1. Owner-occupant flow: developer credits at closing

Buying a new home as your principal residence: the developer credits the rebate directly on closing day. No upfront payment by you. Mechanics: check the box on APS that ‘Statement of Adjustment shall include the HST New Housing Rebate’. The developer files Form GST190 on your behalf and credits the Statement of Adjustment, reducing closing cash by up to $130K (separate from your mortgage).

2. Rental investor flow: pay full HST first, NRRP rebate later

Buying as a rental investment: at closing you must pay full HST first (no developer credit). Then after 1 year of tenancy you apply for the New Residential Rental Property Rebate (NRRP) and CRA refunds it. Cash flow impact: prepare an extra $130K of liquidity at closing; refund arrives 1-2 years later. Budget this correctly upfront.

3. Eligibility — what ‘principal residence’ actually means

‘Principal residence’ requires: (a) you or an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent) physically moves in; (b) occupancy lasts at least 1 year; (c) no third-party rental before that. If you close and rent out 6 months later, CRA claws back the rebate plus interest and penalties. This is a high-frequency audit target.

4. Application timeline

Owner-occupant: developer files GST190, done at closing. Investor NRRP: you file GST524 (provincial) + GST525 (federal), within 2 years from first rental date. CRA processes 8-16 weeks. Required attachments: APS, Statement of Adjustment, lease, occupancy permit.

5. Common pitfalls

(1) ‘Pretend occupancy then rent’ — claiming owner-occupant then renting; high audit probability within 5 years. (2) ‘Non-immediate family living there’ — friends / cousins don’t count; rejected. (3) Multiple homes claimed simultaneously — only one principal residence at a time; multi-claims trigger audit. (4) Missed deadline — NRRP must be filed within 2 years. (5) Levy-cap math error — HST numbers often miscalculated because contract levy may or may not include HST.

Is $1M including or excluding HST?

Pre-HST base price — the ‘purchase price’ figure on the contract. If your base price is $999K, you’re under the cap and get the full rebate. $1.05M puts you in the $130K flat tier.

Is there an HST rebate for resale homes?

No. Resale principal residence transactions are HST-exempt entirely, so no rebate is needed. The HST rebate exists only for new construction and substantial renovation.

Can I claim the rebate using an LLC / corporate purchaser?

Not for principal residence rebate. A company can’t ‘live in’ a home. But the corporation can claim the NRRP (rental) rebate — provided rental to a third party + 1-year hold + filed application.

How does CRA audit principal-residence rebates?

They review: (a) utility consumption records; (b) your driver’s licence / health card address; (c) tax-return address; (d) move-in date vs. rental date. Inconsistencies → clawback. Best practice: retain all utility bills for 2 years.

Are HST on upgrades also eligible?

Yes, when upgrades are inside the contract price; the rebate calculation includes the total. If you contract a third party post-closing for additional work, that portion’s HST is not rebate-eligible.