Manitoba regulator orders hike in auto premiums, calls for action on brain injuries

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WINNIPEG — Manitobans will soon be paying more for basic automobile insurance.

The Public Utilities Board has ordered an overall increase of 5.7 per cent for basic rates as of April 1, although the exact increase will vary by the type of vehicle, a driver's record and other factors.

The increase follows decreases that totalled more than 15 per cent over the last five years, along with rebates at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when fewer people were commuting.

Basic auto insurance in the province is only available through Crown-owned Manitoba Public Insurance, which says this year's increase will work out to about $50 for the average passenger vehicle.

The annual cost of a driver's licence is also increasing, by $10.

The utilities board is also calling on the Manitoba government to see if there are better ways to diagnose, assess and manage brain injuries, after hearing from people who have suffered brain trauma.

"In this and recent hearings, individuals who have suffered brain injuries have … alleged that although the system includes examinations by medical professionals and an independent system of arbitration, the system is slanted in a manner that makes it virtually impossible for them to receive the treatment and compensation to which they are entitled," the board wrote in its rate ruling Tuesday.

"With the limited information before it, much of it by way of public presentations and questions from panel members rather than sworn evidence, the board is not prepared to make a finding. Nevertheless, the board is troubled by the information it received and the potential medical and structural impediments that claimants with serious brain injuries face."

The board is calling on the government to hire an independent doctor and research clinician with relevant expertise to prepare a report on current scientific knowledge and best practices.

   This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2025