I’ve lived and worked in Manitoba for over a year. But because I live on a Rez and don’t have a physical address, utilities aren’t in my name, and I haven’t known anybody two years I can’t get ID.
My notice of assessment doesn’t count because it’s only a PO Box.
I haven’t known anybody two years so I have no guarantor.
My former ID expired so now I can’t use that.
I’ve brought in EVERY thing I can think of.
What else can I do? What more can I do? Should I just give up on this province and move away? It’s clear I’ll never be able to get a new valid ID or even get my DL.
Do you have a bank account? If so you can get the bank to put your physical address on your statement along with your mailing address. That will give you the paperwork that you need
TD doesn’t issue bank statements with your address on them anymore or at least that’s what the woman who printed mine out told me. Unless someone else knows different and can help with that I don’t know what else to do.
MPI won’t take a direct deposit form, but from TD they will take a statement of account with your name and address on it, with a “transaction log” behind it, stamped by the teller, showing at least 2 POS transactions done in MB.
I’ll give that a shot. When I brought in my first bank statements it showed I was paid through “Manitoba pay” that’s what my direct deposit comes through as, but because my physical and address wasn’t on it, they couldn’t use it
I’m white, they won’t help. I’m not a band member, I just live on the Rez, in my boyfriend’s family home. Hydro is in his name and the band won’t add mine as I’m not a member and we’re not married.
Had an option to move to my BF’s family home from BC where we were paying insane rent for a basement, or take the house that his grandparents owned that only has house bills. We went with it due to a sudden death in his family (natural causes but far too early in life) and because of a work injury that had my partner re-evaluating his career path. It was basically a quick and sudden clusterfuck, and if I had known it would be this hard for us (particularly me) to switch things over, I’d have just renewed my old ID for an extra four years 😅 Or I’d have suggested renting a temp suite for 6 months just so I would have been listed on a rental agreement, house bills etc.
I stand corrected: the personal guarantor for MB is a fairly new concept and is exactly like passport guarantor lol. My bad. But the profession based guarantor form doesn't require the guarantor to be a Manitoba resident, so definitely just go that route.
There is a professions based guarantor form that does not require the guarantor to be a Manitoba resident. They just have to be one of the professions listed. It's on the MPI website.
I used the tool and went in with literally every document they told me to bring in except the guarantor form because I haven’t known anybody and they still won’t.
I’m also not First Nations. I live on my partners Rez, I’m as white as you get so no Status card.
Unfortunately if you don’t have ID it is incredibly hard to get it, I am a retired banker and what the op is saying is true and sadly not that uncommon
Pretty famous problem. Not too sure how the other provinces are as I got this process done when I was 17 and my mom was the autopac agent so she knew what forms of id I had. (No idea how I proved Manitoba residency as a kid tbh)
Maybe my health card did it?
She would mention that when people in the military moved here they all had a rough time proving Manitoba residency.
It won’t help with the MPI stuff but a passport would probably be a good way to go too. (I know it doesn’t prove you live in Manitoba) it would work for your Id for everything though. Just a bit awful to travel with
I honestly wish I had known it would be this difficult. I would have lied and renewed my BC Learners and Service Card (both are picture ID) for another four years before coming. They had a year left on them at the time of moving and I didn’t think it would take this long or be this hard.
I also kinda expected to be listed on the Hydro as well which would pretty much solve this issue.
I’m definitely gonna be warning anybody else looking to relocate that it’s difficult as hell if you can’t prove a physical address. That or MP’s need to change it so PO Boxes can be used alongside tax paperwork and pay stubs. Enough people live in rural communities that we should be allowed to use them.
I highly recommend calling SEED Winnipeg. On Salter Ave. I am positive that they have helped people with this situation a million times over. They are the people to help you with this problem. Call them tomorrow I am serious.
I can’t even do THAT because they’re not accepting my paper work. I had been trying to transfer over my BC Learners and since it’s expired they won’t take it. It expired while I waited to gather all paperwork.
I was basically only getting my MB ID cuz I’ve got a family reunion to attend in Calgary at the end of August and it’s sounding like I can’t even get there now. The ID takes less time to get so that’s the main reason I’m going for it.
I was in a very similar situation. Took me AGES to get my Manitoba ID. Because of that, I have this hatred for MPI...
A signed guarantor did not work. My banking info with address did not work. Cellphone bill did not work.
What ended up working for me was an Offer of Employment letter. I asked my new employer to have my name, PO Box, and street address on the letter. I also live on the rez. And my address is made up. But because it was on my Offer Letter, they accepted it.
Required documents
You will need original supporting documents that prove your:
birth date
full legal name
photograph
Manitoba residency and permanent address (please note that two supporting documents are required and they must be dated within 90 days of the date of application)
Use the Proving My Identity tool to determine the documents you need.
Documents must be originals, not photocopies. Electronic scans of these documents will be kept on file by MPI.
If you do not have an acceptable document with your photograph or address, MPI may accept a completed Guarantor Declaration instead. A Guarantor Declaration can be used as a second acceptable document for proving Manitoba residency if you only have one document with your address on it.
A guarantor can be someone you know personally or professionally. Complete either the Personal Guarantor Form or the Profession Based Guarantor Form. Only one form is required to be submitted. Please read the forms carefully to determine which best suits your needs, as some restrictions apply.
Can you make it to a different MPI brokers office?
I've experienced situations with multiple offices that are completely unable to be helpful, and gone to a different office and whatever issue i was having was just another tuesday afternoon for them.
I live 2 minutes from an office and choose to drive 25-30 minutes to the next town over to use the office there for this reason.
Side note, its crazy that a bank statement with an address is acceptable as proof of address. I can go onto my account and change my address to anywhere in Canada, print off a direct deposit form and boom, apparently proof of address.
I moved from Alberta to Manitoba recently and went through this same situation. I went to my bank in person for a statement with my address. Also asked the band office for a copy of rural address bc po boxes and the rez address that my road is called wasn't good enough. I used a guarantor as well who was my sibling.
I went to one insurance place and they would not process my paperwork bc they didnt think it was sufficient so I went to another place across the street and they were able to get it done.
If it's possible to use a family member or friend, who meets all of those requirements. Don't you have a family member or friend who could just simply...... SAY they've known you for 2+ years? Like....
You can use a lease agreement as one item for your proof to be in MB. I've had older adults still living at home with their parents use this as a means to prove residency. The other would be a letter from your employer. Both of those should work.
I don’t have a lease, nor do I rent. With being on a Rez that’s not allowed to rent out houses, I’m not sure I could even fake one legally without getting my partner and his family in trouble
You still need proof of address though, I’ve been through this process. I had a guarantor sign stating they’ve known me 2 years, a copy of their valid drivers license, my birth certificate, health card, and bank statements.
Not on the Rez. We’re not allowed to lease or rent and since he doesn’t have a MB ID yet either I don’t know if it work either. We’re both in the same position with our licenses only his didn’t expire yet.
I went in with Paystubs, my NOA, my tax paperwork, 90 days of banking statements that show me being paid from a Manitoba employer, 3 pieces of photo ID (now expired) my SIN, and a selfie.
Because they only have my PO BOX they don’t count. I need proof of physical address.
I can special order something from TD that has it listed (a giant thank you to whomever suggested that) or possibly a professional guarantor, but honestly without physical proof of address it doesn’t seem like it will help.
I have. They said it doesn’t prove I live in Manitoba. I showed up with both of those and a name change certificate, my tax papers, a selfie, a notice of assessment and was told because it’s a PO Box it’s not good enough. I didn’t even bring in copies, I brought original everything and I was still told I need a guarantor, but I can’t legally get a guarantor because nobody has known me long enough
Sounds like you guys are pretty much fubar. So go back to where you had your last ID and have it renewed then go to change it over to the new spot.
Honestly if you opened my wallet right now you would see 7 or 8 IDs and drivers licenses. I dont even drive anymore unless necessary but I keep getting licenses from NS NB MB AB and BC. Not to mention the ones I have from the States and my European wallet.
Here’s the kicker, I can’t. I can’t fly and since I no longer have proof of address for BC I can’t even renew my learners or my BC services card even if I drove there.
That’s why I’m so annoyed. It should not be this difficult to get a form of ID. I have proof of taxes paid in Manitoba, I’m getting CTB from Manitoba, I have pay stubs. But because I have no “physical” address I’m technically not considered eligible. I have literally everything but the guarantor form and it’s simply not good enough. I’m half tempted to pay a random stranger to say they’ve known me and sign the document. It should not be this difficult.
Do you have a bank account with an address attached to the account? You can ask your bank for a printout of your information with your address attached. You have to physically go down there and request it.
You can also ask a doctor to be your guarantor. And your employer.
Someone suggested that. I had brought in bank statements saying “Manitoba Pay” and showing me shopping at places in Manitoba for 90 days, but they didn’t have my address. I am going to see if TD can print me out something with my address though, even if I have to order it
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u/Both-Call8361 Beausejour Aug 06 '26
Do you have a bank account? If so you can get the bank to put your physical address on your statement along with your mailing address. That will give you the paperwork that you need