Canada’s First-Time Home Buyers’ GST Rebate removes the 5% federal GST on a newly built home worth up to $1 million for buyers who qualify as first-time home buyers and use the home as their primary residence. The maximum federal rebate is $50,000. Homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million receive a reduced, graduated rebate, and homes above $1.5 million receive none. The agreement of purchase and sale must be signed between March 20, 2025 and December 31, 2030. In Ontario, a separate provincial rebate can be stacked on top, bringing combined savings up to about $130,000.
A $50,000 Tax Break Most Buyers Don’t Fully Understand
Buying a brand-new home in Canada just got cheaper for a lot of first-time buyers. A federal tax rebate can now erase the 5% GST, the federal Goods and Services Tax, on a qualifying new home, putting up to $50,000 back in your pocket. On a $700,000 condo, that is real money toward your down payment or your monthly budget.
Here is the part most headlines skip: this break is not for everyone. It is built for first-time buyers purchasing a newly built home to live in. The price, the date you sign, and whether you have owned before all decide whether you get the full amount, a smaller one, or nothing.
This guide walks through who qualifies, how much you could save, and how to claim it, in plain language. If you are early in the journey, our first-time home buyer programs page is a good companion read.
Quick Start: Pick Your Path
Which New Homes, and Which Buyers, Actually Qualify
Start with the home. The rebate covers a newly constructed home bought from a builder, a home you build or substantially renovate yourself (a renovation so extensive the home is treated as new), or a share in a newly built co-op. It can also apply to certain new mobile, modular, and floating homes. A resale home, one someone has already lived in, does not qualify, because GST was not charged on that sale.
Now the buyer. A first-time home buyer, under the Canada Revenue Agency’s definition, is someone who has not lived in a home they, or their spouse or common-law partner, owned at any point in the current calendar year or the previous four calendar years. You also generally need to be at least 18 and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Two more conditions matter. You must use the home as your primary place of residence, and you must be the first person to occupy it. The rebate can be claimed only once, and if your spouse or partner has already claimed it, you typically cannot.
Federal GST vs. Ontario’s HST Layer: What Comes Off the Price
This is where most confusion lives. The GST is the 5% federal Goods and Services Tax. In HST provinces, including Ontario and the Atlantic provinces, that 5% is bundled with a provincial portion into the Harmonized Sales Tax, or HST. The federal rebate removes only the federal 5% slice.
In British Columbia and Alberta there is no HST, so the rebate simply removes the 5% GST. In Quebec, the federal GST can be rebated while the provincial QST (9.975%) follows separate rules, and home closings are handled by a notary.
Ontario is the headline case. As of June 2026, the province has announced, but not yet finalized, measures that would rebate its 8% portion too. Stacked with the federal rebate, eligible Ontario buyers could see up to about $130,000 come off a qualifying new home. Because the provincial rules are still being put in place, confirm the current status before counting on the provincial amount.
| Rebate layer | Tax removed | Maximum | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal FTHB GST rebate First-time buyers · primary residence | 5% GST (federal portion) | up to $50,000 | Canada-wide |
| Ontario provincial layer Announced, not yet finalized | 8% provincial portion of HST | up to ~$80,000 | Ontario only |
| Combined (Ontario) | Full 13% HST | up to ~$130,000 | Ontario only |
How Much You Could Save by Home Price
Here is how that plays out. On a $500,000 new home the 5% GST is $25,000, and the full amount can come back; on an $800,000 home it is $40,000. At $1 million you reach the $50,000 ceiling, the largest federal rebate available. Above that, the rebate phases out in a straight line to zero at $1.5 million, so a $1.25 million home qualifies for roughly $25,000.
That saving is not just a rebate cheque, it can reshape your purchase. Money you are not handing over in tax can go toward a larger down payment or lower monthly costs. To see how a tax saving changes your numbers, see how much home you can afford with our calculator.
How to Claim the Rebate, Step by Step
Here is the path from contract to cheque:
- 1Confirm you are a first-time buyer.Check the four-year ownership rule for you and your spouse or partner.
- 2Confirm the home and the date qualify.It must be a new build, and your agreement of purchase and sale, the binding contract with the builder, must fall within the eligible window.
- 3Choose how to claim.Many builders can credit the rebate against your price at closing, so you pay less up front. If not, you claim it yourself afterward.
- 4Gather your paperwork.You will typically need the purchase agreement, proof of occupancy, and the builder’s details.
- 5File on time.If claiming directly, submit Form GST190 to the CRA, generally within two years of taking possession.
A smaller tax bill also means less cash needed to close. If you are mapping out your upfront costs, estimate your down payment so the rebate fits cleanly into your plan.
Should You Buy Now or Wait? Reading the 2030 Deadline
It is natural to wonder whether you should rush. The reassuring news is that the federal program has a long runway. It applies to agreements of purchase and sale signed on or after March 20, 2025, and before January 1, 2031. The rebate became law on March 12, 2026, when the legislation received Royal Assent, so the CRA is now processing claims.
There are construction milestones too: building generally must begin before 2031 and reach substantial completion before 2036. For most buyers, the smarter move is not to chase a deadline but to make sure the home and the timing genuinely qualify before signing.
This is exactly the kind of file where a broker earns their keep. Razi Khan, Founder and Mortgage Broker at Pegasus, often points out that rebate timing, financing, and your purchase agreement need to line up, a detail that is easy to miss on your own. Learn why working with a mortgage broker can help.
Common Mistakes That Cost Buyers the Rebate
A few avoidable errors trip buyers up most often:
- ×Assuming the rebate is for everyone. It is built for first-time buyers under the CRA’s definition, not all purchasers.
- ×Reading “HST removal” too broadly. Federally, only the 5% GST comes off; the full HST applies only where a province adds its own rebate.
- ×Trying to claim it on a resale home. Only newly built or substantially renovated homes qualify.
- ×Forgetting the four-year ownership look-back, including a spouse’s or partner’s past ownership.
- ×Buying as a rental or investment and expecting the federal rebate, which requires a primary residence.
- ×Missing the timing rules, both the signing window and the two-year deadline to claim after possession.
- ×Assuming the larger Ontario figure applies across Canada. It applies in Ontario, once those rules are in force.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still qualify for the GST rebate if I owned a home a few years ago?
Is the new-home GST rebate only for first-time buyers, or can anyone get it?
How much GST do I actually save on a $900,000 new home?
Does the rebate work on resale homes, or only brand-new builds?
Can my builder just take the rebate off the price for me?
I'm buying with my spouse, do we both have to be first-time buyers?
Is the deadline really 2030, and should I buy now or wait?
Does this remove the full HST, or just the GST?
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About the author
Razi Khan
Founder, CEO & Licensed Mortgage Broker · Pegasus Mortgage Lending · Toronto, Ontario · FSRA Lic # 11479
Razi Khan is the Founder, CEO, and a licensed Mortgage Broker at Pegasus Mortgage Lending Center Inc., based in Toronto. With over 20 years of experience in the Canadian mortgage industry, Razi has personally guided more than 3,000 clients through some of the most complex and high-stakes financial decisions of their lives — from first-time purchases in the GTA to refinancing strategies, alternative lending solutions, and cross-border mortgages for Canadians buying in the United States.
Razi founded Pegasus in October 2008, launching the brokerage at the height of a global financial crisis. He works across the full spectrum of borrower profiles, with particular expertise in complex files including self-employed borrowers, credit-challenged clients, and investors building multi-property portfolios.
Learn more about Razi Khan →Sources & References
- Canada Revenue Agency — First-time home buyers’ (FTHB) GST/HST rebate. canada.ca
- Canada Revenue Agency — What is the first-time home buyers’ rebate (examples and phase-out). canada.ca
- Canada Revenue Agency — Who can apply (eligibility). canada.ca
- Canada Revenue Agency — First-time buyers can save more on new homes. canada.ca
- Government of Ontario — 2026 Budget, HST relief on new homes. budget.ontario.ca
- PwC Canada — GST relief for first-time home buyers (federal + Ontario). pwc.com
All figures and dates as of June 3, 2026. Ontario provincial measures were announced but not yet finalized at the time of writing; confirm current status before relying on provincial amounts.