Sightseeing, history and fun are all aboard Winnipeg Waterways

If you don’t like boat rides, history served up saucy and stunning views of the city – this article is not for you.

If you do, head to The Forks Historic Port (the harbour in front of the main market; just past all the people casually sipping craft beers, ciders and crisp wines on the huge patio) and buy yourself a ticket with Winnipeg Waterways.

This river tour and water transportation company has been operating out of the port since 2024, offering daily Winnipeg by Water (opens in new window) tours that depart regularly (approximately every 5 to 20 min; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) that tour you around downtown on both the Assiniboine and Red Rivers.

Once onboard one of these custom-built canary yellow pontoon boats –– they are extra wide and were manufactured for the company in Québec –– you’ll be swept away by the city’s history, its riverside sites and the beauty of Winnipeg’s waterways as you sit back and savour the 45-min journey.

One look at the Winnipeg Waterways Instagram (opens in new window) account and you’ll note that this crew – which is captained by co-owners (opens in new window) Will Belford and Griffin Hewitt –– likes to make a splash. Along with helpful videos on where to accessibly find the boats and “dock talks” where you can meet the crew, these folks can even make cleaning life jackets look fun. Just imagine what fun you’ll have on the water with them!

On the boat

Not to give too many surprises away, but we learned a few new things about the city during our tour which went from The Forks Historic Port west down the Assiniboine just past the Manitoba Legislative Grounds, then back to the Red River where it went north underneath the Esplanade Riel up to Alexander Docks.

There’s much on the city’s foundation, particularly some great insights on local Métis history including an introduction to the life and times of Louis Riel while you’re looking out on Saint-Boniface. This included an interesting, albeit devastating, bit on how the North-West Resistance ended after the use of a Gatling gun during the Battle of Batoche.

History lessons on the tour go back thousands of years further, as your captain will detail how artifacts found at The Forks reveal how ancient Indigenous peoples (we’re talking 3,000 years ago), took part in extensive trade routes, with certain artifacts like a stone cutting tool found here having originated in the Texas Panhandle.

Indeed, The Forks itself has been used as a meeting place dating back 6,000 years, and perhaps even earlier as you’ll learn on the tour. This includes details about atlatl-wielding bison hunters whose six millennium-old hearths have also been excavated at The Forks site.

You’ll also get tidbits of modern and architectural history spanning the past century, including the design of the Manitoba Legislative Building; the use of the pumphouse to protect the Exchange District from fires; and a stop underneath the Osborne Street bridge to see just how high the Assiniboine River could (and would) flood before the advent of Duff’s Ditch (opens in new window).

Of course, there’s also much on the neighbourhoods you pass like Saint-Boniface, Osborne Village and the Exchange District. You’ll also be able to grab a postcard-worthy picture of the unmistakable architecture of Étienne Gaboury whose works –– including the modern addition to the Saint-Boniface Cathedral and the Esplanade Riel –– are highlighted from your seat on the boat.

Winnipeg Waterways operates all day at The Forks until the weather cools in October.

You can book a Winnipeg Waterways tour in advance online (opens in new window) and at The Forks from the stylish red and white ticket kiosk (we feel it looks Danish) located beside the market’s Canopy.

From the kiosk, you can also buy an assortment of drinks including cans of kombucha from local company Prism. You can also book a private tour for up to 12 people, including the option of custom trips/tours. Tours before noon receive a 50 per cent discount at checkout.