First-Time Home Buyer Programs by Province (2026)

First-time buyers in Canada can combine federal programs, which are the same everywhere, with whatever their province offers, and the provincial part differs a lot. Ontario, B.C. and Prince Edward Island take thousands off the land transfer tax at closing, Quebec announced a tax credit that pays most of its welcome tax back, and Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador have no land transfer tax at all. Several Atlantic provinces lend first-time buyers the down payment instead. This page lists every program open to first-time buyers in each province, what it gives, who qualifies and how to get it, with a link to the official page for each, and shows what the land transfer tax break is worth on a typical home in each market we cover.

First Home Savings Account (FHSA)

Save up to $8,000 a year and $40,000 in total, deduct the contributions from your income, and take it all out, growth included, tax-free to buy your first home, with nothing to repay. Who qualifies: Residents of Canada aged 18 to 71 who did not live in a home they or their spouse owned in the current year or the previous four years. How: Open an account at a bank or credit union. Room starts the year you open it, and up to $8,000 of unused room carries forward. To buy, make a qualifying withdrawal with Form RC725; you need a written agreement to buy or build the home before October 1 of the year after the withdrawal. The account must close by the end of the year of its 15th anniversary, the year you turn 71, or the year after your first qualifying withdrawal, whichever comes first. Unused money can move to an RRSP tax-free. Official page.

RRSP Home Buyers' Plan (HBP)

Withdraw up to $60,000 from your RRSPs without tax to buy or build a first home ($120,000 for a couple), then pay it back to your RRSP over 15 years. Who qualifies: Buyers who did not live in a home that they or their current spouse owned in the four years before the withdrawal, or in the current year up to 30 days before it. How: Give Form T1036 to your RRSP issuer for each withdrawal. Repayments normally start in the second year after the withdrawal; for a first withdrawal made from 2022 to 2028, they start in the fifth year. The limit has been $60,000 since April 16, 2024. The repayment delay for 2026 to 2028 withdrawals became law in June 2026. A missed repayment is added to your taxable income. Official page.

First-Time Home Buyers' Tax Credit

A non-refundable tax credit on a $10,000 amount, worth $1,400 for a home bought in 2026 (it was $1,450 for 2025). In Quebec, where federal tax is lower, it is worth about $1,169. Who qualifies: Buyers who did not live in a home that they or their spouse owned in the year of purchase or the four years before, and who will live in the new home within a year. How: Claim it on line 31270 of your tax return for the year you buy. Buyers and spouses share one $10,000 amount. Official page.

First-Time Home Buyers' GST/HST Rebate (new homes)

Up to all of the 5% GST (or the federal part of the HST) on a new or substantially renovated home, to a maximum of $50,000. Who qualifies: Citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older who did not live in a home that they or their spouse owned in the current year or the four years before, and who will be the first to live in the home. How: The builder usually credits it at closing; otherwise apply to the CRA with Form GST190 (in Quebec, to Revenu Québec). The full rebate goes up to a value of $1 million and falls to nothing at $1.5 million. The purchase agreement must be signed from March 20, 2025 to the end of 2030, and construction must start before 2031. It became law on March 12, 2026. Official page.

30-year amortization on insured mortgages

First-time buyers with less than 20% down can spread an insured mortgage over 30 years instead of 25, which lowers the monthly payment (and adds interest over the life of the loan). Who qualifies: Insured mortgages where at least one borrower is a first-time buyer, on homes priced under $1.5 million. Buyers of newly built homes qualify too. How: Ask your lender for a 30-year amortization when the insured mortgage is set up. In force since December 15, 2024, when the insured mortgage price cap also rose from $1 million to $1.5 million. The minimum down payment is 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the rest. Official page.

First Time Home Buyers' Program (property transfer tax exemption)

No property transfer tax on the first $500,000 of the price, a saving of up to $8,000. Who qualifies: Citizens or permanent residents who have lived in B.C. for the year before, or filed two B.C. tax returns in the last six years, and who have never owned a principal residence anywhere. How: Your lawyer or notary claims it on the property transfer tax return at closing. You must move in within 92 days and live there until the first anniversary. The full exemption is for homes worth $835,000 or less; it shrinks by $320 for every $1,000 above that and ends at $860,000. Official page.

Newly Built Home Exemption

No property transfer tax at all on a newly built home worth up to $1.1 million (a saving of up to $20,000), with a partial exemption up to $1.15 million. Who qualifies: Any citizen or permanent resident buying a new home to live in, first-time or not, with no B.C. residency rule. How: Claimed at closing on the property transfer tax return. It cannot be combined with the first-time exemption, but on a new home it is usually the larger one. Official page.

Attainable Housing Initiative (Heather Lands, Vancouver) (Not open yet)

Buy a new home at one Vancouver development by paying and mortgaging 60% of its price; the Province finances the other 40%, repaid when you sell. Who qualifies: Middle-income buyers who have lived in B.C. for two years, with first-time buyers first in line. How: Register with the project when registration opens. Registration was expected to open in early 2026 but had not opened when we checked. Official page.

Attainable Homes Calgary

Buy one of its below-market new homes with as little as $2,000 of your own money; the rest of the 5% down payment is an interest-free loan. Who qualifies: Calgary households with income below $139,836 and assets below $50,000, first-time or not. How: Register with Attainable Homes Calgary. When you sell, you sell back to it at the price you paid, so you keep what you paid down on the mortgage but not the rise in price. Official page.

First-time Homebuyers' Tax Credit

A non-refundable provincial tax credit of 10.5% on $15,000, worth up to $1,575. Who qualifies: Buyers who meet the federal four-year test and buy a home in Saskatchewan to live in within a year. How: Claim it on form SK428 with your tax return for the year you buy. It rose from $1,050 to $1,575 for homes bought from January 1, 2025. Official page.

PST Rebate for New Home Construction

A rebate of 42% of the PST on a newly built home, up to $11,340. Who qualifies: Any buyer of a new home to live in, first-time or not. How: The builder can credit it, or apply to the Ministry of Finance within four years of possession. The full rebate is for homes under $450,000 (before land, furniture and appliances); it ends at $550,000. Official page.

Manitoba Housing Affordable Homes Program

Forgivable help of 25% or 35% of the price to buy a home sold by Manitoba Housing, plus the land transfer tax and up to $2,500 in grants for closing and moving costs. Who qualifies: Households that own no property, with income up to $70,000 ($93,500 with children), buying a Manitoba Housing home in a rural community. How: Apply to Manitoba Housing; the help is forgiven over 5 to 15 years of living in the home. Not offered in Winnipeg or other urban centres. Official page.

Land Transfer Tax Refund for First-Time Homebuyers

Up to $4,000 off the Ontario land transfer tax, so the first $368,000 of the price is tax-free. Who qualifies: Citizens or permanent residents aged 18 or older who have never owned a home anywhere in the world (and whose spouse did not own one while you were together), and who move in within 9 months. How: Your lawyer claims it when the home is registered, so it comes off the tax at closing; otherwise apply to the Ministry of Finance within 18 months. If a co-buyer is not a first-time buyer, the refund is cut to the first-time buyers’ share. Official page.

Toronto Municipal Land Transfer Tax Rebate

Up to $4,475 off Toronto’s own land transfer tax, so the first $400,000 is tax-free. Who qualifies: The same rules as the Ontario refund, for a home in the City of Toronto. How: Claimed by your lawyer at registration, or by applying to the City within 18 months. The higher Toronto rates from April 1, 2026 apply only above $3 million and did not change the rebate. Official page.

Ontario First-Time Home Buyers' HST Rebate (new homes)

Up to all of the 8% provincial part of the HST on a new home, to a maximum of $80,000. With the federal rebate, a first-time buyer can get up to $130,000 back. Who qualifies: First-time buyers under the federal four-year test buying a new or substantially renovated home to live in. How: The builder usually credits it at closing; otherwise apply to the CRA with the federal rebate. Full up to a value of $1 million, reduced to $1.5 million, for agreements signed from March 20, 2025 to the end of 2030. Official page.

Ontario Enhanced New Housing Rebate

Up to $80,000 of the provincial HST back on a new home, for any buyer, with an Ontario payment of up to $50,000 more for the federal part. Who qualifies: Anyone buying a new home to live in, first-time or not, with an agreement signed from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. How: The builder credits it at closing, or apply to the CRA; consent on the form to get the Ontario payment. It runs to homes worth $1.85 million, higher than the first-time rebate, but the Ontario payment is reduced by any federal rebate you get. The 2026 Ontario Budget proposes to end the regular $24,000 new housing rebate after March 31, 2027. Official page.

Refundable tax credit for access to homeownership (welcome tax) (Announced, not yet law)

Quebec pays back all of the first $5,000 of welcome tax and 25% of the next $3,500, up to $5,875, on a first home acquired from January 1, 2026. Who qualifies: Quebec residents buying a first home in Quebec to live in within a year. How: Pay the welcome tax to your city as usual. Then claim the credit on your tax return, or ask Revenu Québec for an advance from October 2026 if it is over $1,000. It is reduced by 2.35% of the price above $750,000 and gone at $1 million. It was announced on April 17, 2026 and had not been passed into law when the legislature was dissolved for the October 2026 election. Official page.

Home buyers' tax credit

A non-refundable Quebec tax credit of $1,400 ($10,000 at 14%) for buying a first home. Who qualifies: Quebec residents buying a first home under the four-year test. How: Claim it on line 396 of your Quebec return with form TP-752.HA. Official page.

Quebec City: Accès Famille (new homes)

An interest-free loan from the City for the down payment on a new home, equal to 5.5% of the price. Who qualifies: Families with children and couples under a combined age of 70, with household income up to $165,000, buying a new home up to $440,000. How: Get a certificate of eligibility from the City first. You repay the loan, plus 5.5% of any rise in value, when you sell. Official page.

Homeownership Assistance Program (Housing NB)

A low-interest provincial loan for 40% of the price of a modest first home, plus closing costs. Who qualifies: First-time homeowners or people in substandard housing with household income below $40,000 who qualify for a bank mortgage. How: Apply to Housing NB (1-833-733-7835). The interest rate starts at 0% and rises with income. Official page.

Down Payment Assistance Program

An interest-free loan of 5% of the price for the down payment, repaid over 10 years: up to $28,500 in Halifax and East Hants, $18,750 in the Valley and South Shore, and $15,000 elsewhere. Who qualifies: First-time buyers with household income under $145,000, a credit score of 650 or more and a pre-approved insured mortgage, buying a home up to $570,000 in Halifax ($375,000 or $300,000 elsewhere). How: Apply to the Province at least three weeks before your financing deadline. Official page.

First-time Homebuyers Program (pilot)

A credit union mortgage with only 2% to 4% down and no mortgage insurance premium, because the Province guarantees it. Who qualifies: First-time buyers with household income under $200,000, buying a home to live in up to $570,000 in Halifax and East Hants or $500,000 elsewhere. How: Apply at a participating credit union. Launched February 3, 2026 as a pilot. Official page.

First-time Home Buyers' Rebate (new homes)

A rebate of 18.75% of the provincial part of the HST on a newly built home, up to $3,000. Who qualifies: Buyers for whom it is the first home they have owned and lived in in Canada. How: Apply to the Province within 24 months of the deed or occupancy permit. Official page.

Real Property Transfer Tax exemption for first-time buyers

No real property transfer tax (normally 1% of the greater of the price and the assessed value), with no price cap. Who qualifies: Citizens or permanent residents who meet the PEI residency rule and have never owned a principal residence, and who live in the home for 183 days in a row. How: Your lawyer files the first-time buyer declaration when the deed is registered. Official page.

Down Payment Assistance Program

A loan of up to 5% of the price, to a maximum of $17,500, for the down payment, interest-free if repaid on schedule over 10 years. Who qualifies: First-time buyers with household income of $110,000 or less, buying a home to live in up to $350,000. How: Get pre-approved by Finance PEI before buying. Extended to March 31, 2031. Official page.

Closing Cost Support Program

Up to $2,500 toward the closing costs of a first home. Who qualifies: First-time buyers with household income of $110,000 or less, buying a home up to $350,000. How: Apply online to the Province; it is paid after closing. Official page.

First-time Homebuyers Program (NL Housing)

A loan of up to 5% of the price for the down payment, interest-free for five years, plus a grant of half your legal closing costs, up to $1,500. Who qualifies: First-time buyers with household income under $85,000 for the full loan (a smaller loan up to $95,000), buying a home up to $350,000 in the St. John’s area and Labrador, $300,000 in the larger towns, or $250,000 elsewhere. How: Apply to the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation before you buy, with a mortgage pre-approval. Official page.