Legislative Update – March 07, 2025

by Kayleigh Hykawy | Mar 7, 2025 | Bill Status, Legislation, New Bills

News

News Release Province Introduces New Legislation March 5, 2025 – The Manitoba government is unveiling details of a new spring legislative agenda including: Proposed amendments to the Municipal Council and School Boards Elections Amendment and Public Schools Amendment Act, the oil and gas amendment act, the Housing and Renewal Corporation Act, and to the Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act.

News Release Province Introduces New Legislation on Second Day of Spring Session March 6, 2025 – “The Manitoba government introduced a number of new bills on the second day of the spring session. The legislation includes: The public schools amendment act, the environment amendment and waste reduction and prevention amendment act, the protecting youth in sports act, an act respecting O Canada and other observances and land and treaty acknowledgements in schools (education administration act and public schools act amended), and the he public interest expression defence act.”

News Release Manitoba Government Introduces Buy Canadian Act March 6, 2025 – “the Manitoba government introduced amendments to the Government Purchases Act that would prioritize Canadian suppliers.  As a result of the buy Canadian act, the province would prioritize Canadian suppliers. “

The Legislative Assembly of Manitoba

Second Session, Forty-Third Legislature

Government Bills

Introduced

Bill 6 The Public Schools Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques – The Public Schools Act is amended to change the date used to calculate the special levy transfer to the francophone school division from September 30 to the first Wednesday in October.

Bill 7 The Human Tissue Gift Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les dons de tissus humain – The Human Tissue Gift Act is amended to update the list of human tissue gift agencies and to ensure the Act applies to placentas and other birth tissue.

Bill 8 The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la réglementation des alcools, des jeux et du cannabis – The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act is amended to prohibit the issuance of new liquor service licences for classes of premises established by regulation in a specified area. Existing liquor service licences are not affected by this amendment.

Bill 9 The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act (2)/Loi no 2 modifiant la Loi sur la réglementation des alcools, des jeux et du cannabis – The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act is amended to prohibit the issuance of new controlled-access retail cannabis licences in major urban areas. Existing controlled-access retail cannabis licences are not affected by this amendment. The Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation is given full responsibility for entering into agreements with persons seeking to operate a cannabis store.

Bill 11 The Oil and Gas Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur le pétrole et le gaz naturel – The Oil and Gas Act is amended as follows.

• The operator of a pipeline must not interrupt the supply of refined petroleum products in the province without first obtaining the consent of the minister. If operation of a pipeline must be suspended because of an emergency, the operator must notify the minister within 24 hours after the suspension.
• The director may establish programs of inspection for wells, pipelines and other equipment used in the production of oil, gas, helium or natural hydrogen.
• A person who holds a freehold lease of oil and gas rights must abandon a well or oil and gas facility in the lease area within 180 days after the expiry of the lease.
• The minister may enter into agreements concerning the exploration for and the production of natural hydrogen.
• The holder of a well licence must enter into an agreement with the minister before disposing of salt water in a spacing unit that includes oil and gas rights owned by the Crown.
• The minister or director or an inspector may impose additional terms or conditions on a permit, licence or approval or rescind or vary a term or condition that was previously imposed.

Bill 12 The Housing and Renewal Corporation Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société d’habitation et de rénovation – The Housing and Renewal Corporation Act is amended by this Act.

• An owner of a building that receives construction funding to provide social housing is prohibited from selling or demolishing the building or using it for a different purpose without the corporation’s consent. The consent may be given with or without conditions.
• The corporation must file a caveat in the appropriate land titles office to reflect the prohibition. The caveat does not prevent the sale of the building by a financial institution on a mortgage sale or foreclosure. The prohibition and the caveat apply to current owners under new or existing agreements as well as subsequent owners of the building.
• An owner cannot sue the corporation or the government for any loss that might arise from the enactment of the prohibition.
• Consequential amendments are made to The Real Property Act.

Bill 14 The Insurance Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les assurances – The Insurance Act is amended as follows.

• Limits are placed on the amount of funds that may be held in a side account of a universal life insurance contract.
• The co-ordinator of appeals is authorized to provide e-mail notification of an Insurance Agents’ and Adjusters’ Licensing Appeal Board hearing to an appellant.
• The Insurance Agents’ and Adjusters’ Licensing Appeal Board, members of the appeal board and the co-ordinator of appeals are provided immunity from liability.

Bill 15 The Real Estate Services Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les services immobiliers – In 2022, The Real Estate Brokers Act was replaced with The Real Estate Services Act. Under the former Act, any person could be subject to an order to freeze funds and other assets, and a two-year limitation period for prosecutions applied.

• The Real Estate Services Act is amended to restore the Manitoba Securities Commission’s power to freeze funds and other assets of an unregistered person.
• A two-year limitation period for prosecutions under the Act is also established. The limitation period begins to run from the day that the commission discovers the event giving rise to the prosecution.
• An amendment is made to clarify that both the commission and the registrar can make a determination that a registrant engaged in unbecoming conduct.

Bill 16 The Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Amendment and Public Schools Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les élections municipales et scolaires et la Loi sur les écoles publiques – The Municipal Councils and School Boards Elections Act is amended to enable adult residents of a reserve to participate in electing school trustees.

• Residents of a reserve in southern Manitoba will vote in the neighbouring school division or school district. If a reserve neighbours more than one school division or school district, the residents will vote in the school division or school district specified in the regulations, as requested by the band.
• If a reserve includes reserve lands in an urban municipality, residents of that reserve land will vote in a school division or school district that includes the urban municipality.
• For the northern school division, The Public Schools Act is amended to enable a reserve to be included in an area or ward of that division. Residents of the reserve will then be eligible to participate in the election of a local school committee.
• Amendments are also made to enable a resident of a reserve to be a candidate in an election of school trustees.
• The existing provisions that enable a reserve to be established as a separate ward of a school division are not affected by these amendments.

Bill 17 The Public Schools Amendment Act (Nutrition Equality for Lasting Learning Outcomes)/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques (équité alimentaire pour un apprentissage durable) – The Public Schools Act is amended to ensure that every public school provides a free nutrition program consisting of meals and snacks to students every school day.

• The obligation to report on the school’s nutrition program established in May 2023 is carried forward.
• Cabinet ministers are subject to a 20% ministerial salary reduction if a bill is passed to reduce or repeal the statutory obligation to provide a nutrition program.

Bill 18 The Public Schools Amendment Act (Indigenous Languages of Instruction)/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques (enseignement en langue autochtone) – The Public Schools Act is amended to allow an Indigenous language to be the language of instruction in a school when authorized by a school board. The composition of the Languages of Instruction Advisory Committee is amended to require at least two of the members to be Indigenous persons with expertise in Indigenous languages.

Bill 19 The Public Schools Amendment Act (Safe Schools)/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques (milieu scolaire sûr) – The Public Schools Act is amended.

• The Public Schools Act is amended to
  • establish a policy about appropriate and inappropriate interactions between students and staff on and off school sites that includes procedures for reporting and addressing violations; and
  • provide information about the policy to students, parents and the public.
• The school board must ensure that school staff, coaches and volunteers complete sexual abuse prevention and school sport abuse prevention programs once every four years.
• The Education Administration Act is amended to give the minister the power to approve the abuse prevention programs.

Bill 20 The Community Child Care Standards Amendment and Education Administration Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la garde d’enfants et la Loi sur l’administration scolair – Under amendments to The Community Child Care Standards Act and The Education Administration Act, the minister must establish policy frameworks for First Nations, Inuit and Métis education.

• The policy frameworks are to set out activities, criteria and measures in licensed early learning and child care environments and the public school system to
  • support the learning and development of First Nations, Inuit and Métis children; and
  • ensure that all Manitoba children are educated about truth and reconciliation, treaties, colonial history, the ongoing impacts of colonization and the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Bill 21 The Protecting Youth in Sports Act/Loi sur la protection des jeunes sportifs – The Protecting Youth in Sports Act is established.

• Sport Manitoba must establish a safe sport policy that sets out behavioural expectations and prohibited conduct for young athletes, parents, coaches and other sport officials.
• Each provincial sports organization must adopt and implement the safe sport policy and make information about it available to parents and young athletes. Parents and young athletes must be informed about the complaint process to be followed if they believe the policy has been contravened.
• Coaches must take courses on how to create a safe and positive environment for young athletes and identify and prevent maltreatment.
• A complaint of maltreatment of a young athlete must be investigated by an independent adjudicator who is authorized to impose discipline if they find that maltreatment occurred.
• Sport Manitoba must notify all provincial sports organizations when a coach or sport official is found to have maltreated a young athlete and inform them about the discipline imposed. The discipline applies across all sports and must be enforced by every provincial sports organization.

Bill 22 The Environment Amendment and Waste Reduction and Prevention Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur l’environnement et la Loi sur la réduction du volume et de la production des déchets – The Environment Act is amended.

• The Environment Act is amended to
  • prohibit the unauthorized release of a pollutant that may have an adverse effect on the environment;
  • establish reporting and notification obligations for the director and persons responsible when there is a release or imminent risk of a release of a pollutant, including an obligation to notify the local authorities in affected areas;
  • enable an environmental protection order to be used to require that specified steps be taken to notify those who may be affected by a release of a pollutant; and
  • modernize the manner in which public notice of proposals and hearings may be given.
• Unproclaimed amendments to The Environment Act dealing with public notices are repealed.
• The Waste Reduction and Prevention Act is amended to consolidate the semi-annual payment of the waste reduction and recycling support levy into an annual payment.

Bill 23 The Public Interest Expression Defence Act/Loi visant à défendre l’expression sur des questions d’intérêt public – The Public Interest Expression Defence Act is established.

• A defendant in a proceeding may bring a motion to dismiss the proceeding on the grounds that the proceeding arises from a communication made by the defendant on a matter of public interest.
• No further steps may be taken by any party in the proceeding or in a proceeding before an administrative tribunal that relates to the same matter of public interest until a decision on the dismissal motion has been made.

Bill 24 The Workers Compensation Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les accidents du travail

Bill 25 The Public-Private Partnerships Transparency and Accountability Act/Loi sur la transparence et la responsabilité en matière de partenariats public-privé

Bill 26 The Vital Statistics Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les statistiques de l’état civil

Bill 27 The Income Tax Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu

Bill 28 The Manitoba Hydro Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur l’Hydro-Manitoba

Bill 29 The Workplace Safety and Health Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la sécurité et l’hygiène du travail

Bill 30 The Election Financing Amendment and Elections Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur le financement des élections et la Loi électorale

Bill 31 The Property Controls for Grocery Stores and Supermarkets Act (Various Acts Amended)/Loi sur les instruments de contrôle de biens-fonds visant des épiceries et des supermarchés (modification de diverses lois)

Bill 32 The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act (Measures to Address Unlawful Activities)/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la location à usage d’habitation (mesures concernant les activités illégales)

Bill 33 The Public Health Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la santé publique

Bill 34 The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Motor Carrier Enforcement)/Loi modifiant le Code de la route (réglementation des transporteurs routiers)

Bill 35 The Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la Société d’assurance publique du Manitoba

Bill 36 The Drivers and Vehicles Amendment and Highway Traffic Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les conducteurs et les véhicules et le Code de la route

Bill 37 The Manitoba Financial Services Authority Act and Amendments to Various Other Acts/Loi sur l’Autorité des services financiers du Manitoba et modifiant diverses autres lois

Bill 38 The Highway Traffic Amendment Act (Traffic Safety Measures)/Loi modifiant le Code de la route (mesures de sécurité routière)

Bill 39 The Public Schools Amendment Act (Campaign Financing for School Trustees)/Loi modifiant la Loi sur les écoles publiques (financement des campagnes électorales pour les élections scolaires)

Bill 40 An Act respecting “O Canada” and Other Observances and Land and Treaty Acknowledgements in Schools (Education Administration Act and Public Schools Act Amended)/Loi sur les activités scolaires soulignant notamment l’« Ô Canada » et la reconnaissance des territoires et des traités (modification de la Loi sur l’administration scolaire et de la Loi sur les écoles publiques) – The Advisory Board established by The Education Administration Act is dissolved. Two regulations made by the Advisory Board under the Act are repealed.

• The Public Schools Act is amended to
  • require school boards to establish and implement a written policy respecting land acknowledgements and treaty acknowledgements;
  • remove provisions respecting religious exercises that were found unconstitutional by the court in 1992;
  • place obligations in the Act rather than in the regulations to require “O Canada” to be sung and citizenship exercises to be held; and
  • require schools to hold a Remembrance Day observance each year on a school day between November 4 and November 10.

Bill 41 The Reporting of Supports for Child Survivors of Sexual Assault (Trained Health Professionals and Evidence Collection Kits) Amendment Act/Loi modifiant la Loi sur la présentation de rapports concernant les mesures de soutien destinées aux enfants survivants d’agression sexuelle (professionnels de la santé formés et trousses médicolégales)

Bill 42 The Buy Canadian Act (Government Purchases Act Amended)/Loi sur l’achat au Canada (modification de la Loi sur les achats du gouvernement) – The Government Purchases Act is amended to establish a buy Canadian policy. Under the policy, preferential treatment may be given to Canadian suppliers when making government purchases.

Public Bills

Introduced

Bill 206 The Homeowner Protection from Unsolicited Purchase Offers Act/Loi sur la protection des propriétaires contre les offres d’achat non sollicitées – The Homeowner Protection from Unsolicited Purchase Offers Act is established.

• A homeowner who does not want to receive any more unsolicited purchase offers may give written notice to the person who made the offer requesting that they stop making offers. It is an offence to make any further purchase offers to the homeowner after the notice has been provided.
• If a homeowner who is not represented by a realtor is willing to sell their home to a person who made an unsolicited purchase offer, the person who made the offer must give the homeowner a disclosure statement. The disclosure statement provides information to a homeowner about how to determine the value of their home and their rights under the Act.
• A homeowner who is willing to sell their home to a person who made an unsolicited purchase offer must be represented by a realtor in the sale. The purchaser must reimburse the homeowner for the fees of their realtor.
• The homeowner may cancel the sale of their home within 30 days after the agreement of purchase and sale is executed. Any sale to a person who made an unsolicited purchase offer is not enforceable if the homeowner did not receive the required disclosure statement or if the homeowner was not represented by a realtor or was not reimbursed for the fees of their realtor.

Bill 223 The Official Time Amendment Act, 2025/Loi de 2025 modifiant la Loi sur le temps réglementaire – Currently, The Official Time Amendment Act comes into force on proclamation to discontinue the seasonal time change from daylight saving time. The commencement of that Act is amended so that it will come into force on March 8, 2026, instead.

For the status of all current bills click here.

Proclamations

Regulations