First-time home buyer programs in Canada (2026): every federal rebate, credit and account you can stack
Most "first-time buyer program" lists still lead with an incentive that closed in 2024 and skip the biggest new one, the GST/HST rebate on new homes. This page lists what is actually open in October 2026, who qualifies for each, the "first-time buyer" test each one uses (they differ), and a calculator that adds up what you could stack.
On this page
First-time buyer stack calculator
What could you stack on your first home?
Estimates only. The GST/HST rebate shown is the federal FTHB rebate: up to 100% of the 5% GST (or federal part of HST), capped at $50,000, reduced in a straight line between $1 million and $1.5 million, as in the CRA's $1.25 million example. The Ontario provincial HST rebate (up to $80,000) is not added because it depends on Guide RC4028 calculations. The HBP is capped at $60,000 per person. Minimum down payment uses 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the rest for insured homes under $1.5 million.
The programs at a glance
| Program | What you get | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|
| FHSA | $8,000 a year, $40,000 lifetime, deductible in, tax-free out for a qualifying home | CRA |
| Home Buyers' Plan | Up to $60,000 from your RRSPs, repaid over 15 years | CRA |
| Home buyers' amount | $10,000 non-refundable tax credit (about $1,450 off federal tax for a 2025 purchase) | CRA |
| FTHB GST/HST rebate | Up to $50,000 back on a new home up to $1 million | CRA |
| Ontario FTHB rebate | Up to $80,000 of the provincial part of HST on a new home | CRA for Ontario |
| Ontario land transfer tax refund | Up to $4,000 | Ontario Ministry of Finance |
| 30-year insured amortization | Lower payments with less than 20% down | Federal mortgage rules |
"First-time buyer" means different things
This is where people get caught. Each program uses its own test:
- Home buyers' amount: you did not live in a home you or your spouse or common-law partner owned in the year of purchase or the four preceding years. The HBP uses a similar four-year test, measured from your withdrawal date.
- FTHB GST/HST rebate: you are 18 or older, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, have not lived in a home you or your spouse or partner owned as your primary residence in the calendar year or the four before, and neither of you has ever received this rebate.
- Ontario land transfer tax refund: stricter. You must never have owned a home, or an interest in one, anywhere in the world.
So someone who sold a condo in 2021 can qualify for the HBP and home buyers' amount on a 2026 purchase, but not for the Ontario land transfer tax refund.
The FHSA
The First Home Savings Account gives you $8,000 of room a year, up to $40,000 for life. Contributions are deductible, growth is sheltered, and a qualifying withdrawal for your first home is tax-free. Room starts only when you open the account, and the deadline is December 31. Our FHSA contribution limit guide has the carry-forward rules and a room calculator.
The Home Buyers' Plan
The HBP lets you withdraw up to $60,000 from your RRSPs tax-free to buy or build a qualifying home, so a couple can use up to $120,000. You repay it over 15 years. For a first HBP withdrawal between January 1, 2026 and December 31, 2028, repayment starts in the fifth year after the withdrawal year. You can use the FHSA and the HBP for the same home; our FHSA and HBP together guide runs the numbers, and the HBP repayment guide shows the yearly amounts.
The home buyers' amount ($10,000 credit)
Claim up to $10,000 on line 31270 of your return for the year you buy a qualifying home in Canada. It is a non-refundable credit, so it reduces federal tax you owe but is not paid out if you owe nothing. The value is the amount times the lowest federal rate: for a 2025 purchase at 14.5%, that is $1,450. The CRA lists $10,000 for every year since 2022; check the 2026 return package when it is published. Two eligible buyers can split it, but the total cannot exceed the maximum. You do not need to be a first-time buyer if you qualify for the disability tax credit and the home is more accessible for you.
The new first-time home buyers' GST/HST rebate
Bill C-4 received Royal Assent on March 13, 2026, and the CRA is now accepting applications. The rebate is for buying, building or substantially renovating a new home as your primary residence:
- Home valued at or below $1 million: up to 100% of the GST or federal part of HST, up to $50,000.
- $1 million to $1.5 million: the maximum is gradually reduced. The CRA's example: a $1.25 million home gets 50% of $50,000, or $25,000.
- $1.5 million or more: no rebate.
For a home bought from a builder, the agreement of purchase and sale must be signed on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031, construction must begin before 2031 and finish before 2036, and you must be the first person to live in it. It tops up the existing GST/HST new housing rebate. Resale homes do not qualify.
Ontario extras
In Ontario, the CRA administers the Ontario first-time home buyers' rebate of up to $80,000 of the 8% provincial part of the HST, using the same eligibility as the federal rebate. Separately, Ontario's Ministry of Finance offers a land transfer tax refund of up to $4,000 for first-time buyers who are citizens or permanent residents, at least 18, have never owned a home anywhere, and move in within nine months. You can claim it at registration or apply within 18 months. Other provinces have their own land transfer or property transfer programs; check your provincial finance ministry.
Mortgage rules that help first-time buyers
- 30-year amortization: since December 15, 2024, insured mortgages (less than 20% down) can be amortized over 30 years if you are a first-time buyer or buying a new build. Lower payments, more interest; see our 30-year amortization guide.
- Insured price cap of $1.5 million: homes up to $1.5 million can be bought with less than 20% down.
- Minimum down payment: 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the portion above. Our down payment guide shows the math.
- Stress test: you still need to qualify at the higher qualifying rate; see the stress test guide.
What has closed
The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, CMHC's shared equity mortgage, is gone. CMHC's deadline for new submissions was March 21, 2024, and no new approvals were granted after March 31, 2024. If a site still lists it as a 2026 option, the page is out of date.
Worked example
Aisha is buying a new-build condo from a builder in Ontario for $640,000. She has never owned a home, has $24,000 in her FHSA and $20,000 in RRSPs.
| Item | Arithmetic | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum down payment | 5% × $500,000 + 10% × $140,000 | $39,000 |
| FHSA plus HBP available | $24,000 + $20,000 | $44,000 |
| GST on the price | $640,000 × 5% | $32,000 |
| Federal FTHB rebate (under $1 million) | up to 100% of GST | up to $32,000 |
| Ontario land transfer tax refund | maximum | up to $4,000 |
| Home buyers' amount (2025 rate shown) | $10,000 × 14.5% | about $1,450 |
Her FHSA and HBP cover the minimum down payment with $5,000 to spare for closing costs. The CRA's How to apply page lists the forms and filing deadlines for the GST/HST rebate. She may also qualify for part of the Ontario provincial HST rebate. The figures are illustrative; each rebate has its own forms and deadlines.
Options people compare
| Choice | Upside | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| New build vs resale | New builds can qualify for the FTHB GST/HST rebate and 30-year insured amortization | Closing can be years away; rules apply to the agreement date |
| FHSA first, HBP second | FHSA withdrawals are never repaid | HBP must be repaid over 15 years |
| Buy with a partner | Two FHSAs and two HBPs | Both partners' ownership history counts for some tests |
| 25 vs 30 years | Lower payment with 30 | More interest over the life of the loan |
More calculators, including mortgage and down payment tools, are on the tools page.
How to stack first-time home buyer programs
- Check each program's first-time buyer test against your own ownership history and your spouse's.
- Open an FHSA as early as possible and contribute by December 31 each year.
- Confirm your RRSP balance and plan an HBP withdrawal of up to $60,000 per person.
- If buying new, check the agreement date (on or after March 20, 2025) and the price for the FTHB GST/HST rebate.
- In Ontario, ask your lawyer to claim the land transfer tax refund at registration.
- Claim the $10,000 home buyers' amount on line 31270 of your return for the purchase year.
Questions people ask
What programs are available for first-time home buyers in Canada in 2026?
The FHSA, the Home Buyers' Plan, the $10,000 home buyers' amount, the first-time home buyers' GST/HST rebate on new homes, 30-year amortization on insured mortgages, and provincial programs such as Ontario's HST rebate and land transfer tax refund.
How much is the first-time home buyer GST rebate?
Up to 100% of the GST or federal part of HST, to a maximum of $50,000, on a new home valued at or below $1 million. It is gradually reduced between $1 million and $1.5 million and is zero at $1.5 million or more.
Does the GST/HST rebate apply to resale homes?
No. It applies to newly built or substantially renovated homes, including owner-built homes and some co-op shares, used as your primary place of residence.
How much can I take from my RRSP under the Home Buyers' Plan?
Up to $60,000 per person, so $120,000 for an eligible couple. It must be repaid over 15 years; for a first withdrawal from 2026 to 2028 repayment starts in the fifth year after the withdrawal year.
Is the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive still available?
No. CMHC stopped accepting new submissions on March 21, 2024, and no new approvals were granted after March 31, 2024.
Who counts as a first-time home buyer?
For the HBP and the home buyers' amount, someone who did not live in a home they or their spouse or partner owned in the current year or the previous four years. The Ontario land transfer tax refund is stricter: you must never have owned a home anywhere.
Can I use the FHSA and HBP for the same home?
Yes. The CRA allows a qualifying FHSA withdrawal and an HBP withdrawal for the same qualifying home if you meet the conditions of each.
What is the home buyers' amount worth?
It is a $10,000 non-refundable credit, so its value is $10,000 times the lowest federal rate. For a 2025 purchase that is about $1,450.
Looni reads your statements and flags bank fees, forgotten subscriptions and interest you may be paying without noticing, so more of each month can go toward a first home. Read-only, no advice.
Sources
Canada Revenue Agency, First-time home buyers' (FTHB) GST/HST rebate (applications open, Ontario FTHB rebate up to $80,000), What is the FTHB rebate (100% up to $50,000, $1 million to $1.5 million phase-out, $1.25 million example), Who can apply (age 18, citizen or permanent resident, four-year test, agreement on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031, first occupant), Excise and GST/HST News No. 122 (Royal Assent March 13, 2026), Line 31270, Home buyers' amount ($10,000, four-year test, disability exception, splitting), The Home Buyers' Plan ($60,000, repayment relief) and Participating in your FHSAs; Ontario Ministry of Finance, Land Transfer Tax Refunds for First-Time Homebuyers (up to $4,000, never owned, nine months, 18 months); CMHC, First-Time Home Buyer Incentive (March 21, 2024 deadline); Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Mortgage terms and amortization (30 years for first-time buyers or new builds with less than 20% down). The Aisha example is illustrative; the arithmetic is ours.