Public transportation, apps, and currency
Important Links
Public transportation
Getting from place to place in Winnipeg is easy! Bus routes will take you all around the city, with multiple stops to take you where you need to go.
Getting to the U of M's Fort Garry campus is easy. Both Winnipeg Transit’s Navigo tool and Google Maps will show you a timetable of where you need to go and when with just the click of a couple buttons. Click here for some tips about what to do and how to use Winnipeg Transit.
Post-secondary bus passes, bus tickets, and peggo cards can be purchased on campus at Answers in UMSU University Centre. For more information about transit fares, please visit winnipegtransit.com/en/fares/transit-fares.
Smart phone apps
We asked some students which Apps they use most often, and which Apps would be useful for new students. Here are the top suggestions:
Canadian currency
Canadian coins are available in the following denominations:
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$0.05 = 5 cents / a "nickel"
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$0.10 = 10 cents / a "dime"
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$0.25 = 25 cents / a "quarter"
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$1.00 = 1 dollar / a "loonie"
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$2.00 = 2 dollars / a "toonie"
As the one cent coin is no longer in circulation, cash payments are rounded, either up or down, to the nearest five-cent increment. Payments by credit card or debit card will be charged to the cent.
Canadian bank notes, or bills, are available in denominations of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100. Not all vendors accept $100 bills, so it is best to carry smaller ones. Debit and credit cards are widely accepted.
We advise you to have $200 CDN in cash on you when arriving in Canada. Please refrain from keeping large sums of cash on your person.
Banking
Large financial institutions in Canada include Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), Bank of Montreal (BMO), TD Canada Trust, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), and Scotiabank. Most banks offer special student rates and offer complimentary internet and telephone banking services.
To open a bank account in Canada, you will need your passport, ICM student ID card (provided after Orientation) or Letter of Offer and Letter of Acceptance, proof of registration at ICM and official documentation verifying your Canadian address (such as a phone bill, tenant agreement, or U of M Residence contract).
To obtain a credit card you need to speak with your bank.
CIBC has banking machines on campus at the U of M, where if you would like to take out money and belong to the bank you will not be required to pay added withdrawal fees.
Transferring funds to Canada
Money can be wired from your home country to your Canadian Bank Account once it is open. You can also obtain a bank draft and bring it with you to Manitoba. Be advised that Canadian banks can put long holds on deposits, sometimes up to 20 business days. Make sure to keep copies of all your transaction records for future reference.
Sales tax
Purchases in Canada are subject to Sales Tax. Note that these taxes are not usually indicated on the price tag and will be added to the price of most goods and services when you pay.