Overview
Home ownership Canada programs offer significant support for first-time buyers looking to enter the housing market. These initiatives aim to make homeownership more accessible by providing financial assistance, tax benefits, and educational resources. Understanding these programs is crucial for navigating the complexities of purchasing your first home in Canada.
These programs are designed to address various financial hurdles, from down payment assistance to ongoing savings, ensuring a smoother path to homeownership for eligible Canadians.
- Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP): This program allows first-time buyers to withdraw funds from their Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) to finance a down payment without immediate tax implications. Learn more about HBP details and how it can benefit you.
- First-Time Home Buyer Incentive: This shared-equity mortgage program offers a percentage of the home’s purchase price to reduce monthly mortgage payments. Discover the incentive’s structure and eligibility criteria.
- First Home Savings Account (FHSA): A new registered plan that allows eligible individuals to save for their first home tax-free, combining features of both RRSPs and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs). Maximize your savings with the FHSA benefits.
Navigating Canadian Home Ownership Programs with KWB
Updated April 15, 2024
According to the 2019 Canadian Income Survey, the median after-tax income of Canadian families and unattached individuals was $62,900 in 2019. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the average price of a detached single-family home in Canada was about $700,000.
To help Canadians purchase homes, a few programs exist to make it easier.
Understanding the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) in Canada
The Home Buyers Plan (HBP) is a program that allows first-time home buyers to withdraw up to $60,000 per person (formerly $35,000) from each of your RRSP accounts as long as the funds are put towards the purchase of your first home and are repaid within the subsequent 15 years. Learn about Home Buyers Plan eligibility here.
Understanding Canada’s Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)
The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive helps people purchase their first home. Through this program, the Government of Canada provides a percentage of the home’s purchase price to put toward a down payment. This addition to your down payment lowers your mortgage carrying costs making homeownership more affordable.
The incentives are:
- 5% or 10% for a first time buyer’s purchase of a newly constructed home
- 5% for a first time buyer’s purchase of a resale (existing) home
- 5% for a first time buyer’s purchase of a new or resale mobile/manufactured home
The incentive is available to first time home buyers with qualified annual incomes of $120,000 or less. A participant’s insured mortgage and the incentive amount cannot be greater than four times the participant’s qualified annual income.
Learn more about the program and eligibility here.
The First-Time Home Buyer Incentive: What You Need to Know
The First Home Savings Account became available in April 2023. This new registered plan gives prospective first-time homebuyers the ability to save $40,000 on a tax-free basis towards the purchase of a first home in Canada.
Like an RRSP, contributions to an FHSA will be tax deductible, but like a TFSA, withdrawals to purchase a first home, including from any investment income or growth earned in the account, will be non-taxable. The new legislation confirms that a first-time homebuyer can use both the FHSA and the existing Home Buyers’ Plan to purchase their first home.
For information on the FHSA updated in July 2025, click here.
Exploring the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive
Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life, and it’s a personal choice that’s different for everyone. Consider your lifestyle and financial position as well as the future you envision for yourself and how affordable that future might be.
For more information on how to calculate the financial impact of home ownership, visit these related blog posts:
- Home Ownership Changes in Canada | Are Canadians Still Buying Houses?
- Renting vs. Buying A Home in Canada | What is the Right Financial Choice for You?
- The Right Time to Buy a House | Can You Afford to Buy a Home in Canada?
Since writing this article, the Canadian government announced a new incentive for home ownership, the First Home Savings Account. You can learn more about it here.
Maximizing Your First Home Savings Account (FHSA)
Unsure of how to analyze your financial situation and the impact of home ownership? We are happy to work with our clients to determine the best financial and life decision for you, your family, and your goals.
Connect with us today at kwbllp.com/!