Every First-Time Home Buyer Program In Ontario, Stacked (2026)

First-time buyers in Ontario have access to more government programs than most realize — and the best part is that most of them stack. Here’s the complete list, what each does, and how to use them together.

1. First Home Savings Account (FHSA)

A registered account that combines the best parts of an RRSP and a TFSA: contributions are tax-deductible like an RRSP, and withdrawals (for a qualifying first home purchase) are tax-free like a TFSA.

Annual limit: $8,000 (carry-forward up to $8K of unused room)
Lifetime limit: $40,000
Account stays open up to 15 years

2. RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

Withdraw up to $60,000 tax-freefrom your RRSP for a qualifying first home purchase. You repay it back over 15 years (annual instalments — missed instalments become taxable income).

Stacking trick: a couple buying together can each use FHSA + HBP, putting up to $200,000 of tax-advantaged money toward a down payment.

3. Federal GST/HST First-Time Home Buyers’ Rebate

New as of March 2026 — eliminates the federal GST (or HST’s federal portion) on new builds for qualifying first-time buyers:

Up to $1M home: full rebate, up to $50,000
$1M–$1.5M: phased
Over $1.5M: nothing

Eligible if your purchase agreement is signed between March 20, 2025 and end of 2030. Detailed breakdown here.

4. Ontario’s Proposed HST Rebate

Ontario’s 2026 budget proposed a temporary removal of the 8% provincial HST portion on new homes for first-time buyers, up to $80,000. Purchase agreements would need to be signed between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. Subject to legislative passage.

5. Ontario Land Transfer Tax Refund

First-time buyers anywhere in Ontario can claim up to $4,000back on their provincial land transfer tax. The rebate phases in based on purchase price — a home around $368,000 eliminates the LTT entirely; above that, you pay the difference.

6. Toronto Municipal Land Transfer Tax Refund

Buyers inside the City of Toronto pay both Ontario and Toronto LTT. First-time buyers can claim up to $4,475 back on the municipal portion.

Together, an Ontario + Toronto first-time buyer can claim up to $8,475 in LTT relief.

7. The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit

A non-refundable federal tax credit worth up to $1,500claimed on your tax return the year you buy. Easy to overlook — flag it to your accountant or whoever does your taxes.

What it looks like all stacked

For a couple buying a $950,000 new build in Toronto in 2026, both first-time buyers, both with maxed-out FHSAs and modest RRSPs — the picture might look something like this:

Tax-advantaged down payment funds: $160K–$200K (combined FHSA + HBP)
Federal GST rebate: ~$47,500
Ontario HST rebate (if proposal passes): ~$76,000
Combined LTT rebates: $8,475
Federal first-time buyer tax credit: $1,500

Total: roughly $130,000+ in direct relief, plus the tax savings on your contributions.

The catches that trip people up

FHSA contributions need to be made before withdrawal and follow strict timing rules.
HBP repaymentsare mandatory — missing them turns the withdrawal into taxable income.
GST/HST rebates apply only to new builds, not resale.
The first-time-buyer definition means neither you nor your spouse has owned a home anywhere in the world in the prior four calendar years.
Most rebates have hard capson home value — one dollar over and you lose them entirely.

Getting it right

These programs aren’t hard, but the timing and eligibility details matter. Get one wrong — the wrong account funded, the wrong eligibility year, the wrong agreement date — and you can leave tens of thousands on the table.

I run the math personally on every first-time buyer file I take. If you’re considering a purchase in the next 6–12 months, let’s talk early — the planning phase is where most of these are won or lost.

Program details cited are as of May 2026. Sources: CRA, Ontario Ministry of Finance, City of Toronto.