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Page 20 COMMUNIT Y PROFILE Community Profile With a population of approximately 800,000, Winnipeg is a city that continues to grow. The city's key business sectors include advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, aerospace, energy and environment, financial services, information and communications technology, life sciences, tourism and transportation. It is a four-season city where participants have endless choices to explore during free time with lively nightlife and dynamic music scenes, diverse eateries, thrilling professional sports, blissful spas, and renowned performing arts that are sure to impress. HISTORY Winnipeg's strategic geographical location made it the natural focus for the Western extension of the transcontinental railway in the late 1880s. The city was launched into a period of growth and prosperity unequalled in Canadian urban development. A flood of immigrants, high wheat prices, plentiful capital and improved farming contributed to sustained growth. Although the Great War from 1914-1918 and the opening of the Panama Canal in 1913 slowed Winnipeg's growth, the city's traditional resources have sustained its commerce and position as one of the largest cities on the prairies. Winnipeg is Manitoba's capital city located in the geographic centre of North America and Canada. It is a vibrant city with a cosmopolitan flair and community values that combine to create a warm and welcoming energy. The Forks National Historic Site TODAY Winnipeg, the capital city of the province of Manitoba, has one of the most stable and diverse economies in Canada with major employment in the trade, manufacturing, educational and health care sectors.