WINNIPEG — A new report released today highlights significant loopholes in Manitoba’s rent-control system, which are allowing landlords to impose steep rent increases on tenants.
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) published the Manitoba Research Alliance report, “From Repairs to Rent Hikes: Tenant Perspectives on Above-Guideline Rent Increases in West Broadway.”
The report focuses on the impact of above-guideline rent increases (AGIs) in Winnipeg’s West Broadway neighbourhood, where 93 percent of residents are renters. It found that between 2019 and 2021, nearly 60,000 rental units in Manitoba were affected by AGIs, with tenants facing increases as high as 126 percent. In 2022, 92 percent of rent hike applications by landlords were approved, with an average increase of 9.8 percent. Many tenants reported being unable to appeal or resist these hikes, forcing them to cut back on essentials or relocate due to a lack of affordable alternatives.
Alongside the report, the Right to Housing Coalition launched a campaign urging the Manitoba government to introduce stronger rent-control legislation. The coalition is calling on Manitobans to send Valentine’s Day messages to provincial leaders, urging them to “Have a Heart! Legislate Fair Rents for Tenants Now!”
The campaign seeks to revive Bill 26, initially introduced in 2024 but never passed. Advocates are pushing for key reforms, including capping AGIs at 9 percent above the standard guideline, shortening rent regulation exemptions for new buildings, and preventing landlords from using capital expenses as a justification for permanent rent increases.
The full From Repairs to Rent Hikes report is available on the CCPA website.
