Manitoba Schools Lighting Initiative: Free LED Upgrades for K–12 Schools

Efficiency Manitoba just launched a program that Manitoba schools need to know about. The Manitoba Schools Lighting Initiative offers funding covering up to 100% of eligible costs for LED lighting retrofits in K–12 schools across the province — including the fixtures, controls, and labour.

If your school is still running older fluorescent or HID lighting, this is a serious opportunity to modernize at little to no cost. Here's what you need to know.

What Does the Program Cover?

The initiative covers the replacement of inefficient lighting with eligible LED fixtures, plus the installation of lighting controls that meet the current Manitoba Energy Code for Buildings. That includes things like occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, and dimming controls — not just the bulbs.

The result is better light quality for students and staff, lower energy bills for the school, and a reduced environmental footprint. Modern LED lighting also lasts significantly longer, which means less maintenance and fewer disruptions over time.

Who Qualifies?

The program is open to existing K–12 schools in Manitoba looking to retrofit their current lighting systems. This applies to urban, rural, northern, and First Nations community schools. Efficiency Manitoba has designed the program to account for differences in geography, school size, and infrastructure — so location shouldn't be a barrier.

A few things to note: this is for existing school buildings only, not new construction. Homeschools and home education programs are not eligible. However, licensed daycares operating within an eligible school building can be included as part of the overall project scope.

How Does It Work?

The process starts with an expression of interest submitted during the intake window. The current intake period runs from February 13 to April 13, 2026. All applications received during that window will be reviewed, and selected projects will be announced by May 15, 2026.

If selected, the school is invited to submit a full application. Projects must be approved before any equipment is purchased or work begins. Once the lighting retrofit is complete, the school submits invoices and completion documentation, and the incentive payment is issued.

A nice detail: schools can ask their lighting supplier or electrical contractor if they'd accept the incentive payment directly — which helps avoid any upfront costs for the school entirely.

What If You're Not Selected?

Applications that aren't selected in the first round stay in the pool and are reconsidered in future intake periods. Schools can also update their expression of interest between rounds to strengthen their submission.

Why This Matters

Schools run their lights for long hours, across large spaces, often with aging fixtures that are well past their prime. A full LED retrofit doesn't just save energy — it improves the learning environment with better, more consistent light, and it frees up budget that was going to utility bills and bulb replacements.

For school administrators and facility managers, this is one of those rare programs where the upside is enormous and the barrier to entry is low. If you're eligible, there's really no reason not to apply.

How Logic Electric Can Help

As a registered Efficiency Manitoba partner and licensed electrical contractor, Logic Electric is well-positioned to help schools through this process. We've done commercial lighting projects across Winnipeg and surrounding areas, and we understand the permitting, code requirements, and coordination that go into a school retrofit.

If your school is thinking about applying, we can help with scoping the project, putting together the technical details for your application, and executing the retrofit once approved. Reach out to us and we'll walk you through it.