All Programs at a Glance

This page brings together every federal and provincial program covered in this module into a single reference. Use the comparison table to quickly identify which programs apply in your province, then see the stacking examples to understand how combining programs can save you tens of thousands of dollars.

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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
GST Exemption (enacted March 2026)	Full GST elimination for first-time buyers on new builds under $1M	First-time buyers only; saves up to ~$50,000; phased out $1M-$1.5M

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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	—	Federal GST eliminated (Bill C-4, confirmed); provincial HST elimination announced March 2026, pending Ontario legislation (up to $130,000 combined if enacted)	Combined Toronto LTT savings up to $8,475; confirm current status with builder
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	No FTHB rebate on welcome tax	Montreal: up to $15,000 grant	QST rebate up to $9,975	Welcome tax is a significant closing cost
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

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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 instead of resale, the federal GST is eliminated (confirmed law). The Ontario provincial HST elimination has been announced but is pending provincial legislation — if fully enacted, combined savings could be up to $130,000 on homes under $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.

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Key Takeaways

Tip

Do not leave money on the table. Many of these programs must be actively claimed — they are not applied automatically. Here is who helps you claim each type:

• Land transfer tax rebates — Your real estate lawyer claims these at closing. Make sure they know you are a first-time buyer.
• HBTC ($1,500 credit) — You or your accountant claims this on your tax return (line 31270) for the year you purchased.
• FHSA deductions — You or your accountant claims these on your tax return each year you contribute.
• GST/HST rebates — Either your builder applies them to the purchase price, or you claim them directly through the CRA after closing. Ask your builder which approach they use.
• Provincial down payment assistance — You apply before or during the purchase process through the provincial housing authority.
• Municipal grants (Montreal, etc.) — You apply through the municipal government, often before closing.

Work with your lawyer, accountant, and mortgage broker to create a checklist of every program you are eligible for. Assign responsibility for each one. Missing a single program because nobody remembered to apply is an expensive mistake.

Caution

Program rules, income limits, and grant amounts change frequently. The information in this guide is current as of early 2026, but you should always verify the details directly with the relevant government website or program administrator before making financial decisions based on these programs. Your mortgage broker and real estate lawyer should also be up to date on the latest rules.

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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 $15,000 (municipal grant)	$13,500	$28,500
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.

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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