{"id":69729,"date":"2026-10-23T11:23:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T18:23:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/?p=69729"},"modified":"2026-10-23T16:45:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T23:45:52","slug":"best-neighbourhoods-to-live-in-winnipeg-young-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/liv.rent\/blog\/renters\/best-neighbourhoods-to-live-in-winnipeg-young-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Best neighbourhoods to live in Winnipeg for young professionals (2026): Exchange District, Osborne Village, Fort Rouge, St. Boniface compared"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Which are the best neighbourhoods to live in Winnipeg as a young professional? This post compares four: the Exchange District and downtown, Osborne Village, Fort Rouge, and St. Boniface. The rents come from the landlords’ listings and liv.rent’s October 2026 Winnipeg rent report, and we haven’t ranked the four.<\/p>\n

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Winnipeg neighbourhoods for young professionals compared<\/h2>\n

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The lowest one-bedroom starting rents in the buildings we compared run from $1,203 in St. Boniface to $1,299 in Fort Rouge. Osborne Village sits at $1,230 and the Exchange District and downtown at $1,265, so they fall in between. Those are entry prices as listed in October 2026, not neighbourhood averages.<\/p>\n

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The table sets those rents beside liv.rent’s October 2026 Winnipeg rent report<\/a>, which put the citywide average asking rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom at $1,319. The figures aren’t like for like. Some are starting prices, each building lists different unit types, and the landlord hasn’t marked The Z\u00fc’s $1,230 suite as available now. The Exchange District figure also leaves out plans on a waiting list and Fort Garry Place II’s discounted $1,250. The report doesn’t say which streets its regions cover, so read the Downtown and St. Boniface figures as regional context, not neighbourhood averages.<\/p>\n

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Prices and availability are as of October 2026 and can change, especially at Rideau Tower and Warehouse 1885, where some plans are on a waiting list or pending. Confirm each detail with the building before you apply.<\/p>\n

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Neighbourhood<\/strong><\/td>Lowest one-bedroom starting rent in our seven buildings<\/strong><\/td>liv.rent October 2026 average, unfurnished one-bedroom<\/strong><\/td>Full guide<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Exchange District and downtown<\/td>$1,265 (Warehouse 1885<\/a>, Marwest)<\/td>$1,311 (liv.rent’s Downtown region)<\/td>In this post<\/td><\/tr>
Osborne Village<\/td>$1,230 (The Z\u00fc Apartments<\/a>, not marked available); lowest available $1,299 (Strada Villa Apartments<\/a>)<\/td>Not a separate region in the report<\/td>Osborne Village apartments<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Fort Rouge<\/td>$1,299 (700 Corydon Apartment<\/a>, Thorwin)<\/td>Not a separate region in the report<\/td>Best neighbourhood for young professionals in Fort Rouge<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
St. Boniface<\/td>$1,203 (Place St. Boniface Complex<\/a>, Thorwin)<\/td>$1,268 (liv.rent’s St. Boniface region, the most affordable of its six regions)<\/td>Best neighbourhood for young professionals in St. Boniface<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

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The Exchange District and downtown get the full treatment here, with seven buildings, including Warehouse 1885, Smith Street Lofts, and the pet-free Fort Garry Place II. The sections below compare utilities, pets, and parking, and the other three areas each have their own guide.<\/p>\n

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Osborne Village comes next. Its guide defines the area by the City of Winnipeg’s Osborne Village Neighbourhood Plan and compares seven buildings. One of them, The Spot at East Village, describes itself as in Fort Rouge, but we count it as in or next to the Village. Its listing mentions a rapid transit station across the street without naming it.<\/p>\n

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Fort Rouge is a district made up of several smaller neighbourhoods, including Lord Roberts, Riverview, Earl Grey, and McMillan. Its guide covers seven buildings in those neighbourhoods and uses each landlord’s own wording for the location. The Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry council ward is a different, larger area. Lot 6’s listing says the building is steps from the Fort Rouge rapid transit station.<\/p>\n

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In St. Boniface, five of the guide’s seven buildings sit on Goulet Street, St. Jean Baptiste, and Tach\u00e9 Avenue. The other two are on Archibald Street, which the guide treats as the edge of its list.<\/p>\n

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If you’re after buildings that name a rapid transit station in their listings, our guide to apartments near the BLUE line<\/a> covers them. For help finding listings, read where to look for a Winnipeg rental<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Exchange District and downtown Winnipeg: why these seven buildings made the list<\/h2>\n

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Downtown Winnipeg’s average asking rent for an unfurnished two-bedroom fell 5.0% from September to October 2026. Its unfurnished one-bedroom average eased 0.8% to $1,311, according to liv.rent’s October 2026 Winnipeg rent report<\/a>. If you’re shopping now, the seven buildings below are compared on what the rent includes, not only on the headline price.<\/p>\n

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All seven buildings list suites for rent. Five also show availability, either “available now”, “available immediately”, or a move-in date. The two Alston Properties buildings, Pumphouse East and 433 Main, publish plan prices but say nothing about availability. We count them as softer evidence, so their prices are shown as “from” figures.<\/p>\n

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Edison Properties and Alston Properties have two buildings each, and Globe Property Management, Thorwin Properties, and Marwest Management Canada have one each. The order isn’t a ranking. When we say “young professional”, we mean our reading of what the listings show (a downtown address, studio to two-bedroom plans, utilities or internet in the rent, and on-site amenities), not a survey of renters.<\/p>\n

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We use the Exchange District label with care. The City of Winnipeg<\/a> says the Exchange District National Historic Site covers 20 blocks and dates its designation to September 27, 1997. Marwest’s Warehouse 1885 listing puts the building there in its own headline. Alston’s 433 Main listing names no district, so that label rests on the Exchange District BIZ’s article of May 7, 2026<\/a>, which lists 433 Main among the buildings of Alston Properties. For the other five, we make no district claim and go by each building’s address.<\/p>\n

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The listings aren’t dated, so each price is as of October 2026, and availability can change. Distances and walking times come from the landlords, and we measured none. In the table, “not listed” means the landlord said nothing on the point.<\/p>\n

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How do the seven buildings compare on rent, pets, utilities, and parking?<\/h2>\n

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As listed in October 2026, the one-bedroom starting prices you’ll see below, on plans not on a waiting list, run from $1,265 at Warehouse 1885 to $1,760 at Smith Street Lofts. Fort Garry Place II’s discounted rents dip to $1,250. On pets, four of the seven say they’re allowed, one is pet-free, and two say nothing. On utilities, four include heat, water, and an electricity or hydro line in the rent, and the other three include water only.<\/p>\n

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For context, the October 2026 Winnipeg rent report<\/a> from liv.rent gives the Downtown region’s average furnished one-bedroom asking rent as $1,316, close to the unfurnished $1,311. The report gives the two-bedroom change only as a percentage, and it doesn’t map neighbourhoods to its regions. These Downtown figures are context, not a price for any building below.<\/p>\n

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Every entry in the table below comes from the landlord’s listing, and text in quotation marks is the landlord’s own wording.<\/p>\n

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Building<\/strong><\/td>Address<\/strong><\/td>Company<\/strong><\/td>Unit types<\/strong><\/td>Starting rent<\/strong><\/td>Pets<\/strong><\/td>Utilities included<\/strong><\/td>Parking<\/strong><\/td>Note<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead>
Smith Street Lofts<\/td>185 Smith Street<\/td>Edison Properties<\/td>One-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>One-bedroom $1,760 (accessible plan) and $1,775; two-bedroom $2,025; penthouses $2,285 to $3,405<\/td>Pet friendly; dog run, pet park, pet wash<\/td>Heat, water, electricity, internet<\/td>Access to an attached parkade; cost not listed<\/td>13 suites, all available now; 24\/7 concierge<\/td><\/tr>
Fort Garry Place II<\/td>85 Garry St<\/td>Edison Properties<\/td>One-bedroom<\/td>$1,335 to $1,667 (a discounted-rent column starts at $1,250)<\/td>“Pet-free building”<\/td>Water<\/td>Not listed<\/td>11 suites available now, one available in November 2026; indoor pool; smoking allowed<\/td><\/tr>
Rideau Tower<\/td>90 Garry St.<\/td>Globe Property Management<\/td>One-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>One-bedroom $1,399; two-bedroom $1,649 to $1,799<\/td>Pet friendly (no details)<\/td>Water<\/td>Covered parking; cost not listed<\/td>In-suite laundry; no smoking; four two-bedroom plans on a waiting list<\/td><\/tr>
190 Smith Apartment Suites<\/td>190 Smith Street<\/td>Thorwin Properties<\/td>Studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>Studio $1,219; one-bedroom $1,399; two-bedroom “Call for details”<\/td>Cats “No weight restrictions”; dogs “Maximum 40lbs combined”; no pet deposit<\/td>Heat, water, hydro; internet listed (a “Bonus promotion” on one page)<\/td>Electrified surface parking stalls and covered parking; cost not listed<\/td>Move-in dates written 09\/11\/2026 (studio) and 01\/11\/2026 (one-bedroom); non-smoking<\/td><\/tr>
Pumphouse East<\/td>330 Waterfront Drive<\/td>Alston Properties<\/td>One-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>One-bedroom from $1,450; two-bedroom from $2,400<\/td>Not listed<\/td>Electricity, heat, water, WiFi<\/td>Not listed<\/td>No availability wording<\/td><\/tr>
433 Main<\/td>433 Main Street<\/td>Alston Properties<\/td>One-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>One-bedroom from $1,500; two-bedroom from $1,800<\/td>Not listed<\/td>Heat, water, WiFi, electricity<\/td>Outdoor parking available; cost not listed<\/td>No availability wording; fitness centre<\/td><\/tr>
Warehouse 1885<\/td>315 Bannatyne Avenue<\/td>Marwest Management Canada<\/td>Bachelor, one-bedroom, two-bedroom<\/td>Bachelor from $1,200; one-bedroom from $1,265; two-bedroom from $1,345 (all available now)<\/td>Pet friendly (no details)<\/td>Water<\/td>Gated parking, $100 a month for the first year<\/td>Four other plans on a waiting list; rooftop terrace<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n

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What stands out at each building?<\/h2>\n

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Prices across the seven, as listed in October 2026, run from a $1,200 bachelor at Warehouse 1885 to a $3,405 penthouse two-bedroom at Smith Street Lofts. Each entry below adds what the table can’t hold.<\/p>\n

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Smith Street Lofts: building services and one bill<\/h3>\n

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Smith Street Lofts has a 24\/7 concierge and a fitness room. There’s also a sauna, a dog run, and a mezzanine with a movie theatre room and a games and pub room. Heat, water, electricity, and internet are all in the rent. Edison Properties’ listing for Smith Street Lofts<\/a> describes the building as in the heart of downtown and mentions The Forks and the Exchange District as places to visit. All 13 listed suites are available now. The lowest-priced one-bedroom, as listed in October 2026, is $1,760, the highest one-bedroom starting price of the seven.<\/p>\n

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Fort Garry Place II: the pet-free tower with a pool<\/h3>\n

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If you want a building with no pets, Fort Garry Place II<\/a> is the only one of the seven that says “Pet-free building”. Its 12 listed suites are all one-bedrooms, and the listing names the Convention Centre, The Forks, and Canada Life Centre as places “only minutes away”. Each row also shows a discounted rent, for example $1,250 against a $1,335 rent on one suite, as listed in October 2026. The listing gives no terms for the discount. The amenities include a pool, a hot tub, a gym, and in-suite laundry, and smoking is allowed.<\/p>\n

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Rideau Tower: larger suites with laundry in the unit<\/h3>\n

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Rideau Tower’s available two-bedroom plans measure 1,056 to 1,104 square feet, and the suites include in-suite laundry, a dishwasher, air conditioning, and a balcony. Globe Property Management’s Rideau Tower listing<\/a> describes the location as “only minutes away from every amenity Downtown Winnipeg has to offer”. As listed in October 2026, one-bedroom units on The Kelsey plan are $1,399, with two available immediately, one available November 1, 2026, and one with an application pending. Water is the only utility in the rent, and heat and electricity aren’t listed.<\/p>\n

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190 Smith Apartment Suites: heat, water, and hydro in the rent<\/h3>\n

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One rent covers heat, water, and hydro at 190 Smith. Thorwin Properties’ site describes the building as in the heart of downtown Winnipeg. On its floor plans page<\/a>, as listed in October 2026, the studio starts at $1,219 and the three one-bedroom plans at $1,399. Move-in dates are written 09\/11\/2026 for the studio and 01\/11\/2026 for the one-bedrooms, and the listing doesn’t say whether that’s day first or month first. Internet is listed as included in two places but called a “Bonus promotion” in a third, and the listing doesn’t say how long it lasts. The building’s non-smoking, with a gym and a dog park, and the weight limit on pets applies to dogs, not cats.<\/p>\n

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Pumphouse East: river views, with few terms published<\/h3>\n

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Alston Properties’ listing for Pumphouse East<\/a> calls it luxury apartments on Waterfront Drive, with direct views of Stephen Juba Park and the Red River. The suite list includes a Murphy bed, in-suite laundry, and private rooftop decks with hot tubs, though it doesn’t say which units have the decks. As listed in October 2026, a one-bedroom is from $1,450 and a two-bedroom from $2,400, with no availability wording. The rent includes electricity, heat, water, and WiFi. The listing doesn’t mention pets or parking.<\/p>\n

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433 Main: the Exchange District link comes from the BIZ<\/h3>\n

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Alston’s 433 Main listing<\/a> names no neighbourhood. But the Exchange District BIZ’s article of May 7, 2026<\/a> calls Alston Properties “the development company responsible for some of the Exchange District’s most iconic residential buildings” and lists 433 Main among them. The building has a fitness centre, a penthouse lounge, bike storage, storage lockers, and three high-speed elevators. As listed in October 2026, a one-bedroom starts from $1,500 and a two-bedroom from $1,800, with no availability wording. The listing doesn’t cover pet terms either.<\/p>\n

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Warehouse 1885: the Exchange District heritage option<\/h3>\n

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Marwest Management Canada’s Warehouse 1885 listing<\/a> is headed “Historic Character. Modern Living. Exchange District.” and says the district “features an exceptional collection of heritage buildings built between 1880 and 1920”. That sentence describes the district, not a build date for this building. As listed in October 2026, three plans are available now: a bachelor from $1,200, a one-bedroom from $1,265, and a corner two-bedroom from $1,345. Four others, including a $1,160 one-bedroom, are on a waiting list. The available plans are among the lowest entry prices of the seven, in a heritage setting.<\/p>\n

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Which building suits which kind of young professional?<\/h2>\n

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Warehouse 1885 is the heritage setting, Fort Garry Place II is the pet-free tower, and the rents that list internet or WiFi are at 190 Smith, Smith Street Lofts, Pumphouse East, and 433 Main. The paragraphs below run by reader type, not by rank.<\/p>\n

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If you want a heritage loft, Warehouse 1885 is the only one of the seven whose listing uses the Exchange District in its own headline. The Exchange District BIZ article also ties 433 Main to the district, but Alston’s listing describes it as a “concrete building”.<\/p>\n

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If you’re on a budget for a first apartment, the lowest entry prices, as listed in October 2026, are Warehouse 1885’s bachelor from $1,200 and 190 Smith’s studio at $1,219. Next come Warehouse 1885’s one-bedroom from $1,265 and Fort Garry Place II’s one-bedrooms from $1,335. The rents include different things: Warehouse 1885 lists water only, while 190 Smith includes heat, water, and hydro.<\/p>\n

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Pet owners, and people who want no pets next door, have different picks. Smith Street Lofts lists a dog run, a pet park, and a pet wash, and 190 Smith charges no pet deposit. Warehouse 1885 and Rideau Tower say only that they’re pet friendly. Fort Garry Place II is the pet-free one, and Pumphouse East and 433 Main say nothing about pets.<\/p>\n

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If you’d like utilities in the rent, look at 190 Smith, Smith Street Lofts, Pumphouse East, and 433 Main. Each lists heat, water, and an electricity or hydro line, with internet at Smith Street Lofts and 190 Smith and WiFi at the two Alston buildings. Rideau Tower, Fort Garry Place II, and Warehouse 1885 list water only, and heat and electricity aren’t listed there.<\/p>\n

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If you’re sharing a two-bedroom with a roommate, Warehouse 1885’s corner plan, from $1,345 and available now as listed in October 2026, is the lowest published two-bedroom price. Rideau Tower’s available two-bedrooms run $1,649 to $1,799, Smith Street Lofts’ is $2,025, 433 Main’s starts at $1,800, and Pumphouse East’s starts at $2,400. The 190 Smith listing says “Call for details” for its two-bedroom.<\/p>\n

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If you’re commuting on the BLUE line, Winnipeg Transit’s BLUE route stops page<\/a> lists downtown stops. They include Main at Broadway (Union Station), Portage at Donald (Canada Life Centre), and Portage at Edmonton (Portage Place). The page isn’t dated. Smith Street Lofts, Fort Garry Place II, and Warehouse 1885 list public transit among their amenities, and 190 Smith mentions easy access to downtown transit. But none of the listings gives a stop or a distance, so we can’t say which building is nearest.<\/p>\n

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What should you confirm before signing a downtown lease?<\/h2>\n

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In Manitoba, the Residential Tenancies Branch page<\/a> lists a 2027 rent increase guideline of 3.0 per cent, effective January 1, 2027. It also says tenants must be given proper written notice at least three months before a rent increase takes effect. This is general information about Manitoba, not legal advice.<\/p>\n

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The same page says some units “do not have to follow the annual rent increase guideline”. That includes “rental units renting for $2,000 or more per month” and “rental units in buildings first occupied after March 2005”. Some downtown rents, as listed in October 2026, sit above that line: Smith Street Lofts’ two-bedroom is $2,025 and Pumphouse East’s starts at $2,400.<\/p>\n

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On deposits, the Branch’s policy guide on security deposits<\/a> (last revised December 2023) says a security deposit “can’t be more than half of the first month’s rent”. It adds that a pet damage deposit collected on or after August 1, 2014 “can be up to one month’s rent”. Of the seven listings, only 190 Smith speaks to pet deposits, and it says none is required.<\/p>\n

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Before you apply, get the exact unit, the rent, the lease term, the utilities, the parking cost, the pet terms, the deposit, and whether the rent guideline applies to the unit, all in writing. Of the seven, only Warehouse 1885 publishes a parking price. For more Winnipeg detail, read liv.rent’s rent reports<\/a>, then browse the neighbourhoods category<\/a> for other area guides.<\/p>\n“`\n\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

What are the best neighbourhoods to live in Winnipeg for young professionals?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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We compared four: the Exchange District and downtown, Osborne Village, Fort Rouge, and St. Boniface. We used rent from each building’s own page and liv.rent<\/a>‘s October 2026 Winnipeg report, and we haven’t ranked them. The lowest one-bedroom starting rents in the buildings compared run from $1,203 in St. Boniface to $1,299 in Fort Rouge.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

How much is rent for a downtown Winnipeg apartment in October 2026?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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liv.rent<\/a>‘s October 2026 Winnipeg rent report puts Downtown’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent at $1,311, down 0.8% from $1,322 in September. Its unfurnished two-bedroom average is down 5.0%. At the seven buildings compared here, one-bedroom starting prices on plans not marked as a waiting list run from $1,265 to $1,760.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Which downtown Winnipeg apartment buildings allow pets?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Four of the seven buildings compared say pets are allowed: Smith Street Lofts, 190 Smith Apartment Suites, Rideau Tower, and Warehouse 1885. Fort Garry Place II says “Pet-free building”, while Pumphouse East and 433 Main publish no pet terms. If you have a pet, note that 190 Smith lists “No pet deposit required”.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Which downtown Winnipeg rentals include utilities in the rent?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Four of the seven buildings list heat, water, and electricity or hydro as included: 190 Smith, Smith Street Lofts, Pumphouse East, and 433 Main. The first two also list internet. Rideau Tower, Fort Garry Place II, and Warehouse 1885 list water only. Confirm the details with each building before you sign.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

Is the Exchange District in Winnipeg a National Historic Site?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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Yes. The City of Winnipeg says the Exchange District National Historic Site covers 20 blocks and dates its designation to September 27, 1997. Of the seven buildings compared, Warehouse 1885 uses the Exchange District in its own headline, and the Exchange District BIZ’s May 7, 2026 article lists 433 Main among Alston Properties’ buildings.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t

How much can a landlord raise the rent in Manitoba?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t
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In Manitoba, the Residential Tenancies Branch lists a 2027 rent increase guideline of 3.0 per cent, effective January 1, 2027. If you’re a tenant, you must get written notice at least three months before an increase. Units renting for $2,000 or more per month don’t have to follow the guideline. This is general information, not legal advice.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n