Basic Needs

Ask Auntie

Address: 56 Royal Road North

Phone: (204) 240-7272

Services: We provide direct support and advocacy for Portage's vulnerable and Indigenous populations. We focus our work around trauma-informed, harm-reduction, Indigenous perspectives and provide individual support plans for a wide array of service needs. Our workers have lived experience and know many of the challenges that individuals and families face, especially when navigating systems traditionally colonial in nature. We prioritize advocacy and community collaboration to best meet the needs of those we serve. Direct services provided: Identification & Banking, Health & Wellness, Education & Employment, Transportation/Accessibility, Housing

Community Roots First Time Homebuyers Program
Address: 56 Royal Road North
Phone: (204) 240-4043
Website: https://www.portagecrc.com/crp
Email: crp@portagecrc.com
Services: The Portage la Prairie Revitalization Corporation (PCRC) is pleased to offer the Portage la Prairie Home Buyer Assistance Program thanks to funding support from City of Portage la Prairie and Manitoba Housing. The program will assist eligible renters to transition to homeownership, by providing funding for a down payment and a portion of the associated closing costs by way of a forgivable loan, with forgiveness earned over a five-year period. The program offers maximum homebuyer assistance by way of a forgivable loan.

Bear Clan

Address: 2-624 Oak Bay, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 3K9

Phone: (204) 595-9017

Website: https://www.portagebearclan.org/

Email: info@portagebearclan.org

Services: The purpose of the Bear Clan is to help people and prevent the need for police and authority interventions. This is achieved in a non-violent, non-threatening and supportive manner primarily through relationship building and reconciliation. The Bear Clan offers help, information, supplies and respect to all community members.

Employment and Income Assistance

Address: 106-25 Tupper Street North, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 3K1

Phone: 204-239-3092

After Hours: (emergency calls only): 1-866-559-6778

Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/eia/index.html

Email: eia@gov.mb.ca

Services: The Employment and Income Assistance Program (EIA) provides financial help to Manitobans who have no other way to support themselves or their families. This includes benefits from the Rent Assist Program that helps with housing costs. For people who are able to work, EIA can help them go back to work by providing supports to employment.

First Presbyterian Church Soup Kitchen

Address: 17 Royal Road South, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 1T8

Phone: 204-857-4351

Website: https://www.firstpcportage.com/?page_id=128

Email: Reverend John Zondag - jzondag@mymts.net

Services: The Soup Kitchen is open Mon. – Fri. from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and is closed on most holidays. The soup kitchen offers and provides free meals to those in need in Portage la Prairie.

Legal Aid Manitoba

Address: 100-287 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0R9

Phone: (204) 985-8500

Website: https://www.legalaid.mb.ca/

Email: info@legalaid.mb.ca

Services: Legal Aid Manitoba provides legal services to low-income adults and youth in Manitoba who qualify financially and have a case with merit. They have offices in Winnipeg, Brandon, Dauphin, The Pas and Thompson but will travel to more than 40 communities surrounding them. Legal Aid Manitoba and the Public Interest Law Center provide legal services to any qualifying Manitobans who have cases surrounding: Public Interest, Human Rights, Family, Immigration & Refugee, Residential Tenancies, Child Protection, Mental Health, Government Benefits and Criminal Cases. There are many resources available to see if you qualify for their services and get in touch with Legal Aid MB.

Manitoba Housing

Address: B18-25 Tupper Street North, Portage La Prairie, MB, R1N 3K1

Phone: 204-239-3680

Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/housing

Email: housing@gov.mb.ca

Services: Manitoba Housing offers a variety of subsidized housing options for individuals, seniors, and families who are living on low to moderate-incomes. Programs include Rental Housing, Home Ownership, Co-operative Housing and Housing Development. They can also help with completing legal application forms needed for housing.

*Note: You must be 18 years of age or older, a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or refugee claimant and able to live independently.

Portage la Prairie Soup Kitchen

Address: 72 3rd Street North East, Portage La Prairie, MB, R1N 1N6

Phone: 1-204-857-4146

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Portage-la-Prairie-Soup-Kitchen-109797634217785/?ref=page_internal

Email: plapsoupkitchen@hotmail.com

Services: From 11:30-12:30 Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the Portage Soup Kitchen offers and provides free meal to those in need in Portage la Prairie.

Prairie Harbor Women's Shelter

Address: The Women's Shelter does not display its address to protect the safety of its clients. If you need to visit the shelter they will provide directions to you over the phone.

Primary Telephone: (204) 239-5234

Secondary Telephone: Crisis Line - 239-5233

Website: https://cwhn.ca/en/node/14652

Services: The Portage Women's Shelter provides shelter/residence, counselling support groups and peer support to women in Portage la Prairie and the surrounding areas who are in need. Their services are kept as confidential as possible to ensure the safety of their clients.

Province of Manitoba - Non-EIA Rent Assist Program

Address: 25 Tupper Street North, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 1W9

Phone: 204-239-3092

Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/eia/rent_assist.html

Email: incsup@gov.mb.ca

Services Offered: The Non-EIA Rent Assist Program is designed to support lower-income Manitobans who are not enrolled on EIA with financial support to help cover the cost of monthly rent in unsubsidized housing. The website includes a fact sheet that goes over eligibility, a calculator to estimate how much you might receive, along with the application and direct deposit forms. If you are enrolled on EIA, you are automatically enrolled on rest assist. If you are looking to transition off of EIA, but would like to continue receiving support to cover the cost of rent, speak with your EIA case worker about Non-EIA Rent Assist.

Reaching Home

Address: 56 Royal Road North, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 1V1

Phone: 204-240-7272

Website: https://www.portagecrc.com/reaching-home

Services: Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness for families, adults and youth. Reaching Home creates a support team for each of its participants that is personalized to their needs. They work together with the participant and landlords to find safe, stable and affordable housing for the client.

Service Canada

Address: 1016 East Saskatchewan Avenue, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 3V2

Phone: 1 800-622-6232

Website: https://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/tbsc-fsco/sc-dsp.jsp?rc=4114&lang=eng

Contact Form: https://eservices.canada.ca/en/service/

Services: Service Canada can help you in person or over the phone to help obtain valid Canadian identification documents. Service Canada can assist with and is responsible for the following: Canada Summer Jobs, Employment Insurance, Foreign Credentials Referrals, Passport Services, and much more.

The Salvation Army Portage la Prairie - Food Bank

Address: 220 Duke Ave, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 0S6

Phone: (204) 239-7213

Website: https://www.facebook.com/SalvationArmyPortage/?ref=page_internal

Email: tsaportage@shaw.ca

Services: The Portage la Prairie community food bank runs all year long. The Salvation Army organizes and provides food to individuals and families that are otherwise unable to meet their needs or are struggling financially.

Vital Statistics Manitoba

Address: 254 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 0B6

Phone: 204-945-3701

Toll Free: 1-866-949-9296

Website: https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/

Email: vitalstats@gov.mb.ca

Services: The Vital Statistics Agency is responsible for administering and enforcing The Vital Statistics Act, The Marriage Act, The Change of Name Act and processing disinterments under The Public Health Act. The Agency registers vital events (birth, death, marriage, stillbirth and change of name) in Manitoba and provides documents as proof of those events. The Manitoba Vital Statistics database contains information from vital event records from 1882 to present for the Province of Manitoba. Vital Statistics helps with any information regarding the following documents: Birth Certificate, Change of Name Certificate, Death Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Change of Name Act, Change of Name (PERSONAL), Marriage Act, Marriage Commissioners, Marriage License, Vital Statistics Act, Common-law Certificate.

Province of Manitoba - Non-EIA Rent Assist Program
Address: 25 Tupper Street North, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 1W9
Phone: 204-239-3092
Website: https://www.gov.mb.ca/fs/eia/rent_assist.html
Email: incsup@gov.mb.ca
Services Offered: The Non-EIA Rent Assist Program is designed to support lower-income Manitobans who are not enrolled on EIA with financial support to help cover the cost of monthly rent in unsubsidized housing. The website includes a fact sheet that goes over eligibility, a calculator to estimate how much you might receive, along with the application and direct deposit forms. If you are enrolled on EIA, you are automatically enrolled on rest assist. If you are looking to transition off of EIA, but would like to continue receiving support to cover the cost of rent, speak with your EIA case worker about Non-EIA Rent Assist.