What’s open, what’s closed in Winnipeg during the coronavirus pandemic

Here’s a selection of restrictions, policy changes and what's open and closed in Winnipeg during the pandemic.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Subscribe and receive a limited-edition Free Press branded hat or tote.

Digital Subscription

One year of digital access for only $205*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles

*First annual payment billed as $205.00 + GST for one year. This annual subscription will automatically renew at $233.00 + GST every 52 weeks (10% off the regular annual price of $259.35). Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional

$1 for the first 4 weeks*

  • Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
  • Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
  • Access News Break, our award-winning app
  • Play interactive puzzles
Start now

*Your next Brandon Sun subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $17.95 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $24.95 plus GST every four weeks.

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/11/2020 (2064 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Here’s a selection of restrictions, policy changes and what’s open and closed in Winnipeg during the pandemic.

Jump to: City services | Provincial services | Justice and courts | Entertainment and Leisure | Travel

General restrictions

Restrictions effective March 1, 2022.

Private gatherings

Indoors: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements. 

Outdoors: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements. 

Public gatherings

Indoors: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Outdoors: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements. 

Other provincial health restrictions

Gambling: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Gyms and fitness centres: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Libraries: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Movie theatres and concert halls: Proof of vaccination is required for those 12 years of age and older. Limited to 50 per cent capacity or 250 people, whichever is less. 

Museums and galleries: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Personal services are open without restrictions, including acupuncture, athletic therapy, barber shops, chiropracty, dental clinics, electrolysis, hair salons, massage therapy, nail salons, optometry, physiotherapy, podiatristry, reflexology, and tattoo studios. 

Performing arts events: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Religious gatherings and Indigenous cultural events:  No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15.

Restaurants and bars:  No capacity limits or vaccine requirements. No limits to table sizes or requirements for patrons to remain seated. Liquor sales have returned to normal hours of operation. Masks required until March 15. 

Shopping: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15. 

Sports: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Tournaments are permitted.

Theatre and music schools:  No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15. 

Weddings and funerals:  No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15. 

Workplaces: Open without restrictions.

 


CITY SERVICES

MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES

A council meeting at Winnipeg City Hall.
MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES A council meeting at Winnipeg City Hall.

For the latest information on city services, visit the City of Winnipeg website.

Committee and council meetings: Open to the public under limited circumstances. This includes appearing as delegation and meeting with elected officials by appointment. People wishing to appear remotely as delegations will be accommodated. Meetings continue to be broadcast on the city’s YouTube channel

Inspections: The following inspections resume in-person on March 15, 2022: interior residential properties (for bylaw enforcement); occupied dwellings; and water meter readings, returns, removals and replacements. 

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service education branch resumes in-person presentations on fire safety, drug awareness, and injury/fall prevention on March 15.

Interior residential property inspections for assessment and tax purposes resume April 15.

Parking: The Parking Store is closed to the public. Services are availble online or by calling 311.

Parking enforcement on residental streets resumed Nov. 1, 2021. Residents once again require a residential parking permit to park for longer than posted time restrictions. 

Permits: The city’s zoning and permits branch is not accepting walk-in customers and are not available for in-person customer service. Building permit applications are available online.

Recreation: No capacity limits or vaccine requirements.  Masks required until March 15. 

Skywalk: The connected overhead walkway system and underground concourse has fully reopened and is available 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m., seven days a week (closed statutory holidays).  

Transit: Masks are mandatory on all buses and in Winnipeg Transit Plus vehicles until March 15, 2022.

Water and Waste: Appointments for utility services at residential properties — including water-meter inspections, returns, removals and replacements, and on-site meter reading — have restarted. The city is continuing to suspend water turn-offs to ensure all homes have access to water for proper hand-washing and hygiene.

Weddings: Outdoor weddings at city hall have returned to the the pre-pandemic capacity of 25 people. Indoor ceremony attendance is capped at 17 people, with masks and physical distancing required.

 

PROVINCIAL SERVICES

Child care

Family child-care homes and child-care centres can open and operate in accordance with applicable legislation.

Education: As of March 15, masks will no longer be required for staff or students. Physical distancing requirements and cohorts will also no longer be required in these settings after March 15. See more details on school reopening plans.

Employment and Income Assistance: EIA clients are asked to contact staff through the call centre whenever possible at 204-948-2888 (inside Winnipeg) or 1-855-944-8111 (toll-free, outside Winnipeg). Clients can also email the department at eia@gov.mb.ca. In-person services are available for people in an emergency or crisis or who cannot access a phone or internet service. See the EIA website for more details.

Health: Patients will be contacted directly if their scheduled surgery is affected.

Health, Seniors and Active Living: Registration and client services office at 300 Carlton St. is closed to the public. Staff continue to register people for Manitoba health coverage and Manitoba Pharmacare benefits through email, phone, fax and mail. Forms and contact information can be found online.

Hydro: Hydro has closed its offices to the public, including the cash counter at 360 Portage Avenue in Winnipeg. Indoor residential meter readings and collections (disconnections and reconnections) have resumed. See hydro’s website for a detailed list of changes to other services.

Labour: Most hearings and case management is being conducted by videoconference. Offices remain closed for public inquiries. See the Manitoba Labour Board website for the latest details.

Manitoba Public Insurance: Service centres have resumed regular hours. Booking of most knowledge and road tests has resumed.

Rent: The Residential Tenancies Board is closed to walk-in traffic. To make an appoinment, call 204-945-2476. See the latest COVID-19 updates for landlords and tenants.

 


 

JUSTICE AND COURTS

Some trials and hearings are being delayed, while others are proceeding by video or audio conference. See the Manitoba Courts website for more details and the latest updates.

Court of Queen’s Bench: For the latest information, visit the Court of Queen’s Bench COVID-19 notices and practice directions.

Court of Appeal: For the latest information, visit the Court of Appeal COVID-19 notices and practice directions.

Provincial Court: For the latest information, visit the Provincial Court COVID-19 notices and practice directions.

 


 

ENTERTAINMENT AND LEISURE

The Centennial Concert Hall. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)
The Centennial Concert Hall. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Assiniboine Park: Open. Proof of vaccination no longer required.

Bell MTS Place: Some events are proceeding, while others have been postponed or cancelled. See their site for details of specific events.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights: Open. Proof of vaccination no longer required.

FortWhyte Alive: Open.  

Living Prairie Museum: Open. 

Manitoba Children’s Museum: Open.  

Manitoba Museum: Open.  

Prairie Theatre Exchange: 2021/22 season began Oct. 13.  See their site for details.

Provincial parks: Open.

Rec Room: Open. See their site for details.

Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre: 2021/22 season began Nov. 25.  See their site for details.

Theatre Projects Manitoba: Performances scheduled for the winter.  See their site for details.

West End Cultural Centre: Online and live performances scheduled for the winter.  See their site for details.

Winnipeg Art Gallery: Open. See their site for details.

Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra: 2021/22 season going ahead, but some performances have been cancelled.  See their site for details.

 


 

TRAVEL

Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press Files
Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is open. Various travel restrictions and rules are in effect.
Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press Files Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport is open. Various travel restrictions and rules are in effect.

Travel in Manitoba: Travel north of the 53rd parallel is permitted for fully vaccinated individuals. Some exemptions apply to the vaccine requirement, including Manitobans who live in that region, employees of critical businesses, government officials and health care providers. For more information on other requirements and exemptions, read the public health order or see the additional restrictions.

Travel in Canada: Individuals can now travel within Canada without being required to quarantine upon arrival back in Manitoba.

U.S. travel: Fully vaccinated travellers from Canada may enter the United States at land and ferry points of entry for non-essential reasons including tourism. 

All airline passengers to the United States ages two years and older, regardless of vaccination status or citizenship, must provide a negative COVID-19 viral test taken within one calendar day of travel, or  documentation from a licensed health care provider of having recovered from COVID-19 in the 90 days preceding travel.

Travellers who enter the United States at land or ferry points of entry do not require proof of a negative COVID-19 test. 

International travel restrictions for testing and quarantine apply upon return to Canada.

International travel: All travellers, with limited exceptions, whether entering Canada by air, land, rail or marine vessel, must use ArriveCAN to provide mandatory travel information before and after your entry into Canada. Find more information.

Individuals who travelled internationally must follow federal testing and self-isolation (quarantine) requirements. For information on current exemptions, visit self-isolation exemptions.

Richardson International Airport: Open. Check arrivals and departures.

CAA Manitoba: Services continue to be offered by phone and online. Roadside service continues.

History

Updated on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 1:22 PM CST: Updated throughout.

Report Error Submit a Tip

More Stories

National Guard called out after police shoot Black man

By Scott Bauer And Morry Gash 7 minute read Preview

National Guard called out after police shoot Black man

By Scott Bauer And Morry Gash 7 minute read Monday, Aug. 24, 2020

KENOSHA, Wis. - Wisconsin’s governor summoned the National Guard to head off another round of violent protests Monday after the police shooting of a Black man under murky circumstances turned Kenosha into the nation’s latest flashpoint city in a summer of racial unrest.

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said 125 members of the National Guard would be in Kenosha by night with responsibility for “guarding infrastructure and making sure our firefighters and others involved are protected." County authorities also announced an 8 p.m. curfew.

The move came after protesters set cars on fire, smashed windows and clashed with officers in riot gear Sunday night over the wounding of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, who was hospitalized in serious condition. He was shot, apparently in the back, as he leaned into his SUV while his three children sat in the vehicle.

Police in the former auto manufacturing centre of 100,000 people midway between Milwaukee and Chicago said Blake was gunned down while they were responding to a call about a domestic dispute.

Read
Monday, Aug. 24, 2020

Local high school, collegiate athletes trying to focus on future, not dwell on season past

Taylor Allen 15 minute read Preview

Local high school, collegiate athletes trying to focus on future, not dwell on season past

Taylor Allen 15 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2020

Nobody can relate to what today’s young athletes are going through.

Imagine entering your final year of high school and being told at the last minute that you can’t compete for a provincial championship. Or what it feels like to be the kid who made sacrifices their entire life to one day earn a scholarship and when that time comes, they’re informed the next season might not happen and their university experience will consist of them sitting behind a computer screen, taking online classes.

The realities in today’s pandemic world are unprecedented. No coach or parent can look at these athletes and say, ‘I know what you’re going through.’ Neither can Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, the director of sport psychology for the Canadian Sport Centre Manitoba. But the former University of Manitoba Bisons shooting guard said it’s important for athletes to not pretend that everything is fine during these challenging times.

“I think that bitter ends up resulting down the road if you don’t allow yourself to feel deeply. That’s the one thing we know in sport for sure, that we feel deeply. We celebrate, we work hard, we invest our heart and soul, so things can hurt pretty bad, too,” Leslie-Toogood says.

Read
Friday, Jul. 3, 2020

Missed opportunities costly for Pistons

Mike Sawatzky 6 minute read Preview

Missed opportunities costly for Pistons

Mike Sawatzky 6 minute read Tuesday, May. 16, 2023

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — The Steinbach Pistons had one game to earn a trip to the Centennial Cup playoffs Tuesday night.

Ultimately, it became a hill to difficult to climb for the MJHL champions, who would come to regret penalties taken and uncapitalized scoring chances in a 3-1 loss to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s Battlefords North Stars before 1,011 spectators at Stride Place.

Steinbach completed preliminary-round play at the national junior A hockey championship with one win, two regulation losses and one OT defeat for four points to finish fourth in Group B and out of the playoffs.

“I think as a group the guys felt like we kind of left one on the table,” said Pistons head coach Paul Dyck. “If you look at the four games, we probably outchanced our opposition maybe slightly some games. Every game we had our opportunities but we made some costly mistakes. We had some some penalties that really hurt us (and) there were just times where we weren’t all on the same page.”

Read
Tuesday, May. 16, 2023

What’s open, what’s closed in Winnipeg during the coronavirus pandemic

9 minute read Preview

What’s open, what’s closed in Winnipeg during the coronavirus pandemic

9 minute read Tuesday, Mar. 8, 2022

A round-up of changes due to public health restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read
Tuesday, Mar. 8, 2022

Say What?! It's time for Jets to flip the switch

Steve Lyons and Paul Wiecek 19 minute read Preview

Say What?! It's time for Jets to flip the switch

Steve Lyons and Paul Wiecek 19 minute read Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019

Steve Lyons: Hello there, how’s it going? The last time we chatted like this, you were on a Caribbean island of some sort; you’re home now in balmy Manitoba — how’s that going?

Was the month away long enough? I imagine being away for a few months — or years lol — is I was living the life of retirement.

Same old here — gorgeous blue skies and freezing temperatures. So, half like Nevis right?

What’s not the same is the play of the local NHL team. Yikes! They’ve lost twice in the last 10 days to the worst team in the league (Ottawa) and once to a team that broke a seven-game losing streak (Colorado). Patrik Laine hasn’t scored since — well maybe since you went to Nevis and came back — and despite still leading the Central Division standings, this team looks terrible right now. I’m gonna guess you have a thought or two?

Read
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019

Hydro’s planned outages turn out the lights for thousands across province

Nicole Buffie 4 minute read Preview

Hydro’s planned outages turn out the lights for thousands across province

Nicole Buffie 4 minute read 6:36 PM CDT

Business owners in the East Beaches area of Lake Winnipeg hauled out generators Wednesday after a planned Manitoba Hydro outage left thousands of residents and cottagers without power.

Lise Bourassa, who runs several stores in Grand Beach, had to rent generators to accommodate the eight-hour blackout, which affected the area from Beaconia to Victoria Beach as well as Sagkeeng First Nation, while Hydro crews fixed a pole that was damaged by fire in May .

Despite the spare power source, she was only able to open one of her stores during the outage and said it came at a bad time.

“I understand the importance of what Manitoba Hydro is doing, the problem all the businesses in this area are having is that our season is very short and to be shut down for a full day has a fairly big impact, plus they added cost of getting generators,” she wrote in a message to the Free Press. “We also had less than one week to make arrangements, find electricians and generators to be able to keep all the food safe.”

Read
6:36 PM CDT