Land transfer tax calculator
Every province and the cities that double-dip — Toronto's 2026 schedule, Montreal's brackets, Halifax's deed tax — with the first-time rebates that actually exist applied automatically. Each bracket verified at the government source.
Your purchase
Notes for this jurisdiction
What to do with this number
It's cash at closing — on top of legal fees, inspections and adjustments (CMHC budgets closing costs at 1.5%–4% of price all-in). Feed it into the affordability calculator's margin and the rent-vs-buy closing-cost input — round-trip transfer costs are exactly why short ownership horizons favour renting.
Frequently asked questions
Which provinces have no land transfer tax?
Alberta and Saskatchewan charge land-titles registration fees instead of a tax — Alberta’s is $50 plus $5 per $5,000 of value (raised October 2024), Saskatchewan’s is 0.4% of value (April 2026 schedule). Newfoundland and the territories likewise charge registry fees, not taxes. On an $800,000 home that’s roughly $850 in Alberta and $3,200 in Saskatchewan, versus $12,475 in Ontario — before Toronto doubles it.
Why does Toronto cost twice as much?
Toronto is the only Ontario city with its own municipal land transfer tax stacked on the provincial one — matching brackets up to $2 million, then luxury tiers that climb to 8.6% above $20 million under the schedule effective April 1, 2026 (4.40% at $3–4M, 5.45% at $4–5M and up from there). Many rate tables online still show the old 2024 luxury tiers; ours uses the city’s current by-law schedule.
What first-time buyer relief actually exists?
Less than people assume. The full list: Ontario refunds up to $4,000, Toronto adds up to $4,475 on its half, BC exempts the tax on the first $500,000 for homes up to $835,000 (phasing out to $860,000; newly-built homes are fully exempt to $1.1M), and PEI waives its 1% entirely with residency and occupancy conditions. Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick offer no first-time transfer-tax relief — Montreal’s home-purchase assistance is a separate grant program with its own conditions, not a tax rebate.
Is the tax charged on the price I paid?
Not always. New Brunswick, PEI and Nova Scotia charge on the greater of the purchase price or the assessed value, and Quebec uses the greatest of the price, the deed amount, or the assessment-roll value times a comparative factor — so a below-assessment deal still pays tax on the assessment. Ontario, BC and the rest use the consideration paid in a normal arm’s-length purchase.
What is Nova Scotia’s non-resident tax?
A 10% provincial deed transfer tax on residential purchases (up to three units) by buyers who aren’t Nova Scotia residents — doubled from 5% effective April 1, 2025, on top of the municipal deed transfer tax. The escape hatch: it doesn’t apply if you move to Nova Scotia within six months of closing. On a $500,000 property that’s $50,000 — the steepest transfer-tax surcharge in the country.
How do I budget for this?
Land transfer tax is the largest closing cost in most provinces and it’s due in cash — it can’t be added to the mortgage. CMHC’s guidance pegs total closing costs at 1.5%–4% of the purchase price; in Toronto the two transfer taxes alone exceed 3% on a typical purchase. Fold the number from this calculator into the affordability math and the rent-vs-buy comparison, both of which carry closing-cost inputs.
Educational tool, not tax advice. Every bracket and rebate verified June 12, 2026 at government sources (ontario.ca, toronto.ca, gov.bc.ca, gov.mb.ca, quebec.ca, montreal.ca, novascotia.ca/halifax.ca, laws.gnb.ca, princeedwardisland.ca, gov.nl.ca, alberta.ca, saskregistries.ca, territorial registries). Quebec and Montreal brackets index every January 1. NB/PEI/NS tax the greater of price or assessed value; Quebec uses its own base rules. Registration fees shown for AB/SK/NL/territories are registry fees, not taxes; Yukon's assurance-fund fee and minor registry add-ons are not modeled.