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Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit
Homelessness Stream

The Manitoba government has provided additional funding to help Manitobans who need support with rent to access the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB). This brings this year’s total to over $11.0 million to help more Manitobans access affordable housing.

Due to high demand for the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit (CMHB) homelessness and youth streams, applications will be reviewed as they are submitted in the order that they are received until all funding has been allocated. Applications will not require a signed lease or EIA Rent Form to be considered, as approvals prior to this are conditional. However, a signed lease or EIA Rent Form is still required to receive the benefit, and payment will not be issued until housing is secured.

Department of Families Provincial Services will make every effort to communicate with you to ensure that you are aware of the status of your application prior to securing housing.

Manitobans who are currently receiving the CMHB or are renewing their benefit will not be affected. This also does not affect Manitobans who are applying for or renewing their benefit for the Survivors of Gender-Based Violence stream of the CMHB.

If there are any questions or concerns, please email CMHBSI@gov.mb.ca

This stream is for people who are at risk of homelessness or who are homeless. This stream is designed to support independence and provide safe and stable housing, with a goal of improving outcomes for people who need assistance paying for core housing. New applications to this stream should be directed to Manitoba Families Provincial Services, who is delivering the benefit.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the CMHB homelessness stream, applicants must:

complete a program application;
be receiving Employment and Income Assistance (EIA) or non-EIA Rent Assist;
or have an earned annual net income below the non-EIA Disability Program Income Limits;
need assistance to cover rental costs;
be a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident of Canada or refugee claimant;
live in private rental accommodation; and
have a tenancy agreement prior to receiving the benefit.

To continue being eligible for benefits, recipients must report all changes that may impact eligibility, such as:

changes in household size
address changes or moves
changes in rent
changes in income

People can not apply for the homelessness stream of the CMHB if:

they rent their home from Manitoba Housing or other subsidized housing
they live on a First Nations reserve
they live in a hospital or residential care facility
they live in student housing
they live outside of Manitoba

You can only receive the CMHB through one of the benefit streams. If you are found to be accessing the CMHB through different streams, your benefits will be suspended immediately and you will be required to re-apply to one stream only.

Benefit Calculation

For eligible applicants, the CMHB will be calculated as:

CMHB = Rent – Rent Assist, up to $350 per month
or
CMHB = Rent – (30 per cent of income + non-EIA Rent Assist), up to $350 per month
or
CMHB = Rent – 30 per cent of earned income, up to $350 per month for those that have an earned annual income below the EIA Disability Program Income Limits

If you are paying for your utilities out of pocket (i.e., a cold rent), you are eligible to receive an additional $72 on top of your monthly benefit amount to help with your utility costs.

Applying

To apply for the homelessness stream of the CMHB you can download an application form (PDF), or

To have an Application form mailed to you, please email:
CMHBSI@gov.mb.ca

Annual Renewal Form

Complete this form annually to ensure you are eligible and that your benefit continues.

To renew your homelessness stream CMHB you can download the Annual Renewal form (PDF) or,

To have an Annual Renewal form mailed to you, please email the following:

If you are renting in Winnipeg CMHB@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca

If you are renting in Thompson cmhbsupport@cmhathompson.ca

If you are renting in all other areas of Manitoba rentsupplement@bnrc.ca or supplement@bnrc.ca

Change Information Form

To continue to be eligible for benefits, recipients must report all changes to their circumstances that may affect the continuation of the benefit (e.g., changes in household size, address changes or moves, changes in rent or income). You can download the Change in Information form (PDF) or,

To have a Change of Information form mailed to you, please email the following:

If you are renting in Winnipeg CMHB@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca

If you are renting in Thompson cmhbsupport@cmhathompson.ca

If you are renting in all other areas of Manitoba rentsupplement@bnrc.ca or supplement@bnrc.ca

Submitting Completed New Applications

All completed new application forms can be submitted to:

Department of Families Provincial Services
By e-mail: CMHBSI@gov.mb.ca
By mail:
Department of Families Provincial Services
100-114 Garry Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 4V4

Important Documents

Note: This webpage will be updated if the program becomes full and intake needs to pause until additional funding is available.

CMHB Home Page | Youth Stream | Homelessness Stream
Mental Health and Addictions Stream | Survivors of Gender-Based Violence Stream

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