Downtown restaurant forced to temporarily close after fire

The exterior of Commonwealth pictured on July 13, 2025. (Zachary Kitchen/CTV News)

A fire has forced downtown Winnipeg restaurant Commonwealth to temporarily close for repairs.

The restaurant, located at the corner of McDermot Avenue and Main Street, sustained damage after someone reportedly broke a window with bricks and started a fire inside, according to a Facebook post on Thursday by managing partner Nikola Maharajh.

The post said the building’s sprinkler system was triggered by the fire, causing additional damage.

Maharajh added that the restaurant may remain closed for “a few weeks, if not months.”