Canada's first-time buyer GST rebate can wipe out the entire 5% federal GST on a new build, up to $50,000. Alberta buyers get the cleanest version of it: no provincial sales tax on the home, and no percentage-based land transfer tax either. Enter a price and see the estimate.
In 2025 the federal government introduced the First-Time Home Buyers' GST Rebate, enacted through Bill C-4 which received Royal Assent in 2026. It refunds up to 100% of the 5% federal GST on a qualifying newly built home, capped at $50,000.
Two things make this land harder in Alberta than almost anywhere else. There is no provincial sales tax on a new home here, so the 5% federal GST is the only sales tax in the deal, and this rebate targets exactly that. And Alberta has no percentage-based land transfer tax, only smaller land title registration fees. Our closing cost breakdown shows how that changes the cash you need on possession day.
It applies to new construction only: a home from a builder, a home you build on land you own, or co-operative housing shares. Resale homes are not eligible, and in Alberta a resale purchase generally carries no GST anyway.
Credited by the builder at closing. This is the common path in Alberta. The builder applies the rebate against your purchase price, subject to confirming you qualify, and files the claim itself. You feel it as a lower price rather than a cheque, which is why so many buyers never realise they received it.
Claimed yourself from the CRA. If the builder does not credit it, you file directly and generally have up to two years from the date ownership transfers.
Either way, settle the eligibility question before you firm up an offer. If the builder has priced the home assuming it keeps the rebate and you do not actually qualify, that gap lands on you. It is a five-minute conversation that occasionally saves tens of thousands.
If you are buying new, also check whether you are owed the 25% mortgage insurance premium refund for an energy-efficient home. It is a separate program, it stacks with this one, and almost nobody claims it. And when you are ready to shop, the quick possession finder shows every builder's move-in-ready inventory in one place.
Between the GST rebate, the mortgage insurance refund and what builders will negotiate, most new-build buyers leave money behind. I'll walk your specific deal with you. Bangla · Hindi · Urdu · English.
This calculator is general information for planning, not tax, legal or financial advice. Program thresholds, rates and deadlines can change, and eligibility depends on facts specific to your purchase. Confirm current details with the Canada Revenue Agency or a licensed tax professional before making decisions.