Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is expanding its Speed Display Sign Loan Program to provide speed display signs to more communities throughout Manitoba.
MPI launched a pilot program in 2021 to purchase 25 signs and distribute them to 13 municipalities across the province on a five-year loan. The speed display alerts drivers of their current speed and encourages those exceeding the posted speed limit to slow down.
In 2022, MPI completed the pilot program, which measured how effective the electronic speed detection and display signs were at reducing speeds on Manitoba roads. The results show that the signs helped lower the speed of vehicles, creating safer roads for Manitobans.
In 2024, the program expanded to 21 more areas in Manitoba, bringing the total number of communities with speed display signs to 34.
“Speeding continues to be the cause of too many collisions on Manitoba roadways, and our government is committed to working with MPI to provide the tools to help make our roads safer,” said Matt Wiebe, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Manitoba, and the Minister Responsible for MPI. “I’m pleased to see MPI expand the Speed Display Sign Loan Program to more communities in rural Manitoba because everyone deserves to get home safely regardless of where you live.”
In addition to reducing vehicle speed, the signs provide valuable data on driving patterns at locations across the province by collecting speed information. No identifiable markers, such as vehicle information or plate number, are collected by the signs.
Since being introduced, the speed display signs have observed the speed of over 5.5 million vehicle trips. These signs have alerted many drivers to their speeding, and as a result, over 190,000 of them have slowed down.
“We are pleased with the success of this program and the way it helps remind Manitoba drivers to slow down,” said Satvir Jatana, MPI’s President & CEO. “Speed is one of the leading contributing factors to fatal collisions in Manitoba and we are proud to partner with municipalities through the Speed Display Sign Loan Program to remind drivers to drive safely on our roadways. It could help save a life.”
MPI was recently approved by Transport Canada’s Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program for an additional $230,000 in support of the Speed Display Sign Loan Program. This funding will allow MPI to purchase and distribute more speed display signs in 2025 to assist Manitoba communities with this proactive approach to reducing speeds.
To help drive interest and uptake in the program, MPI developed a program guide and application form that was distributed to municipalities and First Nations with the assistance of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and all seven First Nation Tribal Councils in Manitoba.
Communities that were part of the pilot program include Altona, Brandon, Morden, Portage la Prairie, Rivers, Ste. Anne, Steinbach, Springfield, The Pas, Thompson, West St. Paul, Winkler and Winnipeg. Additional communities that have received speed display signs include Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Gambler First Nation, Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve, Riding Mountain National Park, Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa, City of Selkirk, Municipality of Harrison Park, RM of Lac du Bonnet, Rossburn Municipality, Town of Virden, Municipality of Russell Binscarth, RM of Morris, RM of St. Clements, RM of Gimli, Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton, RM of Hanover, Municipality of Pembina, RM of Grey, RM of Ste. Anne, RM of Portage la Prairie and RM of Grahamdale.
MPI is reviewing applications for the next disbursement of speed display signs under this latest program expansion.
