Closing Costs When Buying a Home in Winnipeg, Manitoba: A Checklist

Your down payment is only part of the cash you need to buy a home. Closing costs are the extra amounts that come due when the sale completes and the property is registered in your name, and they can catch buyers off guard.

This checklist walks through the costs you can expect as a Winnipeg buyer, explains the one that is set by a formula (land transfer tax), and shows how to get a firm total before possession day.

This article covers the law of Manitoba.

The main closing cost: Manitoba land transfer tax

Land transfer tax is payable by the transferee, who is the buyer, with some exceptions. A registration fee is charged as well. The tax is due when the transfer of title is registered at the land titles office.

The tax is calculated on the fair market value of the property on the date the transfer of title is registered. That is not always the same as the price in your contract. The tax is charged in brackets, so each slice of value is taxed at its own rate.

As an illustration of how the brackets add up, a $350,000 value works out to $0 plus $300 plus $600 plus $750 plus $3,000, for a total of $4,650.

Registration and who handles it

Land titles registrations in Manitoba are electronic and run through Teranet Manitoba. Registration is complete when the certificate of registration is signed or the data is accepted in the electronic system, and it takes effect from the day the document is assigned a serial number.

Lawyers who register documents must follow the Law Society's eRegistration rules and requirements.

Some exceptions to the buyer paying the tax exist. Do not assume you qualify for one. Also, do not assume a first-time-buyer land transfer tax rebate applies to you. Ask your lawyer whether any exception fits your purchase.

Line-by-line closing cost checklist

• Land transfer tax, based on fair market value at registration
• Registration fee for the transfer of title
• Legal fees and disbursements for your lawyer's work
• Title insurance, if your lawyer or lender recommends it
• Home insurance, if your lender or the contract requires it
• Any balance of the purchase price owing after your deposit and mortgage funds
• Moving costs and any immediate repairs or set-up costs

Land transfer tax is generally paid by the buyer, with some exceptions, and it is calculated on the fair market value of the property on the date the transfer of title is registered, not simply the contract price. It is due when the transfer of title is registered at the land titles office. The amounts for legal fees, title insurance and home insurance depend on your property, your lender and the contract. How this applies depends on your situation, so it is worth confirming with a lawyer.

Extra items if you are buying a condominium

On a condominium resale, the seller must give you a current seller disclosure statement, a corporation disclosure statement signed within 90 days, the declaration with amendments, budgets, the latest financial statements, by-laws and rules, and any reserve fund study or summary, along with other required forms.

You also have a seven-day cooling-off period. It starts on the later of signing and the seller delivering the disclosure documents, and you can cancel for any reason. If you cancel, the seller must refund amounts paid plus interest within 10 days after receiving your cancellation notice. Review the budget and financial statements when you plan your monthly costs, not only your closing cash.

Federal programs that can help with cash, and what to do next

• Home Buyers' Plan: the withdrawal limit is $60,000. For first withdrawals made from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2028, the start of the 15-year repayment period is deferred to the fifth year following the year of the first withdrawal.
• First Home Savings Account: participation room in the first year you open one is $8,000.
• You can make a Home Buyers' Plan withdrawal and an FHSA withdrawal for the same home if all conditions are met at the time of each withdrawal.

These programs have their own conditions, so confirm eligibility before counting on the money.

• Ask your lawyer for a written estimate of all closing costs and the total cash needed on possession day.
• Ask whether any land transfer tax exception applies to you.
• Confirm how and when funds must reach your lawyer.
• Arrange home insurance before possession.
• Keep a cushion in case figures change between signing and closing.

Frequently asked questions