This page compares every federal and provincial first-time home buyer program in one place. You can stack most programs on the same purchase — start with our first-time buyer incentives guide, then use the tables below with FHSA and HBP details.
Federal Programs (Available Everywhere)
These programs are available to all qualifying first-time home buyers across Canada, regardless of province. For full details on each program, see the federal programs page:
| Program | Benefit | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| First Home Savings Account (FHSA) | Tax-deductible contributions + tax-free withdrawals | Up to $40,000 lifetime; $8,000/year; double tax advantage |
| RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) | Tax-free RRSP withdrawal for home purchase | Up to $60,000/person ($120,000/couple); repay over 15 years |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 non-refundable tax credit | Claim on line 31270 of your tax return the year you buy |
| GST/HST New Housing Rebate | Up to $6,300 federal rebate on new construction | Homes up to $450,000; partial rebate $350K-$450K |
| FTHB GST/HST rebate (Bill C-4) | Full federal GST relief on qualifying new homes ≤$1M — first-time buyers only | APS on or after 20 March 2025 and before 2031; phase-out $1M–$1.5M; not an all-buyer exemption |
Province-by-Province Comparison
| Province | Land Transfer Tax Rebate | Down Payment Assistance | New Home Tax Rebate | Other Notable Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Up to $4,000 provincial + $4,475 Toronto MLTT | — | Bill 114 / enhanced NHR — separate all-buyer provincial stream on new builds ≤$1M (Apr 1, 2026 – Mar 31, 2027). Federal Bill C-4 is a first-time buyer GST/HST rebate, not part of that all-buyer stream. | Combined Toronto LTT savings up to $8,475 |
| British Columbia | Full PTT exemption up to $835K (up to $14,700 savings) | — | PTT exemption on new builds up to $1.1M (saves up to $20,000) | BC Home Owner Grant ($570/year) |
| Alberta, Saskatchewan & Manitoba | No land transfer tax (registration fee only ~$400) | Attainable Homes Calgary (shared equity) | — | Lowest closing costs in Canada; no PST |
| Saskatchewan | Land title fees only (~$2,575 on $350K) | Limited municipal programs | PST rebate on new construction | — |
| Manitoba | No FTHB rebate (full LTT applies) | Down payment assistance (income-tested) | — | Budget for the full LTT at closing |
| Quebec | New 2026 FTHB welcome tax rebate up to $5,875 | Montreal: up to $15,000 grant | QST rebate up to $9,975 | Welcome tax rebate retroactive to Jan 1, 2026; refundable provincial tax credit |
| Nova Scotia | No rebate (1.5% in Halifax) | Interest-free 5% DPAP loan + new 2% down pilot (Feb 2026) | HST rebate up to ~$3,000 | First province to offer 2% minimum down payment |
| New Brunswick | No rebate (1% flat rate) | Limited | HST rebate up to $3,000 | One of the lowest transfer tax rates |
| PEI | Full exemption for FTHB (1% savings) | — | — | Simple, complete exemption |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | No rebate (~0.4% rate) | Down payment assistance (income-tested) | HST rebate on new builds | Among lowest property prices in Canada |
| Yukon | No land transfer tax (registration fees only) | Down payment assistance; First-Time Home Buyers Program | — | Yukon Housing Corporation programs |
| Northwest Territories | No land transfer tax (registration fees only) | HELP program; PATH program | — | NWT Housing Corporation programs |
| Nunavut | No land transfer tax (registration fees only) | Homeownership Assistance Program | — | Extremely limited private market; high construction costs |
Stacking Programs: Combined Savings Examples
The real power of these programs comes from stacking multiple federal and provincial benefits together. Here are detailed examples for buyers in different provinces.
Example 1: First-Time Buyer in Toronto, Ontario — $600,000 Resale Condo
Note: If you are buying a new build in Ontario, treat two streams separately. Bill 114 / enhanced NHR is an all-buyer provincial stream for purchase agreements April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027. Bill C-4 is a first-time home buyers’ GST/HST rebate (APS on or after 20 March 2025 and before 2031) — not an all-buyer exemption. A first-time buyer who qualifies for both can recover the full 13% HST on a qualifying home ≤$1M. The example below covers resale.
| Program | Savings |
|---|---|
| FHSA tax deductions (5 years x $8,000 at 30% marginal rate) | $12,000 |
| Ontario Provincial LTT Rebate | $4,000 |
| Toronto Municipal LTT Rebate | $4,475 |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 |
| Total savings | $21,975 |
Additionally, the buyer could access up to $60,000 from their RRSP through the HBP (tax-free at withdrawal, but must be repaid over 15 years) and up to $40,000 from their FHSA (truly tax-free with no repayment). Combined, that is up to $100,000 from registered accounts available for the down payment and closing costs — plus the $21,975 in non-repayable savings above.
Example 2: First-Time Buyer in Vancouver, BC — $700,000 Condo
| Program | Savings |
|---|---|
| FHSA tax deductions (5 years x $8,000 at 30% marginal rate) | $12,000 |
| BC First-Time Buyer PTT Exemption | $12,000 |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 |
| BC Home Owner Grant (first year) | $570 |
| Total first-year savings | $26,070 |
Over 10 years of claiming the BC Home Owner Grant, total savings climb to approximately $31,770.
Example 3: First-Time Buyer in Calgary, Alberta — $420,000 Townhouse
| Program | Savings |
|---|---|
| FHSA tax deductions (5 years x $8,000 at 30% marginal rate) | $12,000 |
| No land transfer tax (registration fee only ~$400 vs. $5,475 Ontario LTT on same home) | ~$5,075 saved vs. Ontario |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 |
| Total direct savings | $13,500 |
While Alberta has fewer named programs, the absence of land transfer tax and PST provides structural savings that benefit every buyer, every year.
Example 4: First-Time Buyer in Montreal, Quebec — $450,000 New Build
| Program | Savings |
|---|---|
| FHSA tax deductions (5 years x $8,000 at 30% marginal rate) | $12,000 |
| Montreal Home Ownership Grant | Up to $15,000 |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 |
| Federal GST Rebate (new construction) | Up to $6,300 |
| Quebec QST Rebate (new construction) | Up to $9,975 |
| Total potential savings | Up to $44,775 |
Note: The QST rebate is clawed back on homes above approximately $277,500 (pre-tax), so the actual rebate would be lower on a $450,000 home. The welcome tax of approximately $5,300 must also be paid at closing.
Example 5: First-Time Buyer in Halifax, Nova Scotia — $300,000 Home
| Program | Savings |
|---|---|
| FHSA tax deductions (5 years x $8,000 at 30% marginal rate) | $12,000 |
| Nova Scotia Down Payment Assistance (5% interest-free loan) | $15,000 (loan, not savings) |
| Home Buyers’ Tax Credit (HBTC) | $1,500 |
| Total direct savings (excluding loan) | $13,500 |
| Total financial benefit (including down payment loan) | $28,500 |
The $15,000 interest-free loan is not “savings” in the traditional sense — you must repay it eventually — but it eliminates the need to save for a down payment entirely, which can accelerate your home purchase by years.
Key Takeaways
Quick Reference: Maximum Potential Savings by Province
This table shows the maximum potential first-year savings for a first-time buyer purchasing a resale home (not new construction), including federal programs:
| Province | Max FTHB-Specific Provincial Savings | Plus Federal Programs | Approximate Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario (Toronto) | $8,475 (LTT rebates) | $13,500 (FHSA + HBTC) | $21,975 (+ up to $130,000 HST exemption on new builds) |
| Ontario (outside Toronto) | $4,000 (LTT rebate) | $13,500 | $17,500 (+ up to $130,000 HST exemption on new builds) |
| British Columbia | Up to $15,270 (PTT exemption up to $14,700 + Home Owner Grant $570) | $13,500 | $28,770 |
| Alberta | ~$5,075 (structural savings vs. Ontario) | $13,500 | $18,575 |
| Manitoba | — (no FTHB LTT rebate) | $13,500 | $13,500 |
| Quebec (Montreal) | Up to $20,875 (municipal grant $15,000 + welcome tax rebate $5,875) | $13,500 | $34,375 |
| Nova Scotia | $15,000 (down payment loan) | $13,500 | $28,500 |
| PEI | Up to $5,000 (PTT exemption) | $13,500 | $18,500 |
| New Brunswick | — | $13,500 | $13,500 |
| Newfoundland | Varies (down payment assistance) | $13,500 | $13,500+ |
| Yukon | No LTT (registration fees only) | $13,500 | $13,500+ |
| Northwest Territories | No LTT (registration fees only) | $13,500 | $13,500+ |
| Nunavut | No LTT (registration fees only) | $13,500 | $13,500+ |
Federal programs include: FHSA tax deductions over 5 years ($12,000 at 30% rate) + HBTC ($1,500). HBP is excluded as it is a withdrawal, not a net savings. Territories have no land transfer tax, so the structural savings (similar to Alberta) are not reflected in the provincial savings column.
Sources: CRA — First Home Savings Account · CRA — Home Buyers’ Plan · CRA — Home Buyers’ Amount · CRA — GST/HST New Housing Rebate
Next: Working with a Realtor
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