Is SQRFT a rental platform, or does it also list homes for sale?

SQRFT is a rental-only platform. Searches like "apartments for sale Winnipeg" or "condos for sale St. Boniface" describe buying a home, which is a different market with different listings, financing, and legal process than renting. Every listing on SQRFT is a rental unit. If you're looking to buy, you'll need a real estate agent and a separate resale listing service.

What's typically included in Winnipeg rent?

It varies by building type. Older apartment buildings in the Exchange District and West End often include heat and water in the rent, with tenants paying their own electricity (Manitoba Hydro) and internet. Newer purpose-built rentals are more mixed, and single-family or duplex rentals are the most likely to be all-inclusive. Winnipeg's cold winters make heat inclusion a bigger budget factor than in most other Canadian cities, so always confirm which utilities are included in writing before you sign.

What are Manitoba's 2026 and 2027 rent increase guidelines?

Manitoba sets an annual rent increase guideline for existing tenancies. For 2026, that guideline is 1.8 percent, effective January 1, 2026, and the province has announced 3.0 percent for 2027, effective January 1, 2027. Units renting for $1,670 or more a month in 2026 ($2,000 or more from 2027) are exempt. A landlord who wants to raise rent above the guideline needs an above-guideline increase approved by the Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB), typically justified by capital expenditures or a documented rise in operating costs. The guideline does not apply to a new tenancy's opening rent, only to increases on an existing tenancy.

How does a security deposit work in Winnipeg?

Manitoba landlords can collect a security deposit of up to half a month's rent. The deposit must be placed in an interest-bearing trust account, and interest accrues to the tenant. At the end of the tenancy, the landlord must return the deposit plus interest within 14 days, or apply to the Residential Tenancies Branch to keep some or all of it. A written condition report completed at move-in and move-out is the record the RTB relies on if a deposit dispute arises.

How do I dispute my landlord at Manitoba's Residential Tenancies Branch?

The Residential Tenancies Branch (RTB) is Manitoba's tribunal for residential tenancy disputes, covering illegal rent increases, repairs, eviction applications, and deposit disputes. Most disputes start with a call or written application to the RTB, which can mediate or move to a formal order. Bring your tenancy agreement, all written correspondence with your landlord, photos or your condition report, and any notices you received or served. Manitoba's RTB also publishes a vacancy-rate-based formula landlords must follow for above-guideline increase applications, so ask for that calculation if a landlord cites one.

Can my landlord enter without notice?

No, with narrow exceptions. Manitoba's Residential Tenancies Act requires landlords to give at least 24 hours' written notice before entering for a reasonable purpose (repairs, inspections, showings to prospective tenants), and the notice must specify the date and approximate time of entry. Emergencies (fire, flood, and similar) are the main exception where notice is not required. Repeated no-notice entries can be raised with the RTB as a breach of the tenancy.

How much notice do I get if my landlord wants to end my tenancy?

It depends on the tenancy type and reason. For a periodic (month-to-month) tenancy, a landlord generally needs to give notice in writing rather than by mail alone, since Manitoba's RTB rules require notices to end a tenancy to be served personally or by a method the Act recognizes, not simply mailed. For a landlord's own use or major renovations, the standard notice period is longer and specific conditions apply. Fixed-term tenancies typically end on their stated end date without notice being required for that reason alone. Always check your specific notice type against the RTB's current rules before treating any notice as final.

Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada

Rentals Winnipeg: Renting in Winnipeg in 2026

Real rents, real neighbourhoods, real answers. The complete SQRFT guide for renters and landlords navigating one of Canada's most affordable and tightest rental markets.

Browse Winnipeg rentals

Avg 1BR

$1,232

CMHC, Oct 2025

Avg 2BR

$1,570

CMHC, Oct 2025

Vacancy rate

2.8%

CMHC, Oct 2025

2027 rent guideline

3.0%

1.8% in 2026, Province of Manitoba

FFrancis, SQRFT TeamCanadian Rental Market Analysts, SQRFT Editorial Team Updated September 21, 2026 12 min read

Section 1

What Winnipeg rents look like in mid-2026

Winnipeg stayed one of Canada's most affordable and tightest rental markets through mid-2026. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recorded an average in-place rent of $1,404 per month across all purpose-built apartments in the Winnipeg CMA in its October 2025 Rental Market Survey, well below the national average asking rent of $2,037 reported by Rentals.ca and Urbanation for July 2026.

2.8%

Purpose-built rental vacancy

CMHC · Oct 2025

$1,404

Average rent, all apartment types

CMHC · Oct 2025

3.0%

Manitoba's 2027 rent increase guideline (1.8% in 2026)

Province of Manitoba

On CMHC's in-place averages, what existing tenants actually pay across the purpose-built stock, a one-bedroom sits at $1,232 a month and a two-bedroom at $1,570 (October 2025 survey). Vacancy at 2.8 percent is among the tightest of any major Canadian metro, meaning affordability and availability pull in opposite directions here: rents are low, but well-kept units don't sit long. For the full monthly breakdown, we publish the Winnipeg Rent Report on the last business day of each month.

$1,232

Average 1-bedroom, in-place

CMHC · Oct 2025

$1,570

Average 2-bedroom, in-place

CMHC · Oct 2025

$1,404

Average rent, all apartment types

CMHC · Oct 2025

The practical read

Winnipeg offers some of the lowest rents of any major Canadian city, but a 2.8 percent vacancy rate means tenants need to move fast on a good unit. Manitoba's rent-increase guideline (1.8 percent for 2026, 3.0 percent for 2027) gives existing tenants strong protection against sharp increases, which is why renewing an existing tenant is usually the cheaper path for a landlord too.

Section 2

Where Winnipeggers rent: the neighbourhood guide

Winnipeg splits broadly into five areas around its downtown core: the historic Exchange District downtown, the established south, the airport-adjacent west, the historic north, and the rail-heritage east. Each has its own character underneath it.

downtown

Downtown and the Exchange District — Winnipeg's historic warehouse district and arts/entertainment core, adjacent to The Forks

south

River Heights, Fort Garry, and Tuxedo — established residential areas near the University of Manitoba

west

St. James, West End, and Charleswood — mixed residential, close to the airport

north

North End, East Kildonan, and West Kildonan — historic working-class and residential neighbourhoods

east

Transcona and Elmwood — traditionally rail and industrial, now largely residential

Downtown

Exchange District

Renting in Exchange District, Winnipeg.

Osborne Village

Renting in Osborne Village, Winnipeg.

Downtown

Renting in Downtown, Winnipeg.

Central

St. Boniface

Renting in St. Boniface, Winnipeg.

Wolseley

Renting in Wolseley, Winnipeg.

Corydon Village

Renting in Corydon Village, Winnipeg.

Fort Rouge

Renting in Fort Rouge, Winnipeg.

West Broadway

Renting in West Broadway, Winnipeg.

South

River Heights

Renting in River Heights, Winnipeg.

Fort Garry

Renting in Fort Garry, Winnipeg.

St. Vital

Renting in St. Vital, Winnipeg.

Tuxedo

Renting in Tuxedo, Winnipeg.

West

Charleswood

Renting in Charleswood, Winnipeg.

St. James

Renting in St. James, Winnipeg.

West End

Renting in West End, Winnipeg.

North

North End

Renting in North End, Winnipeg.

East Kildonan

Renting in East Kildonan, Winnipeg.

West Kildonan

Renting in West Kildonan, Winnipeg.

East

Transcona

Renting in Transcona, Winnipeg.

Elmwood

Renting in Elmwood, Winnipeg.

Section 3

Winnipeg schools and school boards

Where you live decides which public school your kids attend. Winnipeg has more school divisions than most Canadian cities its size, which makes this a bigger factor in where families choose to rent.