In over 100 cities across the world as diverse as New York, Helsinki and Halifax, you’ll find the familiar green logo of the Metro daily newspaper. And now they’ve come to Winnipeg - the free daily launched in the city this spring, with a compact format, a local feel, and a splash of entertainment news.

 

After leading the launch of Calgary and Edmonton editions of Metro, Calgary-based publisher Steve Shrout felt the time was ripe to expand here. “We really feel that Winnipeg is Canada’s next metropolitan city,” says Shrout. “It’s a younger city, it’s a vibrant city. We want to be part of that young urban landscape and help promote that local pride.”

 

Shrout says he and his staff have been blown away by the reception they’ve received, with 40,000 papers a day on average being snapped up from boxes, cafes, shops, and the ever-smiling Metro distribution teams downtown. There are over 1000 locations around the city where you can get the paper, and we can expect to see even more over the next year.

 

The Metro takes pride in ensuring that these print copies are as eco-friendly as possible. Every edition is printed in organic ink on organic paper supported by reforestation. They’ve also teamed up with the Downtown BIZ to sponsor the newly-renamed Metro Enviro-Team cleaning crew and help keep the streets clear of litter. “We really love that relationship,” says Shrout, “being part of keeping the core clean.”

 

The paper has been gaining a following among young professionals, and engaging with this audience also means a healthy online presence. “Which is better, paper or electronic? I believe there’s room for both.” says Shrout. “Our content is a little different in each. And our reporters engage with twitter followers on a regular basis – I think that helps people connect to us. We’re real people in the city - we’re not just sitting up in an office writing stories, we’re engaging with the community.”