Rentals Manitoba: Renting in Manitoba in 2026
From Winnipeg's Exchange District to the Southwest Transitway: real rents, a real market, and the Residential Tenancies Branch rules that apply everywhere in the province.
Population
1.50M
StatCan, Apr 2026
Winnipeg avg rent
$1,404
CMHC, Oct 2025
Winnipeg vacancy
2.8%
CMHC, Oct 2025
2027 rent guideline
3.0%
1.8% in 2026, Province of Manitoba
Section 1
Renting in Manitoba: the overview
Manitoba is home to just over 1.5 million people as of April 2026, according to Statistics Canada's population estimates, and its rental market is anchored overwhelmingly by Winnipeg, the provincial capital and by far its largest city, sitting at the geographic gateway of the Prairies between Ontario and Saskatchewan.
Every Manitoba tenancy, whether in a Downtown Winnipeg high-rise or a Transcona duplex, is governed by the same provincial law: the Residential Tenancies Act, enforced by the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB). That means the core rules (deposit limits, notice periods, the annual rent-increase guideline) are consistent province-wide. See Section 4 below for the full rundown.
Section 2
Major Manitoba rental markets
A full city guide for Manitoba's largest rental market, covering neighbourhoods, schools, transit, cost of living, and the Residential Tenancies Branch rules that apply.
Winnipeg
Manitoba's capital and by far its largest city, with CMHC in-place rents averaging $1,404 across all apartment types, one of the most affordable major markets in Canada, paired with a tight 2.8% vacancy rate.
Read the Winnipeg guideSection 3
Smaller Manitoba cities we cover
Central Plains, Interlake, and Pembina Valley cities within driving distance of Winnipeg, each with its own employers, schools, and rental character.
Portage la Prairie
Central Plains city known as "The Island on the Prairies", about an hour from Winnipeg, with potato processing and RCAF flight training at Southport.
Selkirk
Gateway to the Interlake, about 35 to 40 minutes from Winnipeg, with a steel minimill and Manitoba's largest mental health facility.
Winkler
Manitoba's fourth-largest city, in the Pembina Valley about 1.5 hours from Winnipeg, home to Triple E RVs and Meridian Manufacturing.
Section 4
Manitoba tenancy law: the province-wide rules
Set by the Residential Tenancies Act and enforced by the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) — the same tribunal for every Manitoba municipality.
- •Tribunal:the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB), Manitoba's dedicated tenancy tribunal — not a municipal or court process.
- •Security deposit:capped at half a month's rent, held in an interest-bearing trust account, with interest paid to the tenant.
- •Deposit return window:14 days after the tenancy ends, or the landlord must apply to the RTB to keep some or all of it.
- •Rent increase guideline:1.8% for 2026 and 3.0% for 2027 (effective January 1, 2027). Above-guideline increases require RTB approval. Units renting for $1,670 or more a month in 2026 ($2,000 or more from 2027) are exempt, along with buildings first occupied after March 2005 and social housing.
- •Entry notice:landlords must give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering for a reasonable purpose, except in genuine emergencies.
- •Notice to end tenancy:must be served in writing and, for most tenancy-ending notices, cannot be delivered by mail alone. Check the RTB's current rules for your specific notice type.
Pricing
What should Manitoba rent cost?
Sources
Where these numbers come from
© 2026 SQRFT. This page is for information only and is not financial, legal, or investment advice. Rental data current as of the dates cited above.