Rent Assist Manitoba

What Rent Assist Actually Covers

Rent Assist is a provincial shelter benefit that helps low-income Manitoba renters bridge the gap between what they can afford and what private-market rent actually costs. It operates through two separate streams, and which one applies depends on whether the caregiver already receives Employment and Income Assistance (EIA).

EIA households get shelter support built directly into their monthly EIA payment. When a grandchild or relative's child joins the household, the shelter component adjusts upward to reflect the larger household size — up to the maximum allowable rate for the new family composition.

Non-EIA households — including working caregivers and pensioners on CPP/OAS — can apply for Non-EIA Rent Assist if they meet its income and housing rules. The applicant, spouse or common-law partner, and dependent children must not receive EIA benefits (except EIA health benefits only). This is the stream most kinship caregivers miss entirely, because they assume Rent Assist is only for people already on welfare.

How Non-EIA Rent Assist Is Calculated

The monthly benefit is calculated by subtracting 1/12 of 30% of the household's annual net income from 80% of the applicable median market rent. The maximum amount depends on household size.

So if a grandmother earning $1,800/month from OAS and GIS takes in a 10-year-old grandchild, her household size increases from one to two. Household size and income both affect the amount Rent Assist pays.

A few things that matter for the calculation:

• Canada Child Benefit payments are not counted as income for Rent Assist purposes, which means receiving CCB for the child won't reduce the shelter benefit
• EIA child-only grants under Section 5(1)(f) — if a dependent child receives EIA, the household is not eligible for Non-EIA Rent Assist; ask the EIA worker about shelter assistance instead
• The current application requires applicants to notify Provincial Services immediately of changes that may affect eligibility or the benefit amount

Who Qualifies as a Kinship Caregiver

Rent Assist doesn't have a special "kinship" category. Eligibility is based on income, housing costs, household size, and other program rules. The Non-EIA application asks for a current Canada Child Benefit notice when dependent children are included in the household.

How to Apply

For Non-EIA Rent Assist: Download and submit the application form, or call Provincial Services to have one mailed to you. The application requires a Proof of Income (Option C) for each household member over 18, a signed lease or rental agreement, and a current Canada Child Benefit notice if you have dependent children. It also requests a signed direct deposit form.

For EIA-integrated shelter support: If you're already receiving EIA, tell your caseworker that a child has joined the household. The shelter component recalculates automatically as part of the EIA reassessment. If you're applying for EIA Section 5(1)(f) child-only assistance for the first time, the shelter adjustment is built into that intake process.

For Non-EIA Rent Assist, call Provincial Services at 204-948-7368 or toll-free 1-877-587-6224. For EIA, call 204-948-4000 in Winnipeg or 1-855-944-8111 for rural and northern Manitoba.

Common Mistakes Kinship Caregivers Make

Not applying at all. Many grandparents assume Rent Assist is only for people on social assistance. The Non-EIA stream exists specifically for low-income households that don't receive general welfare benefits.

Waiting to get a court order first. Rent Assist doesn't require a guardianship order. An In Loco Parentis agreement or even school enrollment records showing the child's address can establish household composition.

Forgetting to report a change. The Non-EIA Rent Assist application requires applicants to report changes that may affect eligibility or benefits immediately. Under the program policy, benefits are effective from the first day of the month a complete application and all supporting documents are received.

Rent Assist and Other Benefits

Rent Assist stacks with other supports. A kinship caregiver can receive Non-EIA Rent Assist alongside Canada Child Benefit, the Manitoba Child Benefit (if household income is under $20,000 and not on full EIA), and Children's Opti-Care for prescription eyeglasses.

For a full walkthrough of every provincial and federal payment available to Manitoba kinship caregivers — including how these benefits interact and which ones reduce others — the Manitoba Kinship Financial Help Guide maps the complete picture.

See more Manitoba guides →