The First-Time Home Buyer GST Rebate: How Much You Actually Save on a BC Presale (2026)

If you're a first-time buyer eyeing a presale in BC, there's now real money on the table: the new First-Time Home Buyers' GST rebate refunds 100% of the 5% federal GST on a new home priced up to $1 million — up to $50,000 back , and a partial rebate up to $1.5 million. On a $750,000 presale, that's roughly $37,500 you keep. Here's exactly how it works, who qualifies, and how to stack it with your other programs. What the new rebate actually is Announced for agreements signed on or after March 20, 2025 and now law the CRA began accepting applications in 2026 , the First-Time Home Buyers' FTHB GST/HST rebate eliminates the federal GST for qualifying first-time buyers on a new or substantially renovated home. It's separate from — and far more generous than — the older GST new-housing rebate, which effectively phased out by $450,000 and left most Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley buyers with nothing. The short version: Home at or below $1M → 100% of the 5% federal GST back max $50,000 . Between $1M and $1.5M → a sliding partial rebate. At $1.5M or above → $0. The math on a real presale Presale price 5% federal GST FTHB rebate You save $550,000 $27,500 100% $27,500 $750,000 $37,500 100% $37,500 $1,000,000 $50,000 100% cap $50,000 $1,250,000 $62,500 ~50% phase-out ~$25,000 The rebate phases out linearly between $1M and $1.5M, so the sweet spot for a first-time buyer is a presale at or below $1 million — which describes the large majority of Fraser Valley inventory. Who qualifies You generally must be at least 18, a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, buying the home as your primary residence, and you or your spouse/partner must not have owned a home you lived in during the calendar year or the four preceding years. The agreement must be dated on or after March 20, 2025 — and the rules explicitly block cancelling and re-signing an older contract just to qualify. Watch the timing. If your presale contract was signed before March 20, 2025, it doesn't qualify — and you can't re-paper it to fit. This is the single biggest eligibility trap, and exactly the kind of detail a developer's sales centre won't walk you through. Stack it…

This article is part of the PresaleProperties.com BC real estate guide library. It is intended for buyers comparing presale condos, townhomes, assignments, deposits, completion timelines, neighbourhoods and developer incentives across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

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