The Manitoba government wouldn’t say Tuesday if it will extend its new home and small-business security rebate program, after a $1.5-million top-up ran dry within days amid significant demand.
Winnipeg resident Terry Lutomsky was out of luck Sunday when he tried to apply for a rebate for new home security cameras he had just purchased and installed. Applications are no longer being accepted.
“I opened up the application (webpage), and it did not exist,” the Waverley Heights homeowner said. “I wasn’t thrilled. It’s an out-of-pocket expense now.”
TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES
Doorbell cameras were eligible for the rebate.
The province announced in June a maximum $300 rebate on a first-come, first-served basis to homeowners, renters and small-business owners who’ve purchased and installed qualifying security equipment since Sept. 1, 2023. The initial budget was $500,000.
The program was oversubscribed within days, resulting in the budget being quadrupled to $2 million on Aug. 16. By then, more than 7,500 Manitobans had applied for a rebate, Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said at the time.
A provincial spokesperson said Tuesday rebates began to be distributed that day, and the expanded program was “fully subscribed” last Friday.
“The program was able to accept close to 8,800 applications and it is expected the full $2 million in rebates will be distributed,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
Wiebe called the program a “massive success” on Tuesday. He said the program will now be evaluated, but he wouldn’t say if it will be extended with additional funding.
“We’re very happy with how the program was received,” he said. “The effect that it is having is making whole communities safe.”
Wiebe said the province knew the additional $1.5 million would “go out the door quick” when announced, given the demand at that time.
As for whether the NDP could have done anything differently prior to the June launch, Wiebe said it was a new program in Manitoba and the government hoped it would be well-received.
Lutomsky, 62, ordered security cameras after seeing the government’s Aug. 16 announcement of additional funding. He installed them Saturday, two days after they were delivered, and tried to apply for a rebate Sunday, only to find the application form no longer available.
“My assumption was they’ve gone through the backlog of applications they had the first time,” he said.
The application form, when available, required applicants to submit several documents, including a receipt and photo proof of installation, according to the government’s website.
Lutomsky described the rebate program as a “great plan,” but said the optics “look terrible.”
“This is something they should continue,” he said. “I think they have to go a little further than what they did.”
The government should have budgeted more and covered purchases up to a specific deadline to allow more Manitobans to participate, he said.
The retiree said he can afford the cost of the cameras — almost $300 before taxes — but some Manitobans, including seniors, who purchased equipment and now cannot get a rebate could be on tight budgets.
Doorbell cameras, alarm systems, motion detectors, reinforced doors and windows and anti-graffiti paint were among the security equipment eligible for rebates.
Manitobans were allowed to apply once for one property, location or rental unit. The province said it could take several weeks for an application to be reviewed due to the high volume of online submissions. Paper applications were not accepted.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business wants Manitoba to continue the program with higher rebates for small businesses.
Small-business owners are spending into the tens of thousands of dollars on security, said Brianna Solberg, CFIB’s director of provincial affairs for the Prairies.
Prior to the program’s launch, a survey of CFIB’s roughly 4,000 members in Manitoba found 29 per cent intended to apply for a rebate, while 37 per cent said the maximum amount of $300 was not sufficient.
“These are Band-Aid solutions to the problem,” she said, noting cameras or other equipment will not put an end to thefts or vandalism.
CFIB will conduct another survey to find out how many members applied for a rebate. The organization has requested a total from the province.
CFIB also wants Manitoba to introduce a rebate to help offset the cost of commercial vandalism repairs.
A new B.C. government program for small businesses provides a one-time reparative rebate of up to $2,000, and a one-time preventative rebate of up to $1,000 to those who meet eligibility criteria. B.C. has budgeted $10.5 million for rebates.
chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca
Chris Kitching
Reporter
Chris Kitching is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He began his newspaper career in 2001, with stops in Winnipeg, Toronto and London, England, along the way. After returning to Winnipeg, he joined the Free Press in 2021, and now covers a little bit of everything for the newspaper. Read more about Chris.
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