River Heights (electoral district)

River Heights is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1957, and formally came into existence in the 1958 provincial election. The riding is located in the south-central region of the City of Winnipeg.

River Heights is bordered to the east by Fort Rouge (formerly Lord Roberts), to the southeast by Fort Garry, to the south by Fort Whyte, to the north by Wolseley (across the Assiniboine River), and to the west by Tuxedo.

From 1958 to 1986, River Heights was represented by members of the Progressive Conservative Party. Since that time, however, it has generally been represented by leaders of the provincial Liberal Party. Sharon Carstairs represented the riding from 1986 until her appointment to the Senate of Canada in 1994, and Jon Gerrard represented the riding from 1999 until 2023 when he lost the seat to NDP candidate Mike Moroz. Moroz is the first New Democrat ever to represent the constituency.

The Liberal Party has many prominent backers in this riding, including members of the Asper family (see Izzy Asper).

Statistical overview
The riding's population in 1996 was 19,950. The riding's character is middle- and upper-middle class. In 1999, the average family income was $77,701, and the unemployment rate was 5.90%. River Heights includes many of Winnipeg's oldest and stateliest homes: the average value of dwelling house in the riding in 1999 was $117,937.

River Heights has a significant Jewish population, at 9% of the total. The highest percentage of people in Manitoba at the riding level have university degrees, at 38.5%. Voter turnout also tends to be extremely high in this riding; in its first four decades, turnout usually exceeded 80% of the eligible population.

The service sector accounts for 15% of industry in River Heights, with educational services following at 14%.