The Manitoba government is taking applications for its security rebate program that was announced in April.
The program, launched by the public safety division of Manitoba Justice, offers a $300 rebate to homeowners, renters and small business owners who’ve bought security equipment since Sept. 1, 2023.
Justice Minister Matt Wiebe has said it’s “first-come, first-served” to access the $500,000 budgeted for the program this year.
(Dreamstime/TNS)
The Manitoba government’s security rebate program offers a $300 rebate to homeowners, renters and small business owners who’ve bought security equipment such as security cameras, doorbell cameras, alarm systems and motion detectors.
The government will assess whether to extend the rebate if it is over-subscribed.
“It’s been something that a lot of people have been wanting to participate in, so we’re hoping there will be good participation in the program, ” Wiebe said this week.
The NDP promised the rebate during last summer’s election campaign, and included it in its first budget in April.
Eligible upgrades include security cameras, doorbell cameras, alarm systems, motion detectors, reinforced doors or windows, anti-graffiti film and paints, security gates, pull-down protection shutters and permanent security fencing.
Any purchase made after Sept. 1, 2023, is eligible to receive the rebate. The rebate can cover multiple expenses for a single property or business under the $300 threshold as long as they are submitted in a single application.
Manitobans with multiple homes or business locations will only be eligible to apply once for one location. Ongoing subscriptions or monthly fees for existing security systems are not eligible and only equipment associated with a new security system is covered by the rebate, the province said.
“What we’re really hope is that, as many people in the community are purchasing security systems to protect their own property that it also makes the larger community safer,” Wiebe said.
“If I’m only buying a smaller system for my own home — one camera for my house — and my neighbour gets his garage broken into, then maybe it’s my camera that law enforcement uses to further the case,” he said.
Progressive Conservative justice critic Wayne Balcaen said the rebate barely covers the sales tax for more sophisticated security systems.
The former Brandon police chief said data collected from home security cameras will create more work for police to upload, store and access, and the government has to take that into consideration.
“Law enforcement has been telling us this is the kind of information that they’re looking for,” said the justice minister.
“If we’re talking about property crime and if they can tie one or two incidents together, maybe they can tie some incidents together that lead to a more sophisticated, organized crime element,” Wiebe said. “They’ve seen a lot of successes in utilizing this kind of data and this kind of information that’s shared from the public. We think it’s going to be very helpful for the work they do.”
For information, visit https://forms.gov.mb.ca/security-rebate-program/
carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter
Carol Sanders is a reporter at the Free Press legislature bureau. The former general assignment reporter and copy editor joined the paper in 1997. Read more about Carol.
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