Historical Highlights

• 1911 - Film censorship begins in Manitoba, becoming the responsibility of civic government because Winnipeg is the only place in the province showing films.
• 1916 - Manitoba Censor Board (MCB) established once films begin showing in other centres; MCB uses only two classifications - general and adult. Everyone was allowed to see all films because any undesirable material was removed by film editing. In cases where editing was not possible, films were banned.
• 1935 - Public concern about the MCB's dual, and conflicting, role of censorship and amusement tax collector led to the MCB being moved to the Department of the Municipal Commissioner then, later, to the Department of Public Utilities.
• 1972 - The MCB eventually evolved into the Manitoba Film Classification Board (MFCB) with the power to classify but not censor.
• 1991 - Manitoba's Home-Use Video Classification and Licensing Regulation came into effect, giving MFCB the power to classify movies in video format and to license and regulate the home use video industry.
• 2003 - MFCB classifications were changed from a four- to the current five-tier classification system, using the same symbols as the Canadian Home Video Rating System and the boards of B.C, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Maritimes. The name for adult video/DVD products for home use was changed from 18+ to Adult. All Adult product rented and sold in Manitoba must now display the Manitoba bar code.
• 2005 - The Amusement Amendment Act gives MFCB the power to regulate and enforce age restrictions on video and computer games sold in Manitoba. It is now against the law to sell or rent video and computer games classified as M (mature) 17+ to anyone under the age of 17 or AO (Adults Only) 18+ to people under 18.

Historic Overview of the Manitoba Film Classification Board (Full Version) - pdf