A lot of buyers assume the law makes every builder carry a warranty. In Manitoba it does not. That is worth knowing before you sign anything.
Is a new home warranty mandatory in Manitoba? No.
In 2013 the province passed The New Home Warranty Act (SM 2013, c. 23). It would have made warranty coverage mandatory for new homes sold in Manitoba. But the Act was never brought into force. Manitoba Laws records that the proclamation was rescinded on 25 September 2019, and CBC reported in March 2019 that the province was dropping it, saying most new homes already had coverage.
The Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA) says the same thing on its own site: “warranty coverage on new homes is not mandatory.” It adds that all of its builder members carry third-party warranty coverage on their new homes, and it lists four providers: Blanket Home Warranty, Aviva Home Warranty, the New Home Warranty Program of Manitoba and Progressive Home Warranty.
So a warranty is something you check for, not something you can count on being there.
About those 1, 2 and 7 year numbers
You may have seen coverage of one year for workmanship, two years for things like mechanical systems and windows, and seven years for structural. Those were the terms in the Act when it was announced. Because the Act never came into force, they were never the rule for Manitoba builders.
What the voluntary programs offer
Terms differ by provider and by plan, and they change, so read the current version of whatever your builder uses. As examples, here is what two providers publish for new homes:
- New Home Warranty Program of Manitoba. Its standard plan covers defects in workmanship and materials reported within one year of possession, and major structural defects for five years, up to $50,000. An upgraded plan adds two-year cover for items such as building code violations, electrical, plumbing, heating and the building envelope, structural cover to seven years, and up to $100,000. Deposit cover is up to $25,000.
- Progressive Home Warranty. For single-family homes it lists one year on materials and labour, two years on mechanical systems, five years on water coming through the foundation and ten years on structural defects, plus deposit security of $25,000.
Those are the providers’ terms, not Beechwood’s. They are here so you know what the range looks like when a builder says “warranty.”
What Beechwood promises
Every new Beechwood home comes with a one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. “Bumper to bumper” is not a legal term, so here it is in plain words: if something in your new home isn’t right in the first year, Beechwood fixes it.
To make a claim, you call or email Erd. A photo helps. It goes to the owner, not to a form or a queue. Ask for the written terms and read them before you sign. We would rather you knew exactly what you have. You can read more on the warranty page.
Questions to put to any builder, in writing
Ask us these too. A good answer is one you can hold in your hand.
- What does the warranty cover, and for how long?
- What is excluded?
- Who stands behind it: the builder only, or a third-party provider?
- If there is structural cover, for how many years and up to what amount?
- Does it cover my deposit if the builder can’t finish?
- How do I make a claim, and how quickly will someone respond?
- Can I have the terms in writing before I sign?
If a builder answers with a logo and not a document, ask again.
Sources
- Manitoba Laws, Proclamations table: The New Home Warranty Act, proclamation rescinded 25 September 2019 (checked 1 October 2026).
- CBC News, Manitoba home warranty legislation, March 2019.
- Manitoba Home Builders’ Association, New home warranty (checked 1 October 2026).
- Province of Manitoba, news release on the Act’s original coverage terms, which announced a 1 January 2017 start that never took effect.
- New Home Warranty Program of Manitoba, warranty terms (checked 1 October 2026).
- Progressive Home Warranty, Manitoba single-family terms (checked 1 October 2026).
Questions about the warranty?
Call Erd and ask what it covers. Ask for the written terms while you are at it.
