ADU Financing, Grants & Tax Credits in Manitoba

Updated October 2026. Not financial advice. Programs change, so confirm with your lender, CMHC or the CRA.

First, What's Gone

If you've been reading about an $80,000 loan at 2% for secondary suites, that was the Canada Secondary Suite Loan Program. It was announced in the 2024 federal budget, raised to $80,000 that fall, and then cancelled in Budget 2025 before it ever opened for applications. Plenty of contractor websites still advertise it, so if someone is promising to "help you apply," they're out of date.

You'll also see Winnipeggers online remembering a provincial granny suite grant worth tens of thousands. That was Manitoba's own suite program, and it came with strings. It's covered below.

CMHC Secondary Suite Refinancing

This is the federal change that did happen. Since January 15, 2025, homeowners can refinance their mortgage with mortgage insurance to pay for adding a suite, and borrow against what the home will be worth after the suite is built.

• Up to 90% of the property value, including the value the new suite adds, across all loans on the property
• Up to a 30-year amortization
• The finished ("as improved") value has to be under $2 million
• No more than four units in total, including the main house
• You, or a close relative, have to live in one of the units
• The new suite has to be self-contained, meet zoning, and can't be a short-term rental
• The extra borrowing can't exceed the project cost, and it has to be approved before construction starts

Before this, a refinance topped out at 80% of the current value. For a lot of Winnipeg homeowners that extra room is what makes a detached suite possible at all. Not every lender offers it yet, so ask specifically for an insured refinance for a secondary suite.

The Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit

If the suite is for a parent who's 65 or older, or for an adult family member eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, this federal credit gives back 15% of up to $50,000 in eligible costs, or as much as $7,500. It's refundable, so you get it even if you don't owe tax.

• The unit has to be self-contained, with its own private entrance, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area, and meet local rules.
• It's claimed for the tax year the work is completed.
• Contractor work, materials, equipment rentals and permits count. Appliances and furniture don't.
• It can only be claimed once per qualifying family member.

More on building for parents on our granny suites page.

Manitoba's Secondary Suites Program

Manitoba Housing has run a Secondary Suites Program that offered a forgivable loan, most recently described as 50% of construction costs up to $35,000. The conditions are significant: a ten-year agreement, a mortgage registered on your property, rent kept at an affordable level set each year, and a suite tenant with a lower income as defined by Manitoba Housing. Work started before written approval doesn't qualify.

It can work for a homeowner who plans to rent long-term at an affordable rate. It usually doesn't fit a family suite. We couldn't confirm whether it's taking applications in 2026, so call Manitoba Housing before counting on it.

Other Ways to Pay for an ADU

Before You Talk to a Lender

• Get a ballpark for your lot first. Lenders need a number, and the cost guide gives you a starting point.
• Ask specifically about an insured refinance for a secondary suite, by name.
• Ask how they handle draws, and whether they'll appraise on the "as complete" value.
• If a parent is moving in, keep every receipt for the tax credit.
• If you plan to rent, ask how much of the expected rent they'll count toward qualifying.