industrial park that connects to the La Riviere subdivision, a secondary feeder line on the CPR network.

Winkler has long been and continues to be one of Manitoba's fastest growing cities.[19] Thus, although the most recent census (2006) states that Winkler has a population of 9,106 it is probable, judging by census data and population increase rates, that as of 2010, the population was closer to approximately 10,000. The city had a population increase of 14.6% between 2001 and 2006.

As of the Canada 2001 Census, there are 2,885 households and 2,135 families residing in the city of Winkler. The population density is 466.7/km² (180.2/mi²). There are 2,890 housing units at an average density of 170.0/km² (65.6/mi²).[20]

The most common ancestries in Winkler (as of 1996) are German (65.2%), Dutch (Netherlands) (24.7%), Canadian (23.0%), Russian (10.0%), Ukrainian (2.1%), French (1.5%), Aboriginal (1.2%), Scottish (1.0%), Irish (0.9%), Polish (0.8%) and Icelandic (0.2%).[21] Most Winklerites are of Mennonite descent. The racial makeup of the city (as of 2001) is 98.8% White, 0.4% Chinese, 0.38% Aboriginal, 0.1% Black, 0.1% South Asian and 0.1% Southeast Asian.[20]

There are 2,885 households, out of which 36.2% are married couples living together with children, 30.8% are married couples living together without children, 25.5% are one-person households and 7.6% are multiple-family households, single parent family households or non-family households other than one-person households. 90.2% of Winkler's 2,135 families are married couple families, while 1.4% are common-law couple families and 8.2% are single parent families. The average household size is 3.0 and the average family size is 3.3.[20]

In the city the population is spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 15, 8.5% from 15 to 19, 8.1% from 20 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 12.1% from 45 to 54, 7.1% from 55 to 64 and 17.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34.3 years. For every 100 females there are 94.8 males.[20]

The average income for a family in the city is $44,227. The average income for all workers is $22,423, with males earning an average income of $27,787 and females earning an average income of $16,061. The average income for full-time, full-year workers is $30,779. Males who work full-time for a full year earn an average of $34,326 while females who work full-time for a full year earn an average of $23,546.[20]

15.9% of Winkler's population is foreign-born. 1,832 immigrants settled in Winkler from 1999 to 2004, with 465 arriving in 2004 alone.[22] Due to the city's German linguistic and religious linkages, most immigrants to Winkler are ethnic Germans from the former Soviet Union, Germans originating from Germany, or returning Low German Mennonites from Latin America.[22] Ethnic German immigrants from the former Soviet Union are also drawn to the similarity of the region's geography to that of Russia.

According to Statistics Canada's 2006 census data for Winkler residents over the age of 25, 66% have high school diplomas, of which 9% also hold university certificates, diplomas or degrees.[23]

According to the 2011 National Household Survey, 93.4% of the Winkler population report being of Christian faith, 6.3% report no religious affiliation, and 0.3% report being religious but of non-Christian faith.[24]

The P.W. Enns Centennial Concert Hall in Winkler, Manitoba.

The Pembina Thresherman's Museum is situated on Highway 3 between Winkler and Morden. It includes a number of historical buildings in a village setting and a collection of agricultural machinery, tools and household items, as well as a meeting hall.

Winkler's main festival is the Harvest Festival and Exhibition. Held at the Winkler Parkland in mid-August, it features a parade, midway, live stage entertainment, fireworks, rodeo and more. Canada Day celebrations are held at the Winkler Parkland on July 1. The Cripple Creek Music Festival takes place on the fourth Sunday in July.

Garden Valley Collegiate in Winkler, Manitoba.

Winkler's public school system is the Garden Valley School Division, which consists of five elementary schools - Winkler Elementary School, Parkland Elementary School, J.R. Walkof School, Emerado Centennial School, Pine Ridge Elementary School and two high schools, Garden Valley Collegiate and Northlands Parkway Collegiate, which opened in September 2013. As of July 2005, Garden Valley School Division had a total enrollment of 4,121 students. There are no private schools operating within the city.

Garden Valley Technical School is the new vocational campus that has opened in Winkler.

Red River College also operates a regional campus in Winkler, serving 1,500 students each year.

Centennial Arena and adjacent Curling Rink in Winkler, Manitoba.

Winkler's primary ice hockey team is the Winkler Flyers, who compete in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The Flyers play their home games at the Winkler Arena. Perhaps the best known alumnus of the team is Ed Belfour, former goaltender in the National Hockey League. Belfour played with the Flyers during the 1985–86 season and recorded a 2.58 goals against average that year. Belfour went on to play in the NHL and win a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars and was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. There is also a minor league hockey in Winkler. The two local high schools have multiple sports teams under the names Zodiacs and Nighthawks. Winkler also has two men's soccer teams called the Winkler Storm, and the Riots. The women's soccer team is called the Hurricanes. Winkler was selected as host city for the 2008 edition of CBC Sports' day-long Hockey Day in Canada, which took place on February 9, 2008.

• Di Brandt, poet and literary critic
• Arnold Brown, politician
• Benjamin De Fehr, soldier executed during World War I
• Larry Dyck, hockey player
• Howard Dyck, conductor and broadcaster
• Justin Falk, NHL player for the Buffalo Sabres
• Eric Fehr, NHL player for the Minnesota Wild
• Byron Froese, NHL player for the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Jacob Froese, politician
• Peter J. Hooge, politician
• Jordan Peters, curler
• Dustin Penner, former NHL player
• John Sawatsky, award-winning author and journalist
• George Sawatzky, physicist, Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada
• Cornelius Wiebe, physician and politician
• Valentine Winkler, town founder

• Walhalla–Winkler Border Crossing

• Official website