Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is providing significant funding to adult driver training programs in remote, rural and underserved communities to improve road safety for all Manitobans.
Partnering with the University College of the North (UCN), the North End Community Renewal Corporation’s Citizens’ Bridge agency and Assiniboine College, the Corporation is helping to ensure accessible and affordable Class 5 in-class and in-car training through over $1.3 million in assistance in 2024/25.
“In 2023, nearly 80 per cent of all fatal collisions occurred outside of Winnipeg, which is home to less than half of Manitoba’s total population,” said Matt Wiebe, Minister Responsible for Manitoba Public Insurance. “With MPI’s focus on helping those in rural, First Nation and Indigenous communities get the necessary training, we have the opportunity to drastically reduce the number of Manitobans who tragically die on our roads every year.”
With this funding, UCN and Citizens’ Bridge will be expanding their existing MPI-supported driver training programs while Assiniboine College will be establishing a new course for adults seeking a Class 5 driver’s licence.
“Improving road safety for everyone is a key part of MPI’s mandate,” said Satvir Jatana, MPI’s President & CEO. “We are proud to increase our support for these programs across the province to ensure more new drivers have access to quality training, including experience making the right decisions behind the wheel and creating a foundation of responsible driving habits.”
New Assiniboine College program kicks off on Nov. 25
The Assiniboine College Class 5 Adult Driver Training Program is set to enhance road safety and support workforce development by providing affordable, accessible training in communities throughout the region.
The program is designed to equip participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to become confident and responsible drivers. It combines 16 hours of in-class theory with four hours of practical, in-car training using one of the College’s driver training vehicles. The curriculum includes everything from road test preparation to mastering parallel parking, ensuring students are well-prepared to drive safely on Manitoba’s roads.
“Through this collaboration, we’re making driver education more accessible for Manitobans while promoting road safety,” said Rennen Rommelaere, Coordinator, Community Programs at Assiniboine College. “We are excited to help individuals in communities across the province gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed as drivers.”
While the initial phase of the course will begin in Brandon on Nov. 25, the College and MPI are also working to confirm future intakes for the program in additional rural communities and First Nations.
With over $446,000 in support from MPI, the college expects to open 160 seats for the course in its first year.
Expanded programs in northern Manitoba, Winnipeg
MPI will provide over $495,000 this year to UCN to continue their Class 5 Adult Driver Training Program, which launched in 2023. In its first year, the program received nearly 400 applications from aspiring drivers in northern Manitoba communities, including Thompson, The Pas, Flin Flon, Churchill, Tataskweyak Cree Nation (Split Lake), Lynn Lake and more. Participants who have completed the training have performed well on their Class 5 road tests, with an over 70 per cent pass rate.
“This program has had such a positive impact on people across Northern Manitoba,” said Jamie Grant, Associate Vice President, Community & Industry Solutions at UCN. “The instant confidence boost we see when our students pass their knowledge or road test has propelled them to look into what is next. Whether it be further training or entering the workforce, having a driver’s licence opens up many doors.”
As drivers may enter the program at different stages of the licensing process, each student is given an individual development plan that offers them the support and training they need to obtain a Learner stage licence through to the completion of a passed Class 5 road test.
The unique program is especially important in the region as it aims to reduce the disproportional number of fatal collisions that occur in the area. Between 2019 and 2023, nearly 11 per cent of all traffic fatalities in Manitoba occurred in northern Manitoba, despite the region accounting for only six per cent of the provincial population.
“Accessibility has been the real game changer to students coming into the program,” said Grant. “Having access to the instructors, training cars and examiners in the communities has proven to be very successful and achieving the outcome of high-quality new drivers.”
In Winnipeg, MPI funding has helped Citizens’ Bridge operate a Class 5 adult driver training program since 2013. MPI is increasing its funding support to $411,000 to enable the agency to continue their existing in-class programming and assist in launching a dedicated in-car course, called Ready to Drive.
The program will focus on providing new Manitobans and low-income residents with on-the-road Class 5 in-car instruction. Through comprehensive lessons, participants will acquire the essential skills and confidence necessary to navigate roads safely.
“The freedom, confidence, and opportunities that come with obtaining your driver’s licence is something that all people deserve,” said Sophie Stevens, DEC Intake Coordinator at Citizens’ Bridge. “Through this collaboration with MPI, we’ve been able to provide driver training to low-income and Newcomer Manitobans who have not previously had access to this type of programing. Since April, we’ve been able to help over 140 individuals improve their road safety knowledge through our learner’s licence program and our in-car driving lessons. It’s been a joy to watch people learn and grow through these opportunities!”
Citizen’s Bridge expects to increase its capacity to 250 clients per year across both programs with this additional support.
