Definitions for Home Buyer's Plan (HBP)

Arm's length – a relationship or transaction between persons who act in their separate interests.

Related persons are not considered to be dealing with each other at arm’s length. Related persons include individuals connected by a blood relationship, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption (legal or in fact). A corporation and an individual, or two corporations, may also be related persons.

Unrelated persons might not be dealing with each other at arm’s length at a particular time, for example, when one person is under the influence or control of the other or the persons are considered to be acting together. Each case depends upon its own facts.

For more information, see Income tax Folio S1–F5–C1, Related Persons and Dealing at Arm's Length.

Common-law partner – a person who is not your spouse (see the definition of spouse), with whom you are living in a conjugal relationship, and to whom at least one of the following situations applies. He or she:

• has been living with you in a conjugal relationship and this current relationship has lasted at least 12 continuous months;

Eligible withdrawal – this is an amount you withdraw from your RRSP after you have met the HBP conditions that apply to your situation.

HBP balance – your HBP balance, at any time, is the total of all eligible withdrawals you made from your RRSPs minusthe total of all amounts you designated as an HBP repayment and amounts included in your income (because they were not repaid to your RRSPs) in previous years.

Non-arm’s length – a relationship or transaction between two persons who are related to each other. However, a non-arm’s length relationship might also exist between unrelated individuals, partnerships, or corporations, depending on the circumstances.

Participant – you are considered an HBP participant if:

• you make an eligible withdrawal from your RRSP to buy or build a qualifying home for yourself;
• you make an eligible withdrawal from your RRSP to buy or build a qualifying home for a related person with a disability or to help such a person buy or build a qualifying home; or
• you are the spouse or common-law partner of a deceased HBP participant and you have elected to continue making the repayments of the deceased participant.

Participation period – your HBP participation period starts on January 1 of the year you make an eligible withdrawal from your RRSP and ends in the year your HBP balance is zero.

Person with disability – you are considered a person with a disability if you are entitled to the disability amount. For purposes of the HBP, a person with a disability includes you or a person related to you by blood, marriage, common-law partnership or adoption. A related person with a disability does not have to reside with you in the same home.

We consider a person to be entitled to the disability amount if one of the following situations applies:

• the person was entitled to the disability amount on line 316 of his or her income tax and benefit return for the year before the HBP withdrawal, and still meets the eligibility requirements for the disability amount when the HBP withdrawal is made; or
• the person was not entitled to the disability amount for any year before the HBP withdrawal, but a Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, certified by a qualified practitioner, is filed for the person for the year of the HBP withdrawal. If Form T2201 is not approved, your withdrawals will not be considered eligible withdrawals under the HBP, and will have to be included in your income for the year you receive them.

If all other eligibility requirements are met, we consider a person to be entitled to the disability amount even if costs for an attendant or for care in a nursing home were claimed as a medical expense by or on behalf of that person.

Pooled registered pension plan (PRPP) – a pooled registered pension plan (PRPP) is a new, accessible, straightforward retirement savings option for individuals who do not have access to a workplace pension plan or where a workplace pension plan does not exist.

Qualifying home – a qualifying home is a housing unit located in Canada. This includes existing homes and those being constructed. Single-family homes, semi-detached homes, townhouses, mobile homes, condominium units, and apartments in duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, or apartment buildings all qualify. A share in a co-operative housing corporation that entitles you to possess, and gives you an equity interest in a housing unit located in Canada, also qualifies. However, a share that only provides you with a right to tenancy in the housing unit does not qualify.

RRSP deduction limit – the maximum amount you can deduct on your income tax and benefit return for contributions you made to your RRSPs, your PRPPs, or to your spouse’s or common-law partner’s RRSPs.

Spouse – a person to whom you are legally married.

Date modified:

2016-10-26