Homeowner Grant

The BC Home Owner Grant is a provincial program that reduces the amount of annual property tax an eligible owner pays on their principal residence. It is administered by the BC Ministry of Finance under the Home Owner Grant Act. Eligible owners must occupy the property as their principal residence and apply each year — the grant is never applied automatically.

For 2026, the basic grant is up to $570 for properties located in Metro Vancouver, the Capital Regional District, and the Fraser Valley Regional District. Properties located elsewhere in BC qualify for a higher basic grant of up to $770, reflecting additional rural support. These amounts apply only where the property's assessed value falls at or below the phase-out threshold.

For 2026, the full grant is available on properties assessed at $2,075,000 or less. For properties assessed above that threshold, the grant is reduced by $5 for every $1,000 of assessed value exceeding $2,075,000, until the grant is fully phased out. Owners of high-value properties should calculate their net grant entitlement based on their BC Assessment notice.

Seniors aged 65 or older, veterans as defined under the Home Owner Grant Act, and persons with disabilities may qualify for an additional grant on top of the basic amount, subject to the same principal-residence and assessed-value requirements. The combined basic and additional grant is still subject to the phase-out calculation if the property's assessed value exceeds the $2,075,000 threshold. Applicants should confirm their eligibility category with the BC Ministry of Finance.

No — the Home Owner Grant is not automatic and must be applied for every year by the eligible owner. Application is typically made through the BC Government's online portal or by contacting the Ministry of Finance, and there is a deadline tied to the property tax due date set by the relevant taxing authority. Failing to apply before the deadline means the grant is forfeited for that tax year.

To qualify, the owner must occupy the property as their principal residence, meaning it is the place where they ordinarily live and to which they intend to return when absent. The grant applies to only one property per owner household in any given tax year, so owners with multiple properties must designate which one is their principal residence. Misrepresenting principal-residence status to claim the grant can result in penalties and repayment obligations under the Home Owner Grant Act.

Yes — an owner of a strata lot who occupies that unit as their principal residence is eligible to apply for the Home Owner Grant, provided all other eligibility requirements are met. Strata lots in BC are governed by the Strata Property Act (SBC 1998, c. 43), and each strata lot is assessed separately by BC Assessment, so the phase-out threshold applies to the individual unit's assessed value, not the entire strata building's value. The grant reduces property taxes levied on that individual strata lot.

The Home Owner Grant and BC Property Transfer Tax (PTT) are separate programs with different triggering events — the PTT under the Property Transfer Tax Act arises on the transfer of registered ownership, while the Home Owner Grant reduces annual property taxes once the owner is in occupation. Receiving or not receiving the Home Owner Grant has no direct effect on PTT liability, first-time home buyer exemptions, or the newly built home exemption. Buyers should review both programs independently when purchasing a principal residence in BC.

BC Budget 2026 announced that the $200 northern and rural supplementary grant will be eliminated effective the 2027 tax year, so 2026 is the final year eligible rural homeowners can claim this additional amount. This supplementary grant currently provides extra relief to eligible owners in qualifying northern and rural areas on top of the higher $770 basic grant. Owners in affected regions should account for this change when planning their property tax obligations from 2027 onward.

When an owner dies, their estate may be able to claim the Home Owner Grant for the portion of the tax year during which the deceased occupied the property as their principal residence, subject to the eligibility requirements under the Home Owner Grant Act. The administration of a deceased owner's estate, including any property interests, is governed in BC by the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (WESA). The executor or administrator of the estate should contact the BC Ministry of Finance to determine how to apply the grant in that circumstance.