Accessible and inclusive travel in Winnipeg

Winnipeg welcomes visitors of all abilities, and we continually strive to ensure this city is accessible to everyone, from our world-class attractions to our transportation infrastructure.

While all our major attractions are accessible and inclusive, here are a few spots that are doing unique things to ensure that every visitor can be accommodated.

Transportation and arrival

When you fly into Winnipeg, you’ll be arriving at one of the world’s most accessible airports. Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (opens in new window) features multiple animal relief areas for service dogs; the Aira program to assist people who are blind or with a visual impairment to navigate their immediate surroundings; sensory support kits for autistic and neurodivergent travellers; plenty of accessible parking along with curbside assistance for arrivals and departures; signage throughout in braille; therapy dogs onsite for departures; and visual information displays for the hearing impaired. Winnipeg Richardson International Airport has also partnered with WHILL Inc. and Scootaround Personal Transportation Solutions to implement self-driving wheelchairs as a fully available service in the terminal.

All Winnipeg Transit (opens in new window) buses are equipped with wheelchair ramps and securement areas, while Winnipeg Transit Plus (opens in new window) provides door-to-door transportation for people who can’t regularly use the fixed-route transit system due to disability. Winnipeg WAV (opens in new window) (web or mobile app) is a centralized dispatch system and call centre for booking a wheelchair-accessible vehicle in Winnipeg.

Attractions

Manitoba Children’s Museum (opens in new window)

For starters, you won’t find a more accessible space than the Manitoba Children’s Museum at The Forks. On top of its Explore-Abilities Access Program, which provides adapted museum experiences and a range of visitor services designed for children of all abilities to have fun and enjoy interactive, hands-on learning in a safe and accessible facility. The museum also provides wheelchairs, sunglasses, ear defenders, fidget toys, designated quiet zones, UbiDuo 2-way communication devices and braille visitor info in French and English. Service dogs are also allowed.

Manitoba Museum (opens in new window)

The Manitoba Museum offers a welcoming and accessible experience for all visitors. Through the Aira Explorer app (opens in new window), guests can enjoy narrated exhibits, navigation assistance, and read-aloud features as they walk through the galleries. They have wheelchairs available to borrow at guest services, and a designated Quiet Room to provide a calming space to decompress during your visit.

On the first Sunday morning of each month, Sensory Sunday (opens in new window) creates a quieter, more sensory-friendly gallery experience for visitors by reducing sounds and adjusting the lighting from 10 a.m. to noon.

Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq (opens in new window)

Not only are WAG-Qaumajuq’s galleries fully accessible and expansive, this cultural institution also provides wheelchairs at the front desk and universal washrooms throughout. Tours can be adapted to be inclusive to all guests (you can book in advance), while the Art to Inspire program is designed for visitors with dementia and their care partners.

Assiniboine Park Zoo (opens in new window)

Assiniboine Park Zoo gets rave reviews from wheelchair users for its wide paths and wheelchairs and scooters available for rent. The zoo has also worked with KultureCity (opens in new window) to make it a certified sensory inclusive attraction. Visitors can procure weighted lap pads and sensory bags containing fidget tools, noise-cancelling headphones and verbal cue cards from visitor services for free before heading out on the grounds.

Assiniboine Park (opens in new window)

Assiniboine Park itself is brimming with paved paths to access all the gardens, green spaces and attractions like the Pavilion where you can make your way through the famed Pooh Gallery. Same too about the park’s The Leaf (opens in new window), where all the outdoor gardens are accessible, along with The Leaf building where wheelchairs are available for use during your visit. Assiniboine Park also hosts sensory nights during its marquee annual events like Zoo Lights (opens in new window) in December, which are designed to provide a more comfortable experience for guests with sensory regulation or processing needs.

FortWhyte Alive (opens in new window)

For more outdoor adventures, check out FortWhyte Alive where wheelchairs are available for visitors throughout their visit. Its Alloway Reception Centre, Richardson Interpretive Centre and brand new Buffalo Crossing building are all wheelchair accessible and equipped with automatic door buttons, accessible stalls in the washrooms, and accessible parking spaces. Many of its exhibits on our local flora and fauna feature audio descriptions too.

Canadian Museum for Human Rights (opens in new window)

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is one of the world’s most accessible museums, as you would expect in a setting that has an exhibition on Inclusion for All: Rights of People with Disabilities. All its exhibits cater to both the hearing and visually impaired too.

Centennial Concert Hall (opens in new window)

Centennial Concert Hall is wheelchair accessible throughout the venue and offers accessible seating. Guests who are hard of hearing can connect compatible hearing aids directly to the concert hall’s Auracast system or borrow a telecoil loop from Guest Services to enhance their performance experience.

Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (opens in new window)

The Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada allows visitors with special needs to bring up to two support companions at no additional cost, and its video kiosks are equipped with closed captioning to supplement the audio.

Finally, we bet you weren’t expecting a toboggan slide nor canoe/kayak launch in this guide!

St. Vital Park’s Manitoboggan (opens in new window)

For winter fun, St. Vital Park’s Manitoboggan structure won prestigious design awards in Germany from the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities for its achievements in accessibility. The large toboggan slides and structure are Winnipeg’s first barrier-free and universally accessible toboggan slide, with a lower slide that is fully wheelchair accessible and a four-season warming shelter featuring large out swinging doors, heaters and plenty of bench seating. For summer, should you be looking to easily access the Seine River for a paddle, the accessible dock (found off John Bruce Road) allows you to enter your craft on solid ground before gently launching into the river down the gradual chute.

Most attractions in the city are accessible and provide sensory equipment if needed. To ensure a smooth visit, it’s a good idea to check the individual attraction websites for specific accessibility details ahead of time.