Neighbourhoods

Island Lakes

Quiet lake-and-path living in southeast Winnipeg

Island Lakes is a master-planned lake community in southeast Winnipeg, framed by Abinojii Mikanah (formerly Bishop Grandin Boulevard) to the north and Lagimodiere Boulevard to the east. Developed on former farmland by Novamet Development Corporation beginning in the early 1980s, it grew quickly through the late 1980s and 1990s and takes its name from the three connected man-made lakes at its centre, whose shape forms an island. Curving bays and crescents wrap around the water, with lakeside walking paths and a chain of neighbourhood parks carrying most of the day-to-day recreation. It is a calm, settled, family-oriented pocket — light on shops of its own, but minutes from some of south Winnipeg's biggest retail.

Highlights

Three connected man-made lakes at the heart of the neighbourhood, ringed by lakeside walking paths and small waterfront green spaces — open to canoes and kayaks in summer (swimming and fishing are not permitted)
Lindsey Wilson Park, the community's recreation hub, with enclosed tennis courts, two basketball courts, a splash pad, ball diamonds and a picnic shelter — plus a winter skating rink and a pathway link to Sage Creek Village Centre at Seigneurie Park
Island Lakes Community School, a K-8 Louis Riel School Division school opened in 2001 at 445 Island Shore Boulevard, with an on-site daycare, playground and a large community field
Bracketed by two of south Winnipeg's main shopping hubs — St. Vital Centre, with about 160 stores, a straight run west along Abinojii Mikanah, and Sage Creek Village Centre just across Lagimodiere Boulevard — with the 47-hectare Bois-des-Esprits riverbank forest on the Seine River minutes away in neighbouring Royalwood

Best for

Families and professionals who want a quiet, settled lake-and-trail suburb with quick access to south-end shopping and major routes

Housing

The housing stock is overwhelmingly single-family: detached homes built from the early 1980s through the 2000s, from modest bungalows and split-levels up to larger two-storeys backing onto the lakes, alongside a limited supply of townhouse- and bungalow-style condominiums and no apartment blocks. Homes here are predominantly owner-occupied, and the neighbourhood generally sits in Winnipeg's mid-to-upper price range, with lake-backing properties commanding the premium — treat any figure as an estimate as of 2026 and confirm against current listings. One honest consideration: Island Lakes has very few shops or services within its own boundaries, so day-to-day errands almost always mean driving.

Getting around

Drivers are well placed: Abinojii Mikanah (formerly Bishop Grandin Boulevard) runs along the neighbourhood's north edge for a straight run west to St. Vital Centre and on across the Red River toward the University of Manitoba, while Lagimodiere Boulevard on the east edge heads north toward Fermor Avenue and south to the Perimeter Highway; downtown is roughly a 20-minute drive outside of peak periods. Winnipeg Transit completely redesigned its network in June 2025 — a local feeder route (557 Island Lakes–Morley, as of 2026) winds through the neighbourhood and connects toward Sage Creek, Southdale and South Osborne, so check current routes and schedules. Within the neighbourhood, the lake paths and park connections make it genuinely pleasant on foot or by bike, but for errands and commuting this is, honestly, a car-oriented suburb.

Neighbourhood overview last reviewed 2026.

Neighbourhood descriptions are general and for orientation only; boundaries, amenities, and prices change. Verify school catchments and current listings before making decisions.