The First Time Home Buyer Incentive helps qualified first time buyers reduce their monthly mortgage carrying costs without adding to their financial burdens. Up to 1.25 billion dollars has been set aside to help lower mortgage costs for eligible Canadians, on a First Come First Service Basis.  

Buyers will need to have a minimum down payment to be eligible, which can be from your qualified R.S.P.  Just keep in mind this is a C.M.H.C. insured mortgage program. Total down payment is to be “less” than 20% down. You can then apply for the 5% Down Payment Incentive, giving you an extra 5% down on resale purchases or 10% on new construction.  Simplified, this is a shared equity mortgage program with the Government of Canada. 

The Incentive funds will be a second mortgage on title.  There will be no regular principal payments, no interest and has a maximum repayment term of 25 years or sooner if the property is sold. You can repay the Incentive at any time without a prepayment penalty.  However, the repayment is based on the property’s fair market value.

The Government will share in the upside and downside of the property value upon repayment.   Essentially the government is re-paid by their shared equity from the value of the property.