Manitoba mortgage brokers and salespeople register under The Mortgage Brokers Act, which the Manitoba Securities Commission administers. Registering a mortgage costs a flat Land Titles fee, $137 electronically from January 4, 2026, and Manitoba's land transfer tax applies to transfers, not mortgages. Many Manitoba mortgage sales and foreclosures run through a Land Titles registrar rather than a courtroom.
Manitoba mortgages 90 or more days behind, June 2026
Registration categories under The Mortgage Brokers Act
Mortgage broker, restricted mortgage broker, salespersonAs of as described by the regulator.Source
On this page
Manitoba is a small market with a few features that set it apart: a flat registration fee instead of one that scales with the loan, a land transfer tax that stops at purchases, and a mortgage sale process that often runs through Land Titles rather than a court.
Who is registered to arrange mortgages
The Manitoba Securities Commission administers The Mortgage Brokers Act. The regulator’s page says anyone who wants to act as a mortgage broker, restricted mortgage broker or mortgage salesperson on Manitoba property must be registered in the right category before doing so, unless an exemption applies. Lawyers acting for a client and who do not hold themselves out as brokers are one of the exemptions.
Registration is a protection for you, not a formality. Before you share income details or pay anything, ask which category the person holds and which brokerage sponsors them, and ask for the registration to be confirmed with the regulator. Someone who cannot say is not someone to hand your title documents to.
Costs here are flatter than in most provinces
Teranet Manitoba runs Land Titles, and its fee schedule effective January 4, 2026 lists a flat fee for registering a mortgage: $137.00 electronically and $144.00 on paper. A new schedule starts January 3, 2027, so the number can change. The fee does not rise with the size of the loan, unlike Newfoundland and Labrador or Alberta, where it does.
Land transfer tax is separate. A Manitoba law firm sets out the brackets: nothing on the first $30,000, then 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and finally 2% above $200,000 on fair market value, payable by the person registering the transfer. The same summary says a transfer in the Act does not include a mortgage. Your costs are therefore interest, a lender fee, a broker fee, your lawyer, an appraisal and the registration fee, as the first example shows. The costs and fees page lists the lines in order.
Private lenders and what to compare
We could not find an official Manitoba figure for how much of the market private lenders hold, so we do not quote one. What matters for you is the comparison. Ask a bank or credit union first, because a regulated lender is usually cheaper if you qualify. If you go private, get at least two offers and compare total cost for the year, including renewal. The second example shows why: a second year can add thousands of dollars while the debt stays where it was.
Arrears across the Prairies
CMHC’s Fall 2026 report gives monthly figures for provinces it does not chart quarterly. For June 2026 it shows Manitoba at 0.34% of mortgages 90 or more days behind, with British Columbia at 0.26%, Alberta at 0.27% and Saskatchewan at 0.46%. These monthly numbers are a different series from the quarterly Ontario figure, so use them to see direction, not to rank provinces to the decimal.
CMHC also says delinquencies are expected to remain broadly stable in provinces outside Ontario, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada. In the article we read, Manitoba is not named separately.
When a mortgage goes into default
A Manitoba law firm, Taylor McCaffrey, explains that most mortgage sales and foreclosures are handled by District Registrars at Land Titles under The Real Property Act, without a court action, though farmland and some other cases need leave of the court first. It also notes that an interested person can apply to the registrar to extend the redemption period.
Torys lists judicial listing among the main remedies in Manitoba, so a court may be involved in your case. Your lender’s notices will tell you which route applies. If you receive any, a lawyer is the first call, and the forced sale guide compares this with other provinces. Ask your lawyer early whether you could owe a shortfall if a sale brings in less than the debt, because the answer depends on the stage the process has reached.
Keep every notice, the commitment letter and the registered mortgage in one folder. If a dispute arises, or you apply to the registrar for more time, those papers are the first thing a lawyer will ask to see. Take photographs of anything delivered to the door, and write down the date each arrived, because many deadlines run from the date of the notice, not from the day you read it.
What to ask before you borrow in Manitoba
Which registration category do you hold, and which brokerage sponsors you?
Is the lender private, and who are they?
What are all fees and the interest in dollars, and what is due at the end of the term?
What does a renewal or extension cost?
What is the process, and who gets notice, if I miss a payment?
Can I repay before the term ends, and what would early repayment cost me?
Will I see every term in writing in time for my own lawyer to read it before signing?
Other options to try first
A refinance or home equity line through a bank or credit union, a payment plan with a creditor, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee’s advice on a consumer proposal, and selling the home are all worth weighing against a second mortgage. Put real fees into the calculator before you decide.
Where to start by city
Winnipeg holds most of the province’s market, and Brandon and the smaller centres price differently. Sourced local figures are on the city pages, starting with Winnipeg. The form at check my options works for any Manitoba community.
Land transfer tax and registration in Manitoba
Manitoba's land transfer tax is charged on the fair market value of a transfer of land, by the person registering the transfer. There is no tax on the first $30,000, then 0.5% on the next $60,000, 1% on the next $60,000, 1.5% on the next $50,000 and 2% above $200,000. A law firm summary notes that the Act's definition of a transfer does not include a mortgage, so registering one does not trigger the tax.
Teranet Manitoba's fee schedule effective January 4, 2026 lists $137.00 for an electronic mortgage (MTGE) and $144.00 on paper. A new schedule takes effect January 3, 2027. Your lawyer will add their own fees, and the land transfer tax fee page notes that the tax does not include the registration fee.
A $40,000 second mortgage on a $350,000 Winnipeg area home
Made-up figures except the registration fee, which is Teranet Manitoba's $137.00 electronic mortgage fee from January 4, 2026. The first mortgage is $190,000. The loan is interest only at an assumed 12% for one year, with an assumed 2% lender fee, a 1.5% broker fee and $1,700 for legal and appraisal.
Combined loan-to-value
65.7%
$230,000 owed on a $350,000 home
Interest for a year
$4,800
$40,000 at 12%
Lender fee
$800
2% of $40,000
Broker fee
$600
1.5% of $40,000
Legal and appraisal
$1,700
Teranet registration fee
$137
Cost of borrowing in year one
$8,037
Renewing that $40,000 loan for a second year
Made-up figures, following on from the first example. Interest stays at an assumed 12%, the lender charges an assumed 1% renewal fee and the lawyer charges an assumed $500 for the renewal paperwork.
Year one cost, from the first example
$8,037
Year two interest
$4,800
Renewal fee
$400
1% of $40,000
Legal for the renewal
$500
Cost over two years
$13,737
Questions people ask
Does a Manitoba mortgage broker have to be registered?
Yes. The Manitoba Securities Commission says anyone acting as a mortgage broker, restricted mortgage broker or mortgage salesperson on Manitoba property must be registered under The Mortgage Brokers Act, unless an exemption applies. Ask for the registration category and the sponsoring brokerage's name.
What is a restricted mortgage broker in Manitoba?
It is one of the two broker categories in the Act, alongside the full mortgage broker category. The regulator's page lists both, plus salespersons and authorized officials. We could not confirm from the page the exact limits of the restricted category, so ask the person which category they hold and what it allows.
Do I pay land transfer tax on a Manitoba second mortgage?
A law firm summary of the Manitoba tax says a transfer does not include a mortgage, so registering one does not bring the tax. You would still pay the Teranet registration fee, your lawyer, an appraisal and the lender and broker charges.
Do Manitoba foreclosures always go to court?
Not always. A Manitoba law firm says most mortgage sales and foreclosures are administered by District Registrars at Land Titles under The Real Property Act, with exceptions such as farmland, which needs leave of the court first. Your own notice will say which route your lender is taking.
Are Manitoba mortgage arrears high compared with other provinces?
CMHC's June 2026 series puts Manitoba at 0.34%, above British Columbia and Alberta at 0.26% and 0.27% but below Saskatchewan at 0.46%. It is a different series from the quarterly Ontario figure, so compare with care.
