The MPI Driver Z changes to watch for in new year

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Manitoba Public Insurance hopes upcoming changes to a popular driver education program will put the registration rush in the rearview mirror.

The Crown corporation announced Monday it is introducing a new approach to Driver Z registration.

Starting with the spring 2026 course offerings, eligible customers will be assigned to a multi-day registration window in January where they can visit a broker or MPI Service Centre to pick their spot and register for a Driver Z course.

“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,” MPI Vice-President and COO Dana Frazer wrote in a news release.

Driver Z is a one-year program, offering high school drivers a mix of in-person, online, and in-car learning.

Previously, registration worked on a first-come, first-served basis. All courses for the upcoming term opened on one day, causing widespread frustrations with flooded phone lines and frozen websites.

Now, MPI said students who want to take Driver Z must sign up as a new MPI customer and purchase the Driver Z program service by end-of-day on Jan. 3, 2026, to be eligible to move forward in the registration process. These first two steps require both the student and the parent or guardian to attend in-person and can be completed in one visit.

Then, eligible customers will begin receiving emails from Jan. 5 to 24, notifying them of their registration window and directions on how to complete enrollment. They’ll be given a registration window based on the age of the student, with older students placed in earlier registration windows.

The Crown corporation said it anticipates more than 2,700 spots will be available across Manitoba in the spring term.

General registration will be offered after the registration windows based on course and community availability, MPI added.

“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,” Frazer said.

“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.”

Course locations and availability will be updated on the MPI website on Dec. 12 so customers can find which course and location suits their needs.

The program is $50 to attend. MPI covers the rest of the cost, which exceeds $600.

- With files from CTV’s Daniel Halmarson