Canada Life Centre is the downtown Winnipeg arena that has served as the beating heart of the city’s hockey scene since it opened as the MTS Centre on November 16, 2004. Built for roughly C$133.5 million on the former site of the Eaton’s department store, the arena incorporated salvaged red bricks from that building into its facade as a nod to the site’s history.
The building has carried three different naming-rights titles over its life, moving from MTS Centre to Bell MTS Place in 2017 before becoming Canada Life Centre in June 2021. Through every rebrand, its role has stayed the same: it is the home rink of the Winnipeg Jets and the anchor venue for downtown Winnipeg’s entertainment district.
Stats at a Glance
- Team(s): Winnipeg Jets (NHL), Manitoba Moose (AHL)
- Location: 300 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Opened: November 16, 2004
- Capacity (hockey): About 15,225
- Capacity (concerts): About 16,345
- Construction cost: About C$133.5 million
- Notable fact: Built on the former site of a downtown Eaton’s store, whose red bricks were reused in the facade
The Ride Experience
Canada Life Centre packs its seating bowl tightly around the ice, a design choice that has made it one of the loudest and most intense atmospheres in the NHL, especially during Jets playoff runs when the surrounding plaza fills with the famous ‘whiteout’ crowds. The arena’s roughly 440,000 square feet keep the footprint compact by modern NHL standards, putting fans close to the action rather than spreading them across a sprawling concourse.
The building has hosted more than hockey over the years, including the Manitoba Moose of the AHL and concerts that have pushed attendance past 17,000, cementing its role as downtown Winnipeg’s primary entertainment venue.
History & Legacy
The arena was built to bring NHL hockey back to Winnipeg after the original Jets left for Phoenix in 1996. It first housed the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, then became an NHL rink again in 2011 when the Atlanta Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg and revived the Jets name. Ownership group True North Sports & Entertainment has kept the venue at the center of the city’s downtown redevelopment efforts ever since.
Naming rights have shifted with sponsor deals over the years, from MTS to Bell MTS to Canada Life, but locals have long referred to the building informally as ‘the barn,’ a nod to its role as the singular home of major professional sports in Winnipeg.
Explore more: Explore more iconic stadiums and arenas.
Canada Life Centre FAQs
Who plays home games at Canada Life Centre?
The NHL’s Winnipeg Jets are the primary tenant, along with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.
When did Canada Life Centre open?
The arena opened on November 16, 2004, originally under the name MTS Centre.
What is the seating capacity of Canada Life Centre?
It seats about 15,225 for hockey games and can hold roughly 16,345 for concerts.
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Photo: Wpg guy / CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.