British Columbia

Home Owner Grant

Complex application

Tax filing not required

The Home Owner Grant reduces the amount of property tax you pay for your principal residence. The grant is available to homeowners who pay property taxes to a municipality, or to the province if they live in a rural area.

If you pay your property taxes to a First Nation, contact the First Nation directly.

Most property owners are eligible for the regular grant (also called the basic grant).

On top of the regular grant, you may qualify for an additional grant if you are:

Regular grant

The regular grant amount is $570 in the Capital Regional District, the Metro Vancouver Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District. For all other areas of the province the amount is $770.

If your property is assessed at $1,625,000 or less and you meet certain requirements, you will receive the full regular grant amount. Properties assessed over that amount may receive a partial grant (learn about the grant threshold).

Before claiming the home owner grant, you must pay at least $350 in property taxes to help fund services such as road maintenance and police protection. This amount may be less if you qualify for the home owner grant as a senior, veteran or person with a disability.

Note: For the purpose of claiming the home owner grant, you can have only one principal residence.

If you own more than one home, you can't designate which one is your principal residence.

Your principal residence is the usual place that you make your home. It’s where you live and conduct your daily affairs, like paying bills and receiving mail, and it’s generally the residence used in your government records for things like your income tax, medical services plan, driver's licence and vehicle registration.

To qualify for the home owner grant:

  • You must
    • Be the registered owner of the residence (or a spouse or relative of the deceased owner).
    • Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
    • Live in B.C.
    • Occupy the residence as your principal residence.
  • The assessed or partitioned value of your property must not exceed the grant threshold.
  • Ensure you meet additional requirements if you are buying or selling your property.

To qualify for the home owner grant, your principal residence must be taxed as an improvement.

You must occupy your principal residence when you apply for the home owner grant. However, if you meet certain requirements, you may still be able to apply for the grant if you:

  • Work outside the province.
  • Are absent for reasons such as medical, travel, education or home renovations.
  • Moved into a residential care facility.
  • Moved out of your principal residence because it was damaged.

Proof of  residency in Province

For example:

  • lease agreement
  • rent receipt
  • household bill
    • gas
    • electricity
    • cable television
    • telephone
  • driver's license
  • vehicle registration or car insurance
  • membership in social or professional organization
  • Other:
    • bank information
    • employment information

Proof of housing situation

For example:

  • letter from landlord about your housing situation
  • eviction notice
  • disconnection notice
  • police report about an incident involving your housing
  • moving company quote or invoice
  • list of repairs needed in home
  • list of expenses for renovations needed for independence in the home
  • proof of home ownership (mortgage, property ownership)

Social Insurance Number

For example:

  • confirmation of SIN letter
  • plastic SIN card (non-expired)

Notice of Assessment

A statement from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to each taxpayer, every year, after you have filed a tax return. It tells you the amount of income tax you owe, or the amount of the refund you will get.

If you qualify for the home owner grant, you must apply each year to receive it. You must apply every year because the previous year’s information may be out of date if your circumstances have changed. This may affect your qualifications for the grant.

You can apply for the grant online or by phone:

Apply Online

Apply by Phone

  • You can apply by phone with the help of government agents: Dial 1-888-355-2700
  • Call Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, excluding statutory holidays.

Applying as a person with a disability

If you are applying as a person with a disability (PWD) as designated under the Province of B.C.’s Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act and this is your first time applying for this type of grant, you need to either:

If you are applying as a person with a disability or the spouse or relative of a person with a disability who resides with you and this is your first time applying for this type of grant, you need to:

When to apply

  • Apply for the home owner grant when you receive your property tax notice.
  • You can submit your application early, but your application will not be processed until after tax notices are mailed. You can always check the status of your application online using your confirmation number.
  • Late payment penalties may apply to your property taxes if your grant application is not received before the due date. The grant is a form of payment towards your property taxes and it is considered a late payment if you apply late.
  • However, you can still apply for the home owner grant until December 31 of the current tax year. You can apply even if you haven’t paid your property taxes.
  • If you qualified for the grant last year and didn’t apply, you may be able to claim the grant retroactively for up to one year.

If you have any questions about the home owner grant, call toll Free: 1-888-355-2700 or by mail to: PO Box 9446 Stn Prov Govt Victoria BC V8W 9R7.

Last updated: April 8, 2021