Winnipeg, MB — End Homelessness Winnipeg welcomes the Government of Manitoba’s coordinated investments in housing, supports, health, and affordability in Budget 2026, while emphasizing that additional scale and sustained action will be required to meaningfully reduce homelessness.
Budget 2026 adds $12.8 million in new grant funding expecting to support the creation of 215 additional homes. It also includes $8.2 million for tent-to-housing supports and the continued expansion of transitional housing with 24/7 wraparound supports.
“Manitoba is taking important steps to stabilize people who are already in crisis,” said Jennifer Moore Rattray, CEO of End Homelessness Winnipeg. “Investments in supportive housing, outreach, and system coordination are essential and will improve outcomes for many individuals. At the same time, sustained and scaled efforts will be critical to ensure these gains translate into measurable reductions in homelessness as quickly as possible.”
The Province is expanding affordability and income supports, including a $28.6 million increase to Rent Assist and disability supports, enhancements to Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) for families, and increased renter tax credits. Additional investments in Community Living disABILITY Services are a positive step in supporting Manitobans living with disabilities, who remain at heightened risk of housing instability.
The budget strengthens system flow through targeted measures, including 32 alternate level of care (ALC) beds at Siloam Mission and the discharge coordination with the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, which helps connect individuals leaving hospital to housing and supports. Other key pathways to homelessness include the Child Welfare system and the Justice system.
The Manitoba 2026 budget introduces measures to reduce the cost of living for low-income Manitobans. These efforts support accessible public transit, including free bus service for eligible riders, and expand affordable early learning and childcare, with targeted supports to help lowest-income families access care at reduced or no cost.
End Homelessness Winnipeg also notes the planned review of the Mental Health Act and changes to the Residential Tenancies framework. These signal important opportunities to strengthen protections and better align systems with the realities faced by people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Ensuring these reforms lead to tangible improvements will be an important next step, and their implementation will require close attention.
However, the scale of need remains significant. In 2025, more than 7,500 individuals were recorded in Winnipeg’s homelessness response system, including more than 4,000 experiencing chronic or repeated homelessness. The addition of 215 new social and affordable units, while meaningful, highlights the ongoing gap between current investments and overall need.
End Homelessness Winnipeg emphasizes that rent supports remain one of the most effective tools for reducing homelessness. Programs such as the Canada–Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB) enable individuals to access housing in the private market and are critical for both prevention and housing stability. While CMHB remains funded for current recipients, it has been closed to new applicants for a year, limiting access for many individuals seeking to exit homelessness. Reopening access to CMHB would represent a significant opportunity to build on current progress.
“As we know, ending homelessness requires coordinated action across housing, income supports, and services,” Moore Rattray added. “We will continue working with government and partners to ensure investments are aligned with the scale of need and lead to measurable reductions in homelessness.”
End Homelessness Winnipeg is calling for continued focus on:
- Expanding rent supports, including reopening CMHB
- Accelerating deeply affordable and supportive housing development
- Aligning income supports with the cost of housing
- Protecting and expanding low-cost housing stock
- Supporting Indigenous-led organizations to lead solutions and drive system change grounded in community knowledge and lived experience
End Homelessness Winnipeg remains committed to working alongside governments, Indigenous partners, community partners, the private sector, and the broader community to advance a coordinated, data-informed response focused on prevention, housing stability, and lasting system change so all Winnipeggers can live in safety and dignity.
About End Homelessness Winnipeg
End Homelessness Winnipeg coordinates systems, policies, and investments to prevent and end homelessness in Winnipeg and works to create a world where everyone has a home and the supports they need to belong.
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Media Contact:
Oraye St. Franklyn
Manager, Communications and Community Relations
End Homelessness Winnipeg
ofranklyn@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca
(431) 323-8896