Manitoba Rent Increase 2026: The 1.8% Guideline and What It Means for Landlords

Most Manitoba landlords know the province caps rent increases — but the numbers shift every January, and the 2026-to-2027 transition is the biggest jump in a decade.

The 2026 Guideline: 1.8%

For any rent increase that takes effect between January 1 and December 31, 2026, the maximum a landlord can raise rent on a guideline-covered unit is 1.8% of the current lawful rent. The rate is set by provincial regulation under the Residential Rent Regulation (M.R. 156/92), pegged to Manitoba's consumer-price-index formula.

On a $1,250 apartment, 1.8% works out to $22.50, producing a rent of $1,272.50 before optional rounding. The regulation allows the permitted increase to be rounded to the nearest dollar. On a $1,500 unit, the increase is $27.

The usual frequency rule allows one increase in any 12-month period, subject to the exceptions in Section 118. It applies to the unit, not the identity of its owner. A new owner who buys the building mid-lease does not get a fresh 12-month period just because the property changed hands.

The 2027 Guideline: 3.0%

Manitoba announced the 2027 rate in September 2026 — a jump to 3.0%, effective January 1, 2027. On that same $1,250 unit (now at $1,273 after a 2026 increase), the next increase maxes out at $38 per month.

If you are serving notice in late 2026 for an increase that takes effect on or after January 1, 2027, the 3.0% cap applies — not 1.8%. The guideline that governs is the one in force on the effective date.

Which Units Are Covered

The guideline binds most residential rentals in Manitoba: apartments, single-family houses, duplexes, condos, mobile homes. Provincial jurisdiction only — Winnipeg and Brandon have no separate municipal rent control.

Three categories are exempt from the percentage cap (though still bound by three-month notice and 12-month frequency):

• High-rent units: monthly rent at or above $1,670 as of December 31, 2025, for 2026 increases. The threshold rises to $2,000 on January 1, 2027 — re-capturing units in the $1,670–$1,999 band under guideline control.
• Post-2005 new construction: a new building qualifies if its first rental unit is occupied by a tenant after March 7, 2005, and its first occupancy permit, if required, is also issued after that date. The 20-year period starts on the earlier of the permit date or first tenant occupancy.
• Subsidized housing: rent-geared-to-income units follow their own formula.

The Threshold Trap: 2026 vs. 2027

A unit renting at $1,750 is exempt from the 1.8% cap in 2026 (above $1,670). But if the landlord raises it to $1,825, that rent falls below the new $2,000 threshold — and any 2027 increase is capped at 3.0%. Landlords with rents between $1,670 and $1,999 need to plan for a regulatory shift mid-stream.

Practical Steps

Most rent increases require at least three months' written notice using Form 1A or the landlord's own form containing the required information. For notices covered by Section 28, a copy must be sent to the Residential Tenancies Branch within 14 days after giving notice; the Act lists exceptions. A notice that fails the applicable requirements may be invalid.

The Manitoba Rent Increase Landlord's Guide walks through the full compliance sequence: guideline calculation, exemption verification, Form 1A preparation, service methods, and the RTB filing deadline — with a dated checklist and worked examples for 2026 and 2027.

What's Coming

The 2028 guideline is unpublished. It will follow the CPI-linked formula, and the province typically announces it in the fall of the prior year. Landlords who have already applied their 2027 increase will want to watch for the announcement around September 2027.

Until then, the numbers that matter: 1.8% for 2026, 3.0% for 2027, and a narrowing exemption window for units between $1,670 and $2,000 per month.

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