Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) is continuing work to improve the Driver Z experience for customers. Starting with the spring 2026 course offerings, MPI is introducing a new approach to Driver Z registration.
Driver Z is MPI’s high school driver education program that uses a mix of in-person, online, and in-car learning to give students the knowledge and skills they need to drive safely and prevent collisions, keeping the road safe for all users. Students get this high-value training for only $50 while MPI covers the rest of the cost, which is well over $600.
Previously, Driver Z registration worked on a first-come, first-served basis. All courses for the upcoming term opened on one day, which could create early morning line ups at broker’s offices and MPI Service Centres as parents and guardians rushed to secure a spot for their teens.
Now, eligible customers will be invited to a multi-day registration window. During that window, they can visit a broker or MPI Service Centre to pick their spot and register in a Driver Z course.
“Customers eligible for spring 2026 courses will be assigned a multi-day registration window in January, allowing them more time to sign up for Driver Z,” said Dana Frazer, Vice President and Chief Operations Officer at MPI. “This new approach to registration aims to take the stress off parents and students who were having to rush to try and get a spot on the same day as every other eligible customer in the province.”
How it works
Students who want to take Driver Z in spring 2026 must sign up as a new MPI customer and purchase the Driver Z program service at an MPI Service Centre or broker by end-of-day January 3, 2026, to be eligible to move forward in the registration process. These first two steps require both the student and the parent/guardian to attend in person and can be completed in one visit.
From January 5-24, 2026, eligible customers will begin receiving emails notifying them of their registration window and directions on how to complete their enrolment. Eligible customers will be provided registration windows based on the age of the student, with older students being placed in the earlier registration windows. MPI anticipates more than 2,700 spots will be available across Manitoba in the spring term.
General registration will be offered after the defined registration windows, based on course and community availability.
Course locations and availability will be updated on MPI’s Course Finder on December 12, 2025, for customers to determine which course and location suits their needs.
“We recognize that getting a driver’s licence is a rite of passage for young people, and it can also lift heavy burdens off families when an additional driver is added to the mix,” said Frazer. “We want to make Driver Z registration less intense and help our customers gain access to this valuable program in an organized, user-friendly way.”
