Chinatown Steeped in 130 Years of History

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Many Winnipeggers only think of Chinatown as a slightly exotic urban pocket where they occasionally go for dim sum. But the few square blocks around King Street and Alexander Avenue, just north of the Exchange District, are steeped in more than 130 years of significant history.

North American Chinatowns started to emerge during the 19th century as extensions of China.

"Chinatowns weren't just in big cities such as Vancouver," says Henry Yu, a University of British Columbia professor who is the foremost authority on Canadian Chinatowns. "Cities such as Winnipeg had Chinatowns that served as the gateway through which Chinese travelled back and forth through the small towns …