Manitoba Prompt Payment: Deadlines & Adjudication
Manitoba's prompt-payment and adjudication regime took effect on April 1, 2025 under The Builders' Liens Act, C.C.S.M. c. B91, and M.R. 113/2024. Part I.1 applies to contracts or subcontracts entered into on or after that date, subject to statutory exclusions. A later subcontract under an older prime contract needs a separate scope assessment.
The owner's payment and dispute periods are 28 and 14 days from the proper invoice being given to the owner. The unpaid payment chain then runs to days 35, 42, 49 and onward; actual upstream payments and notices can start separate seven-day periods. Manitoba also has a 7.5% holdback and distinct 60-day holdback and lien periods with different triggering events.
Tiercord records the reviewed applicability, owner-invoice date and upstream events before calculating Manitoba payment dates. Holdback and lien reminders use separately reviewed source dates; they do not authorize release or establish that a lien claim is valid.
The Builders' Liens Act
C.C.S.M. c. B91
April 1, 2025
Operative today
Manitoba Prompt Payment Adjudication Authority (MPPAA)
Manitoba prompt-payment deadlines at a glance
Each clock below runs from the event its own section names, computed in Manitoba's local time with statutory rollover for the province's holidays. Every row cites the section it comes from, where the province has one.
| Clock | Value | Statute |
|---|---|---|
Owner payment due Days from a proper invoice until the owner must pay or deliver a notice of non-payment. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 90 | 28 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 90 |
Notice of non-payment window Window to dispute an invoice. Miss it and the amount is generally payable in full. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 90 | 14 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 90 |
Deemed-proper review window This province has no deemed-proper-invoice provision. | No statutory rule | Not applicable |
Pay your subcontractors After being paid, days to pass payment down to subcontractors. MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 92, 94, 97, 99, 101 | 7 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 92, 94, 97, 99, 101 |
Pay subs even if unpaid If the owner has not paid, subs must still be paid by this day when you are the contractor billing the owner, or 42 days when you are a subcontractor paying your own subcontractor, or the matter referred to adjudication. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 93 | 35 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 93 |
Undertaking to adjudicate When refusing to pass payment down, the payer must undertake to refer the dispute to adjudication within this window. MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 93 | 21 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 93 |
Adjudication referral window A dispute cannot be referred to adjudication once the contract is complete. There is no grace period after completion, so refer before the work finishes or the remedy is gone. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 103 | Until the contract is complete | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 103 |
Adjudicator determination Days for the adjudicator to issue a binding determination after receiving the claimant's documents. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 115; M.R. 113/2024 Section 15.4 | 30 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 115; M.R. 113/2024 Section 15.4 |
Comply with determination Days to pay an amount ordered by an adjudicator. MB Builders' Liens Act Section 121 | 10 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Section 121 |
Holdback retained Percentage of each payment retained as statutory holdback to protect lien claimants. MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 24 | 7.5% | MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 24 |
Holdback release period Period that must run before holdback may be released. MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 24 | 60 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 24 |
Lien filing window Days to preserve or register a construction lien before the right expires. MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 43-45 | 60 days | MB Builders' Liens Act Sections 43-45 |
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Manitoba prompt-payment FAQ
When did Manitoba prompt payment come into force?
April 1, 2025. Section 80 applies Part I.1 to contracts or subcontracts entered into on or after that date. The Act excludes specified infrastructure and Manitoba Hydro work, and Part I.1 excludes the professional fees described in section 36.
Who administers Manitoba construction adjudication?
The Manitoba Prompt Payment Adjudication Authority (MPPAA) maintains the adjudicator registry and administers the scheme. A notice of adjudication must also be copied to the Authority on the day it is given to the other party.
Does an unanswered Manitoba invoice become a proper invoice after seven days?
No. Manitoba has no statutory seven-day deficiency or deemed-proper-invoice rule. The invoice must satisfy section 85 and any applicable contractual requirements.
Is Manitoba a designated province under the federal prompt-payment Act?
No. As reviewed on September 15, 2026, SOR/2023-270 designates Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. For qualifying federal work in Manitoba, federal payment rules govern all tiers; the federal holdback provisions refer to provincial law.
When does the prompt-payment clock start?
It starts when a proper invoice is received by the payer. If the invoice is missing required information, it may not qualify as a proper invoice and the clock may not start until the defect is cured.
What happens if a notice of non-payment is late?
A late notice is generally treated as if no notice was given, so the full invoiced amount becomes payable, usually with interest from the date payment was due.
Track Manitoba deadlines automatically
Track reviewed Manitoba payment and security dates, prepare the applicable documents, and keep the supporting records together.