Community Services

Fee Subsidy Program

Recreation is for everyone!

The goal of the City of Winnipeg Recreation Services Fee Subsidy Program is to expand access to recreation opportunities and experiences for Winnipeggers, regardless of economic family income.

Type of subsidies

There are two main types of subsidies available:

1. Facility passes – Admission to the City of Winnipeg’s recreation facilities (swimming pools and leisure centres). Valid for one year from the date issued.
2. Activity credits – Registered Leisure Guide activities (including skating & swimming) as well as drop-in active living programs

Who qualifies?

You must be a City of Winnipeg resident and one of the following must apply:

• You have a social assistance case number
• You are a new permanent resident or refugee who has been in Canada for less than 18 months and have not filed a tax return.
• You have an economic family income below the low income cut-off (LICO) (amounts listed below)

Note: Other considerations may be made for special circumstances.

(Sources: Statistics Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)

"Economic family” refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship.

How to apply

1. Fill out the application form

   After you fill out the application form, please save it to your computer. The completed form can either be submitted by email or printed and submitted by mail or fax, as per the instructions below.

   If you cannot provide the required documentation for verification of economic need but do meet the criteria, and you have a relationship with a third party organization that can verify your economic need, please use the Third Party Referral application form.

2. Provide verification of economic need (required only once per year)

   Along with your application form, you will need to include a copy of one of the following (if it has not already been supplied in the past 12 months):

   • Social assistance budget letter
   • Documentation showing your landing date in Canada and UCI number
   • Most recent Canada Revenue Agency Notice of Assessment identifying annual net income of all economic family members
   • Monthly statement of income from CPP Disability (including the income verification of all economic family members)
   
   
3. Submit your completed application form and verification of economic need (if it has not already been supplied in the past 12 months)
   • Email: cmsfeesub@winnipeg.ca
   • Mail:
     Fee Subsidy Program
     Community Services Department
     7th Floor, 395 Main St.
     Winnipeg, MB R3B 3N8

Please note: the City cannot guarantee the security of your personal information if you choose to submit by email.

What happens next?

You will receive a letter indicating the outcome of your application in the mail. Please make sure you have provided a daytime phone number; we will call you if we have any questions.

Important information if you are applying for a program subsidy for registered Leisure Guide activities/swimming lessons:

• Applications should be submitted prior to the registration start dates.
• If approved, applicants are responsible for completing their own registrations.
• A fee subsidy credit will be added to the account of each individual identified on the application.
• The fee subsidy credit is an annual credit intended to be applied towards all Leisure Guide sessions for a period of 12 months from approval.
• The fee subsidy credit cannot be used to purchase admissions, visits/memberships, facility rentals, gift cards or POS items.
• The fee subsidy credit is not transferrable and has no cash value.

Resources for third party referrals

Third Party Referral Application Form Orientation Sheet
Third Party Referral Application Form.

For more information on the Fee Subsidy Program, please call 311 or email cmsfeesub@winnipeg.ca.

More information on Leisure Guide registration.

More information on Equipment Loan Fee Subsidies.