It’s Winnipeg’s most famous intersection — known as much for its legendary windy conditions as for being a gathering site for protests, celebrations and other key events in the city’s history.
With Portage and Main once again open to pedestrians after four-and-a-half decades, here’s a gallery of some of the iconic corner’s newsworthy moments, past and present.
Looking west on Portage Avenue prior to the opening of the Portage and Main underground pedestrian concourse on Feb. 23, 1979. Dale Hawerchuk at Portage and Main, 1981. Main Street, looking north from Portage Avenue, lived up to its name in this circa 1905 photo. Main Street wasn't much more than a cart track in 1870. This is the view from Graham Avenue towards what's now Portage Avenue and Main Street less than a decade after the first store opened at the intersection. Portage and Main in 1947 lacked the skyscrapers that dominate the intersection today. Vehicles travel west on Portage Avenue from Main Street in 1935. In 1913, the Bank of Montreal, which opened its first Winnipeg branch in 1877, built an imposing neoclassical main branch that still stands at Portage Avenue and Main Street. Those familiar with the intersection might mark the absence of the nine-foot statue of a First World War soldier, a monument placed in front of the building in 1923. The view north down Main Street from Portage Avenue circa 1914 shows a booming metropolis. Main Street, stretching north from Portage Avenue, is a big-city thoroughfare by 1887. Red River carts are captured in this 1872 photo of the corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street. The carts' thin wooden wheels made a mess of the mud road when it was wet, but the width of the street meant carts could create new paths next to impassable areas. A view down Main Street from in front of the Bank of Montreal in 1958, before pedestrian barricades were installed.
Portage and Main was initially closed to foot traffic in the late 1970s, coinciding with the creation of the underground concourse linking four corner properties. A 40-year deal to permanently close the intersection to pedestrians came into effect around 1978.
The closure has remained controversial ever since, and was the subject of a hotly debated plebiscite during the 2018 municipal election. Mayor Scott Gillingham called for Portage and Main to reopen last year, and after an eight-month construction project, the famous corner finally welcomed foot traffic again Friday morning.
Pedestrians and traffic don't mix at Winnipeg's major and historic intersection of Portage and Main, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods Construction is almost finished at Portage and Main Concrete barriers at Portage and Main are being demolished Family and supporters paint a red dress as they gather to protest a lack of action by all levels of governments in funding a search of Winnipeg's landfills for missing Indigenous women, at Portage and Main in Winnipeg, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. Family and supporters walk from Portage and Main to the Manitoba legislature to protest the provincial government's delay in searching a landfill for missing Indigenous women, Friday, March 8, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods Family and supporters gather at Portage and Main to protest the Manitoba government delays in searching landfills for missing Indigenous women, in Winnipeg, Friday, March 8, 2024. The rally marched from the intersection to the Manitoba legislature and called on the government to search the landfill. Rallies in other cities across the country took place in solidarity with the Winnipeg group. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods Barriers at Winnipeg’s major intersection of Portage and Main, which has been closed to pedestrians for 40-plus years, are seen on Friday, March 1, 2023. Family and supporters gather to protest all levels of governments' lack of action in funding a search of Winnipeg's landfills for missing women at Portage and Main in Winnipeg, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods People gathered in downtown Winnipeg on Canada Day to demand the government search the landfill for the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran. A rendering of the new artwork at Portage and Main. Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans celebrate at Portage and Main after the team's Grey Cup win on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. People gathered at Portage and Main after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' win Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021. File: Edmonton Oilers vice-chair Oilers Entertainment Group/alternate governor Kevin Lowe, left, announces the Edmonton Oilers alumni roster as Winnipeg Jets alumnus Dale Hawerchuk listens in at a Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic press event at Winnipeg's Portage and Main intersection on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. Métis celebrations at BMO Portage and Main A sign marks the corner of Portage Avenue and Main Street in Winnipeg. Demonstrators hold a round dance at the corner of Portage and Main. Winnipeggers got together to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday by forming a 'Living Leaf' at the historic downtown intersection of Portage and Main, Saturday, July 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods Portage and Main in Winnipeg. Streets signs for the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Portage and Main intersection is considered the centre of downtown. A Winnipeg city councillor said it's time to take the question of reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians to voters. Richardson International is building a four-storey research facility just behind its headquarters at Portage and Main. An artist's rendering shows Portage Avenue facing east after the proposed changes to Portage and Main. The former president's motorcade was seen passing by Portage and Main on the way to the St. Boniface Hospital. Winnipeg bus drivers close down Portage and Main after gathering to support each other at a rally for Irvine Fraser, who was killed by a passenger, and to demand safety improvements on buses outside city hall in Winnipeg, Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Portage and Main, pictured with many parts of Manitoba under an extreme cold warning. Edmonton Oilers alumnus Dave Semenko, Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot, Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler and Jets alumnus Thomas Steen show off the Heritage Classic jerseys as the National Hockey League announces the rosters at a Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic press event at Winnipeg's Portage and Main intersection on Friday, Aug. 5, 2016. Dozens crowd Portage and Main during rush hour. Winnipeg police arrest a woman after she was waving around a gun in traffic at Portage Avenue and Main Street Tuesday morning. The first of several 'pop-up' events at Portage and Main. The intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street as seen from the 30th floor of 201 Portage. Revellers took to the intersection of Portage Avenue and Main Street to celebrate the Winnipeg Jets' playoff spot clinch. Winnipeg Jets fans flooded Portage Avenue and Main Street after the team clinched a playoff spot. A city hall committee voted to go forward with a plan to look at opening Portage Avenue and Main Street to pedestrians. Main Street looks more like a parking lot after snow. Protesters at Portage Avenue and Main Street in Winnipeg. Main Street on April 12, 2014. The setting sun casts long shadows behind protesters at Portage Avenue and Main Street in Winnipeg. Portage and Main was closed part of Oct. 12, 2013 as jingle dancers performed. Portage and Main was closed part of Oct. 12 as jingle dancers performed. Jake Bell (left) and JD Edwards serenade Portage and Main in summer. Del Barber prepares to play at Portage and Main. Portage Avenue and Main Street has been Winnipeg's main intersection for more than a century. Snow is already half a loonie deep at Portage Avenue and Main Street at 7 a.m. Monday.
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