Save Up to $50,000 on Your First New Home in Canada
What Is the First-Time Buyer GST Rebate in Canada?
On March 12, 2026, the first-time buyer GST rebate Canada was waiting for became law. Bill C-4 — the Making Life More Affordable for Canadians Act — officially eliminated the federal GST on newly built homes for eligible buyers.
Maximum savings: $50,000. In Ontario, potentially $130,000.
Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is the First-Time Buyer GST Rebate?
A federal program that removes the 5% GST from newly constructed homes for eligible first-time buyers.
First-time buyer GST rebate Canada, based on the homes purchased price:
- Up to $1M → full GST eliminated → save up to $50,000
- $1M–$1.5M → partial rebate on a sliding scale
- Over $1.5M → no rebate
- Resale homes → not eligible (no GST is charged on resale, so nothing to rebate)
BoC Policy Rate
2.25%
Prime Rate
4.45%
Next BoC Meet
Apr 29, 2026
🏡 Ontario Buyers: The Numbers Get Bigger
Ontario has proposed a matching provincial HST rebate worth up to $80,000.
If both pass, a first-time buyer purchasing a home under $1M could save a combined $130,000 at closing.
The federal rebate is law now.
The Ontario rebate is proposed and not yet enacted
🏡 Do You Qualify? Six Criteria
You must meet all six.
- Age — At least 18 years old at purchase
- Residency — Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Four-year rule — You haven’t owned and lived in a home as your primary residence in the current year or the four preceding calendar years
- Primary residence — The home must be where you actually live
- First occupant — You must be the first person to live there after construction
- New property only — Newly built or substantially renovated (90%+ interior replaced)
What Does “Substantially Renovated” Mean?
At least 90% of the interior removed and replaced including walls, floors, ceilings, electrical, plumbing. A full rebuild within an existing shell.
Also qualifies: a major addition that at least doubles the living space (e.g., adding a full second storey to a bungalow).
A standard kitchen and bathroom renovation does not qualify.
Visit Official Government of Canada for more details
📊 Real Numbers for GTA Buyers
Example: Buying a newly built townhouse in Woodbridge at $850,000?
- Without the rebate: $42,500 in federal GST owed at closing
- With the rebate: $0
That money stays in your pocket — or goes toward your mortgage
🏡 The Dates That Matter
Milestone | Deadline |
Agreement of Purchase and Sale signed | March 20, 2025 – Dec 31, 2030 |
Construction must start | Before Jan 1, 2031 |
Substantial completion | Before Jan 1, 2036 |
Ownership transfer | Before Jan 1, 2036 |
Already Closed? You May Still Be Owed Money
The rebate is retroactive to March 20, 2025.
If you signed your APS on or after March 20, 2025, and closed before March 12, 2026, you still qualify. Your builder couldn’t apply it at closing because the law wasn’t in force yet.
What to do:
- Watch the CRA website for updated rebate forms (coming soon)
- File as soon as forms are available
- Keep all closing documents — APS, statement of adjustments, deed
How the Rebate Gets Applied
- Closing March 12, 2026 (most buyers)
- The builder credits the rebate directly at closing
- It’s removed from what you owe so no upfront payment, no waiting.
- Already closed (retroactive)
- Apply directly to the CRA using the updated rebate forms once available.
- Owner-built homes
- Apply directly to the CRA. Retain all invoices for six years.
Stack It With Other Programs
The GST rebate works alongside every other first-time buyer program.
No rules against using all three. Most buyers should.
Five Questions to Ask Your Builder Before You Sign
These are the questions that protect you.
- Is this property eligible for the First-Time Buyer GST Rebate?
- Will the rebate be credited on my statement of adjustments at closing?
- Is the advertised price based on the new Bill C-4 rebate or the old rebate structure?
- What is the exact all-in price — and can it change before closing?
- How are parking spots and lockers taxed in this agreement?
Get the answers in writing. Have a real estate lawyer review before you sign.
Three Things to Watch Out For
1. Household eligibility — not just individual
- Both you and your spouse or common-law partner must meet the four-year rule
- One partner’s history disqualifies the household
2. Pre-construction price changes
- Builder contracts sometimes allow price adjustments before closing
- If your final price crosses $1M, your rebate decreases. Cross $1.5M and you lose it entirely.
3. Ontario’s provincial rebate isn’t law yet
- The combined $130,000 figure is real potential and not a guarantee
- Don’t make purchasing decisions based on it until it passes.
What Else Is in Bill C-4?
Two other measures worth knowing:
Lower Income Tax
- First marginal rate dropped from 15% to 14% (effective July 1, 2025
- Up to $420/year per person, $840 per two-income household.
Carbon Price Repealed
- Federal fuel charge permanently removed
- Lower energy and transportation costs for new homeowners.
What the Industry Is Saying
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) welcomes the rebate but notes first-time buyers represent only 5.8% of new home purchasers.
Their push:
- Extend GST relief to all new home buyers (not just first-timers)
- Include secondary suites and ADUs in eligible property types
- Nearly 80% of Canadians support the broader expansion (Abacus Data for CHBA)
This policy may expand. Stay informed.
Thinking of Selling in Vaughan & The GTA?
Selling a home in today’s Vaughan and GTA real estate market requires a clear strategy from the start.
The strong sale-to-list ratios, typically between 96% and 101% of asking price depending on property type, are largely the result of sellers adjusting to current market conditions.
Homes that perform best in the Vaughan and GTA housing market usually have three things in common:
- Well-prepared presentation (including staging and professional photography)
- Pricing aligned with today’s market value from day one
- A strong marketing and pricing strategy that can adapt quickly as market conditions change
When these elements come together, buyers respond well and homes can still sell very close to their asking price.
However, homes that are overpriced, poorly prepared, or marketed weakly often sit on the market longer and eventually sell at lower prices after multiple price reductions.
In today’s Vaughan and the Greater Toronto Area, preparation, pricing, and strategy make the biggest difference in the final result.
If you’re considering a move this year, a clear picture of what your home could realistically sell for is a good place to start.
👉 Find out what your Vaughan home may be worth FIND MY HOME VALUE
📊 My Thoughts
I work with buyers across Vaughan and the GTA every day.
The biggest barrier I see isn’t always the price but it’s buyers not knowing what tools are available or how to use them together.
The First-Time Buyers GST rebate rebate, the FHSA, the HBP — used correctly, they change the picture significantly for first-time buyers in this market.
If you want to understand your situation
- what you qualify for
- what a new build looks like right now in Vaughan and the GTA
- whether your specific purchase is eligible
I’m happy to talk it through. No pressure, no pitch.
My expericned mortgage professional network is also here to support you with
- discussing and explaining all your financing options
- reviewing your current mortgage and refinancing options
- demonstrating how to maximize your tax free gains in TSFA, FHSA and HBP
- how to combine the First-Time Buyers GST rebate rebate, the FHSA, the HBP
CLICK HERE and BOOK a free consultation with the mortgage team
Read the March 2026 Market udpate > Vaughan Real Estate Market Update for March 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
This short FAQ section answers some of the most common questions buyers may have about this First-Time Buyers GST Rebate and how it impacts their home purchase
1. I owned a home six years ago. Do I still qualify?
Yes. The four-year rule means you qualify again if you haven’t owned and lived in a home as your primary residence in the current year or the four years before that.
2. My spouse owned a home two years ago. Does that affect us? Yes — it disqualifies your household entirely. Both partners must individually meet the first-time buyer definition.
3. I’m buying with a friend, not a spouse. Can I still claim it? Possibly. With a non-spousal co-purchaser, the first-time buyer GST rebate may apply to your eligible share. How title is structured matters significantly — get legal advice before assuming either way.
4. Does this apply to pre-construction condos? Yes, as long as your Agreement of Purchase and Sale was signed on or after March 20, 2025, and the unit will be your primary residence.
5. What about assignment sales? The rebate applies to the final buyer taking title — not the person assigning the contract. Assignments are scrutinized closely by the CRA, and the assignment fee carries its own separate GST implications. Speak with a lawyer and tax professional before proceeding.
6. The builder says the price “includes HST.” What should I check? Ask whether the price was calculated using the old partial rebate or the new Bill C-4 rebate. Many builders haven’t updated their pricing yet. You may be owed more at closing than the advertised price implies. Get it in writing.
7. Will the builder apply the rebate automatically, or do I have to ask? For closings after March 12, 2026, first-time buyer GST rebate should be applied automatically on your statement of adjustments. Still — confirm it in writing before closing. If a builder can’t confirm, raise it immediately with your real estate lawyer.
8. Do parking spots and lockers qualify for the rebate? Not automatically. They’re often sold separately and may carry their own GST. How they’re structured in your agreement determines eligibility. Ask before you sign.
9. Can I combine this with the FHSA and the Home Buyers’ Plan? Yes — all three are fully compatible. Most first-time buyers in the GTA should be using all of them together.
10. When does this program end? Your Agreement of Purchase and Sale must be signed before January 1, 2031. Construction must start before 2031 and be substantially completed before 2036 to qualify for the First-Time Buyers GST Rebate
Sources (key links)
📌 Thinking of Buying or Selling in Vaughan & GTA?
I have lived in Vaughan since 2004 and worked across the GTA since 2007.
I study local real estate data every day so my clients can make confident decisions.
If you want real expertise backed by real numbers, I’m here to help.
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