MPI telling Manitobans to drive sober after 15 lives lost in 2024

March 16-22 is National Impaired Driving Prevention Week, and Manitoba Public Insurance’s (MPI) message to drive sober remains extremely important as people continue to needlessly lose their lives in impaired driving collisions on Manitoba roadways.

In 2024, 15 people died, and 118 were injured—some sustaining life-altering injuries—in impaired driving collisions in Manitoba. In the previous five years, 91 people died and more than 350 sustained injuries. These are lives that are forever altered because of a bad decision.

“The message to drive sober has been out there for years, but people are still ignoring it and choosing to drive impaired,” said Maria Campos, MPI’s Chief Customer and Product Officer. “We need to be firm that we will not tolerate impaired driving of any kind so that we stop losing people to completely preventable tragedies.”

MPI continues to work with police agencies across the province to tackle the problem of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs through education and enforcement. In a 2022 roadside study completed by MPI, 8% of drivers tested positive for at least one drug, and 3.6% of drivers tested positive for alcohol, a significant increase from .6% in 2016. As of mid-December 2024, 2,164 drivers had committed an impaired driving offence in the province last year.

Manitoba continues to have among the toughest penalties in Canada for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Consequences include possible vehicle impoundment, licence suspension, mandatory ignition interlock, large fines, criminal charges, increased premiums, and denial of third-party liability coverage, meaning drivers are individually responsible for all damages incurred in a collision.

“As we recognize National Impaired Driving Prevention Week, let’s all make a renewed commitment to drive sober and ensuring those around us drive sober,” said Campos. “It will help save lives and make sure Manitobans get home safely.”

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For more information, please contact: Manitoba Public Insurance
Media Relations Unit
204-985-7300
[email protected]

MPI’s Gateway Service Centre Reopens March 3

Manitoba Public Insurance’s Gateway Service Centre will reopen for front counter services on Monday, March 3 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. This includes vehicle registration and driver licensing transactions, as well as payments and other key services.


This marks the restoration of full-service offerings at this location following a fire in June 24. Over the past eight months, the Corporation has continued to offer driver testing and estimating services from the site while the impacted areas of the building were restored.


On March 3, appointments will continue as scheduled with front counter services beginning at 1 p.m.


Moving forward, the location will be open from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.


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For more information, please contact:
Media Relations Unit
Ph: 204-985-7300
Email: [email protected]

    MPI expands Speed Display Sign Loan Program after successful pilot shows reduced speeds

    Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is expanding its Speed Display Sign Loan Program to provide speed display signs to more communities throughout Manitoba.

    MPI launched a pilot program in 2021 to purchase 25 signs and distribute them to 13 municipalities across the province on a five-year loan. The speed display alerts drivers of their current speed and encourages those exceeding the posted speed limit to slow down.

    In 2022, MPI completed the pilot program, which measured how effective the electronic speed detection and display signs were at reducing speeds on Manitoba roads. The results show that the signs helped lower the speed of vehicles, creating safer roads for Manitobans.

    In 2024, the program expanded to 21 more areas in Manitoba, bringing the total number of communities with speed display signs to 34.

    “Speeding continues to be the cause of too many collisions on Manitoba roadways, and our government is committed to working with MPI to provide the tools to help make our roads safer,” said Matt Wiebe, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Manitoba, and the Minister Responsible for MPI. “I’m pleased to see MPI expand the Speed Display Sign Loan Program to more communities in rural Manitoba because everyone deserves to get home safely regardless of where you live.”

    In addition to reducing vehicle speed, the signs provide valuable data on driving patterns at locations across the province by collecting speed information. No identifiable markers, such as vehicle information or plate number, are collected by the signs.

    Since being introduced, the speed display signs have observed the speed of over 5.5 million vehicle trips. These signs have alerted many drivers to their speeding, and as a result, over 190,000 of them have slowed down.

    “We are pleased with the success of this program and the way it helps remind Manitoba drivers to slow down,” said Satvir Jatana, MPI’s President & CEO. “Speed is one of the leading contributing factors to fatal collisions in Manitoba and we are proud to partner with municipalities through the Speed Display Sign Loan Program to remind drivers to drive safely on our roadways. It could help save a life.”

    MPI was recently approved by Transport Canada’s Enhanced Road Safety Transfer Payment Program for an additional $230,000 in support of the Speed Display Sign Loan Program. This funding will allow MPI to purchase and distribute more speed display signs in 2025 to assist Manitoba communities with this proactive approach to reducing speeds.

    To help drive interest and uptake in the program, MPI developed a program guide and application form that was distributed to municipalities and First Nations with the assistance of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and all seven First Nation Tribal Councils in Manitoba.

    Communities that were part of the pilot program include:

    • Altona
    • Brandon
    • Morden
    • Portage la Prairie
    • Rivers
    • Ste. Anne
    • Steinbach
    • Springfield
    • The Pas
    • Thompson
    • West St. Paul
    • Winkler
    • Winnipeg

    Additional communities that have received speed display signs include:

    • Pimicikamak Cree Nation
    • Gambler First Nation
    • Tootinaowaziibeeng Treaty Reserve
    • Riding Mountain National Park
    • Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa
    • City of Selkirk
    • Municipality of Harrison Park
    • RM of Lac du Bonnet
    • Rossburn Municipality
    • Town of Virden
    • Municipality of Russell Binscarth
    • Rural Municipality of Morris
    • Rural Municipality of St. Clements
    • Rural Municipality of Gimli
    • Municipality of Bifrost-Riverton
    • Rural Municipality of Hanover
    • Municipality of Pembina
    • Rural Municipality of Grey
    • Rural Municipality of Ste. Anne
    • Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie
    • Rural Municipality of Grahamdale

    MPI is reviewing applications for the next disbursement of speed display signs under this latest program expansion.

    Photo attached.

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    For more information, please contact:

    Manitoba Public Insurance

    Media Relations Unit

    204-985-7300

    [email protected]

    MPI and Winnipeg Police Service shut down major auto theft operation

    High-end vehicles, seemingly legitimate big-ticket sales, and activity related to organized crime. Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) investigators discovered all of this and more when uncovering a sophisticated Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) cloning operation in Manitoba.

    In February 2024, investigators from MPI’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and WPS’ Commercial Stolen Auto Unit (CSAU) recognized that an individual was using numerous people known to him to register out-of-province vehicles in order to initiate ownership of the vehicle in the Province of Manitoba. When the investigators looked closer at what was occurring, they discovered that at least one of the vehicles had a cloned VIN, meaning that the vehicle being registered in Manitoba had the same VIN as a vehicle of the same make, model, and colour in a different jurisdiction.

    The team continued to monitor the importation of used vehicles into the province. They worked together in an operation dubbed Project Buyer Bee Aware. Using innovative technology created by the SIU team to analyze all the VIN and vehicle data, the teams identified an individual operating across provinces using Manitoba as a pipeline to clean and “wash” high-end stolen vehicles, meaning they would make them appear as if they were properly owned to then be sold by one individual in Winnipeg.

    Mohamad Kasem, 23, from Winnipeg, faces 68 charges. Investigators discovered that Kasem sold vehicles to car dealerships, through online platforms, and out of a business. On February 22, 2024, CSAU attended one of the dealerships and confirmed the vehicles sold to them by Kasem were stolen from Ontario between January 2021 and January 2024, given new VINs, and then presented to the dealerships as legitimate. The dealerships sold several of these vehicles to customers. All the vehicles, including those sold to customers, were seized and had an estimated insured value of more than $1 million.

    On April 17, 2024, search warrants were executed at a residence in the 100 block of St. Martin Boulevard in Winnipeg as well as a commercial business in the 200 block of St. Jean Marc Road in the RM of Springfield. These warrants led to the discovery of equipment and materials required to alter a vehicle’s VIN.

    “This was a highly sophisticated operation working on many different levels. Our investigators did an incredible job piecing this together with MPI and disrupting this ring and this criminal network,” said WPS Superintendent Cam Mackid.

    The investigation continues.

    “What MPI and WPS have done here is protect Manitobans – from auto theft, from organized crime, and from future financial implications,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Matt Wiebe. “I’m impressed with and grateful for the work being done to combat a serious problem in Manitoba. Auto theft claim numbers rose by 48 per cent from 2017-2023, and our government is committed to tackling this issue. Auto theft is a complex crime that requires many agencies to work together, and I see that happening here.”

    “I am so proud of this team and what they have done here to ensure MPI and WPS continue to be at the forefront of the fight against auto theft,” said Satvir Jatana, President & CEO of MPI. “This investigation has led us to see how we can proactively work toward developing and advancing processes at MPI to combat auto theft. Our experts at MPI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent re-vinning and other types of auto theft-related fraud so our customers don’t become victim to these crimes or face subsequent financial impacts.”

    Photo attached.

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    For more information, please contact:

    Manitoba Public Insurance
    Media Relations Unit
    204-985-7300 [email protected]

    Or

    Winnipeg Police Service
    Public Information Office
    204-986-3061 [email protected]High-end vehicles, seemingly legitimate big-ticket sales, and activity related to organized crime. Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) and Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) investigators discovered all of this and more when uncovering a sophisticated Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) cloning operation in Manitoba.

    In February 2024, investigators from MPI’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) and WPS’ Commercial Stolen Auto Unit (CSAU) recognized that an individual was using numerous people known to him to register out-of-province vehicles in order to initiate ownership of the vehicle in the Province of Manitoba. When the investigators looked closer at what was occurring, they discovered that at least one of the vehicles had a cloned VIN, meaning that the vehicle being registered in Manitoba had the same VIN as a vehicle of the same make, model, and colour in a different jurisdiction.

    The team continued to monitor the importation of used vehicles into the province. They worked together in an operation dubbed Project Buyer Bee Aware. Using innovative technology created by the SIU team to analyze all the VIN and vehicle data, the teams identified an individual operating across provinces using Manitoba as a pipeline to clean and “wash” high-end stolen vehicles, meaning they would make them appear as if they were properly owned to then be sold by one individual in Winnipeg.

    Mohamad Kasem, 23, from Winnipeg, faces 68 charges. Investigators discovered that Kasem sold vehicles to car dealerships, through online platforms, and out of a business. On February 22, 2024, CSAU attended one of the dealerships and confirmed the vehicles sold to them by Kasem were stolen from Ontario between January 2021 and January 2024, given new VINs, and then presented to the dealerships as legitimate. The dealerships sold several of these vehicles to customers. All the vehicles, including those sold to customers, were seized and had an estimated insured value of more than $1 million.

    On April 17, 2024, search warrants were executed at a residence in the 100 block of St. Martin Boulevard in Winnipeg as well as a commercial business in the 200 block of St. Jean Marc Road in the RM of Springfield. These warrants led to the discovery of equipment and materials required to alter a vehicle’s VIN.

    “This was a highly sophisticated operation working on many different levels. Our investigators did an incredible job piecing this together with MPI and disrupting this ring and this criminal network,” said WPS Superintendent Cam Mackid.

    The investigation continues.

    “What MPI and WPS have done here is protect Manitobans – from auto theft, from organized crime, and from future financial implications,” said Minister of Justice and Attorney General Matt Wiebe. “I’m impressed with and grateful for the work being done to combat a serious problem in Manitoba. Auto theft claim numbers rose by 48 per cent from 2017-2023, and our government is committed to tackling this issue. Auto theft is a complex crime that requires many agencies to work together, and I see that happening here.”

    “I am so proud of this team and what they have done here to ensure MPI and WPS continue to be at the forefront of the fight against auto theft,” said Satvir Jatana, President & CEO of MPI. “This investigation has led us to see how we can proactively work toward developing and advancing processes at MPI to combat auto theft. Our experts at MPI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent re-vinning and other types of auto theft-related fraud so our customers don’t become victim to these crimes or face subsequent financial impacts.”

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    For more information, please contact:

    Manitoba Public Insurance
    Media Relations Unit
    204-985-7300 [email protected]

    Or

    Winnipeg Police Service
    Public Information Office
    204-986-3061 [email protected]

    MPI weather-related closures

    Due to inclement weather, Manitoba Public Insurance has planned early closures at multiple locations and has cancelled road testing at all locations in Southern Manitoba for Friday, January 17, 2025.

    The following service centres outside of Winnipeg are closing at 3:00 p.m.: Beausejour, Dauphin, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Steinbach, and Winkler.

    All impacted customers have been contacted and their appointments will be rescheduled.



    MPI appointments cancelled due to reduced visibility, road conditions

    Due to reduced visibility and road conditions in parts of Manitoba, Manitoba Public Insurance has cancelled some driver testing services, including road tests and estimating appointments at certain locations.

    Customers can reschedule their appointment during this period of inclement weather with no penalty. This includes knowledge tests, road tests, estimate appointments, or any other appointment or service.

    Affected locations include:

    Portage la Prairie Service Centre

    Front counter service is not available, but scheduled appointments are not impacted.

    Selkirk Service Centre

    All scheduled road tests have been cancelled. Customers with scheduled knowledge test appointments should attend the location as scheduled, if they feel they can get there safely.

    Winkler Service Centre

    All scheduled road tests have been cancelled. Customers with scheduled knowledge test appointments should attend the location as scheduled, if they feel they can get there safely.

    All impacted customers have been contacted and their appointments will be rescheduled. Front counter services remain available at all locations except the Portage la Prairie Service Centre.
    Service updates will be shared at mpi.mb.ca, as available.


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    For more information, please contact:

    Media Relations Unit
    Ph: 204-985-7300
    Email: [email protected]

    MPI’s Top 5 Frauds in 2024

    A super shopper, sniper fire, a rabbit (or maybe a coyote?), a phantom driver, and a deer in the shape of a pole were only five of the many cases of suspected fraud that Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI)’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigated to save Manitoba ratepayers $15 million dollars in attempted auto frauds this year.

    Insurance fraud comes in all forms and costs everyone. To help raise awareness, MPI has compiled a list of unique cases that our SIU team was able to uncover in 2024.

    “The expertise and dedication of our SIU team in their investigation of suspicious claims is so valuable to MPI and its customers,” said Maria Campos, MPI’s Vice President & Chief Customer and Product Officer. “Their hard work of detecting and combatting fraudulent claims has contributed to MPI closing 3,548 investigations in 2024, and saving millions for MPI customers.”

    While the frauds listed below do standout for a variety of reasons – the financial impact, the creativity, the audacity – unfortunately, they are not rare. By investigating and finding those who are committing insurance fraud, MPI is able to protect the integrity of Manitoba’s public insurance system by ensuring the right claims are paid to the right people for the right amount.

    Anyone with information about auto insurance fraud is encouraged to call the MPI TIPS Line at 204-985-8477 in Winnipeg, toll-free 1-877-985-8477 outside of Winnipeg, or submit information online at mpi.mb.ca. Information can also be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), or online at manitobacrimestoppers.com. All calls and reports are anonymous.

    Fraud 1: Super Shopper

    A claimant was in a minor motor vehicle collision. Afterward, they stated they were barely able to walk, could not stand for more than five minutes, couldn’t bend or squat, could not use their right arm at all, and could not move their neck. These injuries made driving very difficult.

    This individual stated that because of the extent of their injuries, they needed assistance at home with all tasks, such as getting dressed, moving around the home, going up the stairs, bathing, going to the washroom, cleaning, laundry, cooking, and attending medical appointments. Further, this individual said they could not go shopping due to their limited mobility. This limited function also made them unable to work with the possibility of never being able to return to their prior employment.

    The SIU team investigated, and surveillance found the claimant shopping on multiple occasions for hours at a time, carrying several bags in each hand, and power walking around the mall. There was no evidence of difficulty walking, standing, using the right arm, or moving their neck. The only time the claimant was seen to have difficulty was when they attended medical appointments, after which they would go shopping for hours with no issues.

    As a result of the investigation, income replacement and personal care benefits ceased. This saved ratepayers all future benefits costs, and the claimant had to pay MPI back almost $5,000 for receiving benefits fraudulently.

    The lifetime savings to ratepayers was almost $1.8 million.

    Fraud 2: Sniper Fire

    An individual checked on their vehicle, which was parked in a vacant lot, as it had no valid insurance. While there checking, the claimant said an unknown cyclist passed by and urgently advised them to move their vehicle, so the claimant went to a nearby MPI broker and obtained a five-day temporary policy for the vehicle so they could move it.

    When the individual returned to the vehicle, they said they were collecting their personal belongings when a window in the vehicle was suddenly shattered by a suspected gunshot. Fearing for their safety, the individual fled the scene. Local fire and police were called to the scene minutes later as the vehicle interior was on fire. They found no evidence to support or confirm any gunfire in the area.

    The SIU team took the investigation and learned that the temporary policy was purchased 45 minutes before the fire loss. The individual was observed next to the open vehicle by a nearby security camera six minutes before the fire was detected and reported. Further, nobody else reported hearing a gunshot, to which the claimant clarified that they believed they were targeted by a sniper using a silencer.

    Further investigation revealed the vehicle had not been capable of starting, running, or being driven away in its current state as many parts had been removed or disconnected.

    The claim was denied, saving ratepayers almost $9000.

    Fraud 3: Rascally rabbit (or coyote?)

    A claim was opened, stating that the registered owner of a vehicle was driving 50 km/hour when they hit an animal, which they stated could have been a rabbit or a coyote. The driver reportedly swerved left to avoid hitting the animal and then swerved right to get back in the proper lane, at which time they hit the curb, flipping the vehicle.

    When SIU began to investigate, the driver denied going any faster than 50 km/hour and claimed they were driving two passengers, one of which was the claimant’s licensed child.

    SIU investigators obtained vehicle data, confirming the vehicle was travelling over
    100 km/hour with 100 per cent acceleration, followed by a hard brake and swerving at the time the collision happened.

    Once the investigation’s findings were shared with the claimant, they admitted that they had been home sleeping at the time and their child had taken the vehicle without permission.

    It was never determined whether the animal was a rabbit, a coyote, or even existed.

    The claim was denied, saving ratepayers almost $33,000.

    Fraud 4: Phantom driver

    In the early morning hours, a two-vehicle collision occurred on a Manitoba highway. One vehicle rolled. The drivers and lone occupants of both vehicles were injured. The driver of the second vehicle, which did not roll, is the claimant in this case.

    Once at the hospital, the claimant stated they had no memories of the incident or how they ended up in the hospital. They had no recollection of being involved in a collision that caused one vehicle to roll.

    SIU began to investigate and discovered that the injured driver in the rolled vehicle saw another vehicle approaching quickly from behind. The driver of the rolled vehicle assumed the second vehicle would go around and pass. However, the vehicle approached at a high rate of speed and struck the vehicle, causing it to hit the median and roll. A passerby called 911.

    The claimant stated they were not driving the second vehicle as they had consumed a lot of alcohol. They reported that someone came over to the residence where the claimant was by cab and the unknown person drove the claimant’s vehicle, causing the collision.

    Further investigation by SIU showed the passenger side airbag in the claimant’s vehicle was not deployed. The front passenger seat was proven not to have been occupied at the time of the collision, and the vehicle had been going 180 km/hour at the time of the collision.

    In addition to admitting to consuming a bottle of alcohol, the claimant was proven to be impaired with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit.

    The claim on the claimant’s vehicle was denied, saving ratepayers almost $10,000. The third-party claim value for the damage to the rolled vehicle was almost $49,000, which must be paid by the claimant.

    Fraud 5: Pole-shaped deer

    A customer contacted MPI to make a claim after hitting wildlife on the highway on the way home from grocery shopping. Upon inspection, deer hair was present, but the intense frame damage to the vehicle was not consistent with a deer collision, but more of a collision with a pole. The vehicle was found to be a total loss.

    Due to the irregularities, SIU began an investigation. The claimant told MPI they were travelling at approximately 110 km/hour when a deer came from the right side of the road and impacted the front of the vehicle. They further stated that there was no other collision that took place with any vertical or fixed object.

    A collision analyst was engaged, and a mechanical inspection was done. It was determined that the damage to the vehicle was the result of two distinct collisions – one being the alleged wildlife collision and the other with a fixed object resembling a post or a pole. The false wildlife collision was used as an opportunity to disguise the extensive damage that pre-existed.

    The claim was denied, saving ratepayers just over $13,600.

    ***

    Altogether, the investigation and discovery of these five fraudulent claims by MPI’s SIU saved Manitoba ratepayers $1.9 million out of the total $15 million saved in 2024.

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    For more information, please contact:

    Manitoba Public Insurance

    Media Relations Unit

    204-985-7300

    [email protected]

    MPI and Winnipeg Police Service focus on speed enforcement on city roads

    Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and the Winnipeg Police Service (WPS) have joined
    forces to crack down on speeding, one of the deadliest driving behaviours on Manitoba’s
    roads. Through the Speed Safety Campaign, the two organizations are working together
    to target speeders in an effort to save the 20 Manitobans who are killed each year on
    average as a result of speeding and other types of aggressive driving.


    For 16 days throughout November 2024, WPS officers conducted enforcement during
    the peak hours of 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, focusing on areas known for heavy rush-hour and
    industrial traffic.


    “Speeding and aggressive driving contribute significantly to winter collisions, as reduced
    traction on icy and snow-covered roads increases the time and distance needed to stop
    safely,” said Maria Campos, MPI’s Vice President & Chief Customer and Product Officer.
    “Working with our law enforcement partners is important to address risky driving
    behaviours. This campaign with the Winnipeg Police Service demonstrates how
    enforcement, education, and public awareness work together to reduce risks and create
    safer roads for everyone.”


    During the campaign, a total of 725 citations were issued for speeding violations and an
    additional 74 citations were issued for other Highway Traffic Act offences.


    “Road safety is a shared responsibility. Winnipeg Police Service works collaboratively
    with partners such as MPI in this regard. Our community citizens also need to do their
    part,” said Marc Philippot, Inspector of the Winnipeg Police Service Traffic Division.


    “Adhere to the rules of the road, drive according to the conditions and please have the
    conversations with your loved ones to reduce their speed to help keep everyone safe.”
    Through MPI’s Enhanced Enforcement Program, WPS was funded to provide additional
    resources to enforce against speeding and other high-risk driving behaviours during the
    16-day period of the campaign.


    Speeding is dangerous anytime of the year, but when the roads are snow and ice-covered,
    the dangers increase. Small actions behind the wheel can make a big difference in keeping
    our communities safe.


    When driving in winter it is important to remember:

    • Adjust to conditions: Drive at a speed that matches road and weather conditions,
      even if it is below the posted speed limit
    • Leave extra space: Increase following distances to account for reduced grip and
      visibility
    • Be prepared: Consider installing winter tires on your vehicle; clear all snow and ice
      from windows, mirrors, and lights; and allow extra travel time to avoid rushing and
      risking a collision

    Keeping roads safe during the cold months is a shared responsibility. Let’s all do our part
    and get home safely.


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    For more information, please contact:
    Manitoba Public Insurance
    Media Relations Unit
    204-985-7300

    Open a Claim