Manitoba Budget 2026 includes increase to UM’s operating funding and room on tuition

The Honourable Adrien Sala [B.Comm (Hons)/03; M.SC./17], Minister of Finance, released Good Jobs, Lower Costs, Better Health Care: Manitoba Budget 2026 on March 24, on behalf of the Province of Manitoba. 

The budget includes a two per cent increase to UM's operating grant and allows a four per cent tuition increase for the 2026-27 academic year.

It also provides $4.5 million to support the university’s significant deferred maintenance needs, $14.6 million as the third installment toward Manitoba's $40 million commitment to the capital needs in the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences to address Manitoba's health care personnel shortage, and confirms $16.8 million over ten years to support construction of the new PRAIRIE Biologics Accelerator.

Budget 2026 also includes ongoing funding for Research Manitoba of $18.95M.

“When we think about priorities such as good jobs and better health care, we know the University of Manitoba is key to making them a reality,” said Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manitoba. “No other sector makes as great and diverse a contribution to our collective well-being as the universities and colleges of this province. I’m pleased to see ongoing investment in advanced education and training.”

As President Benarroch recently wrote in an op-ed, an increase in tuition is needed in our current context and will help support the world-class education we are committed to provide. At the same time, UM maintains the lowest tuition for a U15 university in western Canada and is committed to ensuring scholarships and bursaries continue to support accessibility.

Last year’s provincial budget included a 2 per cent increase to the operating grant and allowed for a 3.5 per cent increase in tuition.

Having now received the details of the provincial budget, UM will work to finalize its 2026-27 budget, which will be presented to the Board of Governors in the coming weeks and subsequently shared with the broader community.