GST relief for first-time home buyers on new homes valued up to $1.5 million
From: Department of Finance Canada
To lower the upfront cost of buying a new home for young Canadians and spur the construction of new homes across the country, the government is eliminating the Goods and Services Tax (GST) for first-time home buyers on new homes up to $1 million and reducing the GST for first-time home buyers on new homes between $1 million and $1.5 million.
On May 27, 2025, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, tabled legislative proposals to amend the Excise Tax Act to introduce a new GST rebate for first-time home buyers (the “FTHB GST Rebate”). As a result of this rebate, first-time home buyers will be able to save up to $50,000 on a new home. This measure is expected to deliver $3.9 billion in tax savings to Canadians over five years, starting in 2025-26.
First-Time Home Buyers’ GST Rebate
If you are a first-time home buyer, you may be eligible for a FTHB GST Rebate if:
- you buy a new home from a builder;
- you build, or hire someone else to build, a home on land you own or lease; or
- you buy shares of a co-operative housing corporation.
The FTHB GST Rebate will apply to the same types of housing and apply similar eligibility criteria and conditions as the existing GST/HST New Housing Rebate, with certain modifications to ensure that the rebate is targeted at first-time home buyers.
To be considered a “first-time home buyer” for the purposes of the FTHB GST Rebate, an individual would generally need to meet the following conditions:
- be at least 18 years of age;
- be either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada; and
- not have lived in a home, whether in or outside Canada, that they owned or that their spouse or common-law partner owned in the calendar year or in the four preceding calendar years.
Together with the existing GST/HST New Housing Rebate (where that rebate is applicable), the FTHB GST Rebate would provide for a rebate of 100% of the GST on new homes valued up to $1 million.
The FTHB GST Rebate would be phased out in a linear manner for new homes valued between $1 million and $1.5 million. For example, under the linear phase-out, a home valued at $1.25 million would be eligible for a 50% GST rebate (a rebate of up to $25,000).
No FTHB GST Rebate would be available for new homes valued at or above $1.5 million. Source: canada.ca
Know these 3 signs of stroke
(NC) In healthcare, there’s a saying about strokes: “time lost is brain lost.” When a stroke happens, every second counts.
Stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. Brain cells die at a rate of 1.9 million per minute after onset, so the sooner blood flow can be restored, the better the chance of survival—with little or no disability.
If you, or someone with you, experiences any of these signs, call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number FAST.
FAST is an easy and memorable way to remember the three major signs of stroke, and action to take:
F – face, is it drooping?
A – arms, can you raise them?
S – speech, is it slurred or jumbled?
T – time to call 9-1-1 right away.
Don’t drive yourself or the person experiencing signs to the hospital—an ambulance will get you to the closest hospital that provides urgent stroke care. Emergency medical services will be able to determine which hospital in your area can best help.
Treatments can reduce the severity and reverse some of the effects, and it’s important they’re given as quickly as possible.
More signs of stroke
The FAST signs are the most common and are more likely to be caused by stroke than any other condition. But there are additional signs that some people experience. They include:
- vision changes—blurred or double vision
- sudden severe headache, usually accompanied by some of the other signs
- numbness—usually on one side of the body
- problems with balance
Stroke is a leading cause of death and adult disability in Canada. Almost one million people are living with the effects and more than 108,000 strokes occur each year—that’s roughly one every five minutes.
Share the signs—you could save the life of someone you love. Learn more at heartandstroke.ca/fast.www.newscanada.com
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