Please note that the following document, although believed to be correct at the time of issue, may not represent the current position of the CRA.
Prenez note que ce document, bien qu'exact au moment émis, peut ne pas représenter la position actuelle de l'ARC.
Principal Issues: Are tenants eligible to claim the HRTC when they pay for home renovations themselves?
Position: No.
Reasons: The HRTC can be claimed by homeowners who use their homes personally and, therefore, tenants are not eligible to claim the HRTC.
XXXXXXXXXX
Dear XXXXXXXXXX :
Thank you for your correspondence received on August 12, 2009, regarding the new home renovation tax credit (HRTC). In particular, you want to know if tenants are eligible to claim the HRTC when they pay for home renovations themselves.
The proposed HRTC will provide individuals with a temporary 15% non-refundable income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for work performed, or goods acquired, after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010, for agreements entered into after January 27, 2009. Taxpayers can claim this credit for the 2009 tax year on eligible expenditures exceeding $1,000, but not more than $10,000, which will result in a non-refundable tax credit of up to $1,350.
The legislation regarding the new HRTC, which was introduced in the federal budget tabled on January 27, 2009, has not yet been made public. However, the Honourable James M. Flaherty, Minister of Finance, has publicly announced that expenditures will qualify if they relate to a renovation or an alteration of an eligible dwelling, including land that forms part of the eligible dwelling, and if the renovation or alteration is of an enduring nature and is integral to the eligible dwelling. Such expenditures will include the cost of labour and professional services, building materials, fixtures, equipment rentals, and permits.
An eligible dwelling is a housing unit that is eligible at any time after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010, to be an individual's principal residence. In general, a housing unit is considered to be eligible to be an individual's principal residence if it is owned by the individual and ordinarily inhabited by the individual, his or her spouse or common-law partner, or his or her children. Therefore, any housing unit that an individual owns and uses personally, including a home and a cottage, qualifies for the HRTC.
Your understanding is correct. The HRTC can be claimed by homeowners who use their homes personally and, therefore, tenants are not eligible to claim the HRTC.
You can find more information on the HRTC on the Canada Revenue Agency Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/hrtc and in the enclosed Government of Canada brochure, which is also available at www.actionplan.gc.ca/grfx/docs/HRTC_eng.pdf.
I trust that the information I have provided is helpful.
Sincerely,
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, P.C., M.P.
Enclosure
Ananthy Mahendran
(905) 721-5204
2009-033684
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