Your Complete Guide to Canada's New First-Time Home Buyers GST Rebate

Real Estate 101
March 14, 2026

Buying a new home is an exciting milestone, and one of the smartest financial moves you can make is understanding the incentives available to you. One of the most valuable programs now available as of March 12, 2026 for new homebuyers in Canada is the First-Time Home Buyers' (FTHB) GST Rebate, which can return thousands of dollars back to you after purchasing or building a new home. Here’s everything you need to know, which will be continually updated with the latest information.

What is the First-Time Home Buyers' GST Rebate?

The federal government has introduced major updates to the GST rebate for first-time buyers of newly built homes. Under the new measures in Bill C‑4, eligible purchasers can now have the 5% federal GST removed on qualifying homes priced up to $1.5 million, offering potential savings of as much as $50,000. This expanded rebate makes new construction more attainable by allowing buyers to recover a significant portion of the GST they pay.

This rebate applies to you:

  • If you purchased with Excel with a Purchase Agreement signed on March 20, 2025 up until March 12, 2026
  • New Excel homeowners up until March 12, 2031

Eligibility Requirements

You may qualify for the rebate if you meet the following criteria:

  • You are a "first-time home buyer" meaning you have not lived in a homethat you or your spouse orcommon-law partnerowned or jointly owned thiscalendar year or in theprevious 4 calendar years
  • Your new home is your primary place of residencefor the Purchaserand is not intended as a rental property
  • You are 18+ years of age or older and you are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
  • You have a new home that has a PurchaseAgreement executed onor after March 20, 2025 up until March 12, 2031
  • You or yourspouse or common-lawpartner has never received the First-Time Home Buyers (FTHB) GST rebate before

How does the FTHB GST Rebate work?

There are differences between buying a home that is up to $1 million or up to $1.5 million.

  • On a home purchase up to $1M: your GST rebate would be up to 100% for a maximum of $50,000.
  • On a home purchase up to $1M and $1.5M: After $1M, your GST rebate gradually decreases from the maximum of $50,000 on a sliding scale.
  • On a home purchase above $1.5M: Unfortunately, there is NO REBATE.

This modernized rebate reflects today's home prices and expands access for buyers in cities like Calgary, Edmonton and Airdrie where new home prices often exceed typical home prices. This also means that you'll have significantly reduced costs on your new home purchase!

Here's what you could save on your home!

For homes that are up to $1M, the GST rebate is simple. It's literally the GST off your home purchase. However up to $1.5M, there is a sliding scale from the maximum of $50,000. Here are sample rebates below:

Could I claim this rebate if I was an Excel homeowner?

If you meet the eligibility criteria and you has a Purchase Agreement that was signed on or after March 12, 2025, you are eligible to receive this rebate. To file the rebate, you’ll need:

  • Form GST190 (GST/HST New Housing Rebate Application for Houses Purchased from a Builder)
  • Form RC7190-WS GST190 (Calculation Worksheet)
  • Sales agreement, proof of occupancy, and proof of GST paid

Claims must be submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency within two years of possession.

In many builder-purchased homes, the rebate may be applied directly during closing.

How Excel Homes supports you

At Excel Homes, we make your homebuying journey as seamless as possible. We're also enhancing more practices as this exciting piece of news develops. Our team will:

  • Explains which rebate(s) you qualify for
  • Guides first-time buyers through the new 2025–2026 rebate rules
  • Works with you and your lender to ensure savings are correctly applied

Buying a home is a big step, and we're here to make it easier, clearer, and more affordable.

Ready to explore new homes eligible for the GST rebate and simplify your journey into a new home?

Contact our sales team or discover one of our communities online today.