Ontario Buyer Resource
Ontario Home Buyer Programs, Rebates and Grants
A program can support the purchase, but it should never replace a complete buying plan.
A current guide to savings accounts, RRSP withdrawals, tax credits, Ontario land transfer tax refunds, new-home GST and HST rebates, insured mortgage rules, discontinued programs, and the official sources buyers should verify.
Jonathan Colford | Sales Representative | eXp Realty Brokerage
Not every buyer benefit is a grant, and not every program applies at closing.
Some programs help buyers save before purchasing. Others involve RRSP withdrawals, tax credits, land transfer tax refunds, new-home rebates, mortgage qualification, or filing after the transaction.
Build funds before the purchase.
The FHSA can provide tax-assisted saving for eligible first-time buyers, subject to contribution room, withdrawal, and qualifying-home rules.
Use eligible RRSP funds with repayment obligations.
The Home Buyers Plan may allow an eligible buyer to withdraw qualifying RRSP funds, but the program creates future repayment responsibilities.
Reduce certain taxes or claim a tax credit.
The Home Buyers Amount, Ontario land transfer tax refund, and new-home GST and HST rebates each work differently and have separate eligibility rules.
Understand benefits that are not cash programs.
Insured-mortgage price limits and 30-year amortization eligibility can affect financing, but they are not grants, rebates, or free money.
Four established benefits buyers should understand first.
These programs do not provide the same type of benefit. One supports saving, one supports eligible RRSP withdrawals, one is a federal tax credit, and one can reduce Ontario land transfer tax.
First Home Savings Account
Eligible first-time buyers can use an FHSA to save for a qualifying first home. Contributions are generally deductible, and qualifying withdrawals can be tax-free when all requirements are met.
Review CRA FHSA Guidance Active RRSP Program Up to $60,000 in eligible withdrawalsHome Buyers Plan
Eligible participants may withdraw qualifying RRSP funds to buy or build a qualifying home. The withdrawal is subject to program conditions and normally creates a repayment schedule.
Review CRA HBP Guidance Federal Tax Credit Up to $10,000 for the 2025 tax yearHome Buyers Amount
This federal non-refundable tax credit may help an eligible purchaser of a qualifying home reduce federal income tax otherwise payable. The amount should be confirmed for the tax year being filed.
Review CRA Tax Credit Guidance Ontario Tax Refund Up to $4,000 for eligible buyersOntario Land Transfer Tax Refund
Eligible first-time homebuyers may receive a refund of all or part of Ontario land transfer tax, up to the current provincial maximum, when the required conditions are met.
Review Ontario Eligibility
The first-time home buyer GST and HST rebate became available in 2026.
The federal rebate can provide eligible first-time buyers with a rebate of 100% of the GST, or federal part of the HST, on an eligible new home valued up to $1 million.
The benefit is gradually reduced for eligible homes valued above $1 million and below $1.5 million. The maximum federal rebate is $50,000, subject to the detailed buyer, property, occupancy, agreement, construction, and filing requirements.
- The program applies to eligible new or substantially renovated homes rather than ordinary resale homes.
- Builder purchase agreements generally need to be entered into on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031.
- Construction or substantial renovation must begin before 2031 and be substantially completed before 2036 where the applicable rules require it.
- Application procedures differ for builder purchases, co-operative shares, owner-built homes, and other qualifying situations.
- Ontario schedules and existing new-housing-rebate rules may also affect the filing process.
Some buyer advantages affect the mortgage rather than providing cash.
These rules may change qualification, down-payment requirements, amortization, or monthly payments, but they do not remove the responsibility to qualify or repay the mortgage.
Insured mortgage price limit
Homeowner mortgage loan insurance may be available on eligible purchases below $1.5 million when the down payment is less than 20%, subject to insurer and lender requirements.
Thirty-year amortization
Eligible insured mortgages may use a 30-year amortization when the borrower is a first-time buyer or the property is a qualifying new build.
Longer repayment cost
A longer amortization may reduce the scheduled payment but can increase total interest and the length of time required to repay the mortgage.
Do not plan around the former First-Time Home Buyer Incentive.
Older articles, videos, and calculators may still mention the federal shared-equity program even though it stopped accepting new applications.
First-Time Home Buyer Incentive
CMHC states that the program is no longer accepting applications. The deadline for new submissions was March 21, 2024, and no new approvals were granted after March 31, 2024.
Verify discontinued programs directly
Official notices should be checked before relying on older online content, especially where a program had deadlines, funding limits, pilot periods, or time-sensitive application windows.
Review the CMHC NoticeConfirm the benefit before building it into the purchase plan.
A program can be real, current, and still not apply to a particular buyer, property, agreement, or filing year.
Begin with the government or program administrator.
CRA, Canada.ca, Ontario.ca, CMHC, and other official pages should carry more weight than recycled articles, advertisements, or social posts.
Confirm how the program defines a first-time buyer.
Definitions can vary between programs and may consider ownership, occupancy, spouses, disability-related exceptions, residency, and other factors.
Match the rules to the actual home.
New construction, substantial renovation, resale, co-operative ownership, owner-built homes, intended occupancy, and purchase price can affect eligibility.
Check agreement, construction, closing, and filing dates.
Programs may use the agreement date, withdrawal date, construction start, substantial completion, ownership transfer, occupancy, or tax year.
Understand when and how the benefit is received.
A tax credit, refund, qualifying withdrawal, rebate, mortgage rule, and savings deduction can affect cash flow in very different ways.
Confirm responsibilities with the appropriate advisor.
A mortgage professional, lender, lawyer, accountant, builder, financial planner, or tax professional may need to review different parts of the plan.
Use current primary information for every calculation.
These links lead directly to official program, tax, rebate, mortgage, and discontinued-program information.
CRA First Home Savings Account
Review eligibility, participation room, contributions, deductions, transfers, qualifying withdrawals, and account timelines.
Visit CRA FHSACRA Home Buyers Plan
Review eligibility, RRSP withdrawals, the current withdrawal limit, qualifying homes, participation rules, and repayments.
Visit CRA HBPCRA Home Buyers Amount
Review the current tax-year claim, qualifying-home rules, first-time-buyer requirements, disability provisions, and filing steps.
Visit CRA Tax CreditOntario Land Transfer Tax Refund
Review buyer qualifications, occupancy requirements, ownership rules, refund limits, application deadlines, and documentation.
Visit Ontario GuidanceFirst-Time Buyer GST and HST Rebate
Review the current federal new-home rebate, eligibility, thresholds, agreement dates, construction timing, and application methods.
Visit CRA Rebate GuidanceCMHC Homebuyer Programs
Review federal incentives, rebates, mortgage insurance, calculators, and homebuying resources in one official location.
Visit CMHC ResourcesCommon questions about Ontario and federal buyer benefits.
These answers are general. Program, tax, mortgage, legal, builder, property, and filing information should be confirmed for the specific buyer and purchase.
Is every buyer eligible for these programs?
No. Eligibility depends on the program, buyer history, age, residency, property type, purchase timing, agreement date, occupancy, tax rules, and other program-specific conditions.
Are all of these benefits cash grants?
No. Some are savings tools, qualifying withdrawals, tax credits, tax refunds, new-home rebates, or mortgage rules. The timing and practical value of each benefit can be very different.
Can the FHSA and Home Buyers Plan be used for the same home?
CRA guidance indicates that an eligible buyer may use a qualifying FHSA withdrawal and a Home Buyers Plan withdrawal for the same qualifying home when all conditions for both programs are met.
Is the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive still open?
No. CMHC states that the shared-equity First-Time Home Buyer Incentive is no longer accepting applications.
Does the first-time buyer GST and HST rebate apply to ordinary resale homes?
No. The federal program is directed to eligible new or substantially renovated homes and other qualifying new-home situations, subject to detailed rules.
What should I do before relying on a buyer program?
Review the current official source, confirm the buyer and property definitions, check every relevant date, understand when the benefit is received, and obtain advice from the appropriate professional.
Connect buyer programs with the full purchase process.
These pages can help organize affordability, representation, property searches, offers, communities, and the larger decision surrounding the purchase.
First-Time Home Buyer Guide
Review financing preparation, down payments, deposits, closing costs, representation, offers, conditions, property evaluation, and communities.
Read the Buyer Guide Ontario ProcessHow Real Estate Works in Ontario
Review preparation, representation, agreements, searches, selling strategy, offers, conditions, deposits, due diligence, lawyers, lenders, and closing.
Read the Ontario Guide Guidance CentreBuyer and Seller Guidance
Connect life-stage planning, community research, market insights, valuation, property searches, selling, buying, and the next move.
Visit the Guidance Centre
Jonathan Colford Homes & Estates
Buyer programs should be connected to the real purchase, not viewed in isolation.
Jonathan Colford, Sales Representative with eXp Realty Brokerage, works with York Region buyers who want practical explanations, local context, thoughtful preparation, and consistent communication.
The goal is to help connect available programs with financing, monthly comfort, property type, community choice, offer strategy, closing costs, and the long-term responsibilities of ownership.
- Jonathan Colford | Sales Representative | eXp Realty Brokerage
- Phone: 647-823-6092
- Email: jonathan.colford@exprealty.com
- Website: jonathancolfordhomes.com
Need help connecting buyer programs with your purchase plan?
Start with a conversation about your timing, savings, financing, property needs, preferred communities, and the benefits that may be worth verifying before you begin the search.
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