Portage and Main, Winnipeg

Portage and Main in downtown Winnipeg is a major intersection where Portage Avenue and Main Street meet. It's called the "crossroads of Canada" due to its central location in the country. The neighborhood around the intersection is called Portage & Main and belongs to the Fort Rouge–East Fort Garry city ward.

Portage and Main serves as a central hub for several of Winnipeg's main transportation routes. It was once the center of the banking industry in Western Canada, and national banks have branches accessible from beneath the intersection. Over the years, the area has also been used as a temporary city square and a gathering place for parades and events, including the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919.

In 1974, Winnipeg created an underground concourse to connect shopping malls below the intersection. Pedestrian crossings at Portage and Main were closed for 40 years, with street works finished around 1978. The concourse now connects via the Winnipeg Skywalk. Notably, the Portage and Main Circus showcase a concrete sculptural wall by Bruce Head.

Portage and Main holds historical significance for Winnipeg. It was the site where Dale Hawerchuk signed his contract with the Winnipeg Jets in 1981 and served as the location for the "Save the Jets" rallies in 1995 and 1996. In 2016, as the expiration of the agreement to close the intersection approached, city officials considered reopening it to pedestrians.

More recently, Portage and Main has become an anchor point for occasional street festivals and the lighting of holiday decorations during the winter season.