Ville de Montréal - Habiter Montréal

The purpose of this program is to facilitate first-time home ownership for buyers of a new affordable residential unit or, for families, an existing residential building with 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units.

More specifically, the program is designed to:

Help Montréal tenants buy a property in Montréal;
Encourage developers, indirectly, to build affordable housing, especially for families;
Improve the quality of life of households and encourage them to settle in Montréal, especially young families;
Increase the number of families owner-occupants in existing building with 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units so as to encourage better maintenance of such buildings and revitalize Montréal neighbourhoods.

The program also provides incentives for households with at least one child to promote sustainable development and limit the use of cars in Montréal. These families will also be able to take advantage of rebates on many activities offered in the cultural metropolis.

Who is eligible for financial assistance?

Any physical person who buys a first property which is a new affordable residential unit is eligible for the program. To be eligible for financial assistance when buying an existing residential property, the household must include at least one child who is under 18.

What type of property is eligible?

The purchase in Montréal of one of the following types of properties can qualify for financial assistance:

A new residential unit whose total purchase price, including taxes and extras, does not exceed the stipulated amount;
An existing exclusively residential building that includes 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units, with at least one of them being offered for rent on the date that the financial assistance is paid, and whose purchase price does not exceed the stipulated amount.

What territory does the program cover?

The program is available throughout the city of Montréal.

What is the amount of financial assistance?

The amount of financial assistance varies according to the type of household and the type of property.

The financial assistance for the purchase of a new property includes a lump-sum payment and, for families, the refund of the real estate transfer tax ("welcome" tax):

NEW PROPERTY
Type of household	Maximum eligible purchase price²	Financial assistance
Type of household	Maximum eligible purchase price²	Lump sum	Real estate transfer tax refund
Household without children (a single buyer)	$200,000	$4,500	None
Household without children (more than one buyer)¹	$250,000	$4,500	None
Household with at least one child	$280,000	$10,000	100%
	$360,000 For a « family housing unit »³ that has a habitable floor area less than 96 m² (1,033 ft²)	$10,000
	$360,000 For a « family housing unit »³ that has a minimum habitable floor area of 96 m² (1,033 ft²)	$12,500

¹ At least two of the buyers must occupy the residential unit as their principal residence.

²Including taxes and extras. The maximum eligible purchase price is increased by $2,500 for a building certified as being conform to the Novoclimat energy efficiency program or by $5,000 for a LEED-certified building. The purchase price, if it includes a parking space which is identified in the same deed of sale as the residential unit, will be reduced by the price of the parking space as declared by the developer. The price of the parking space must not exceed the market value of a parking space.

³A “family housing unit” is defined as a new residential unit that includes at least five rooms of which at least three are closed bedrooms with a window. Please note that it is possible that the habitable floor area shown on the certificate of location, which will be used to validate the interior habitable floor area, may be as much as 15% less than the gross floor area, the measure which is generally used by developers.

The financial assistance available for families when they purchase an existing residential building consists of the refund of the real estate ("welcome" tax):

EXISTING PROPERTY
Type of household	Maximum eligible purchase price	Financial assistance
Type of household	Maximum eligible purchase price	Real estate transfer tax refund
Household with at least one child	Building with 2 above-ground dwelling units: $450,000	100%¹
Household with at least one child	Building with 3 above-ground dwelling units: $490,000	100%¹

¹ The amount of financial assistance cannot however exceed the amount of the real estate transfer tax charged for a building with a value corresponding to the maximum purchase price allowed for residential buildings with 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units.

The financial assistance is paid once the new owners have demonstrated that they occupy the residential unit as their principal residence and that they have satisfied all other program requirements notably that in the case of an existing building at least one of the apartments must be rented out by the new owner on the date that the financial assistance is paid. The applicant must pay the real estate transfer tax within the prescribed delay; the amount will subsequently be refunded. Interest due to late payment of the real estate transfer tax is not included in the calculation of the financial assistance. In addition, if the real estate transfer tax is not paid in full in the twelve months following the date on which the bill was issued, the beneficiary will no longer be eligible for this reimbursement

Households with children who take advantage of this program are eligible to receive 6 months of free public transit on purchase of a one-year OPUS full-fare pass (one free pass per household). These families will also receive 2 free Accès Montréal cards. They will be informed of the procedure to obtain these benefits upon approval of the financial assistance. In addition, some of the eligibility criteria for the Renovation à la carte and major residential renovation programs have been simplified, under certain conditions, for the households with children who receive financial assistance following the purchase of an existing residential building.

The program ends when the funds earmarked for it have been exhausted, or on the date fixed by the executive committee of Ville de Montréal.

Are there any specific program requirements?

For all property types:

Each of the applicants must prove that he/she has not owned a residential property in Québec over the last five years. This 5-year period is based on the dates when the sale of the previous property and the purchase of the new one were recorded in the Land register.
To be considered a household with children, the household must include at least one child who is under 18 years of age on the date of purchase or who will be born or adopted within 9 months of that date. In addition, the child must reside with the applicant at least 40 % of the time.
The date of purchase is the date of registration of the transaction in the Land register.
When the application for financial assistance is made following the signing of an offer-to-purchase (preliminary contract), the delay between the submission of the application and the anticipated date of the transaction (deed of sale) must not exceed 18 months. Applicants then have 6 months from the date of purchase to provide all documents required to receive payment of the financial assistance.
When the application for financial assistance is made on the basis of a deed of sale, it must be submitted within 6 months of the date of purchase. Applicants then have 6 months from the approval of the financial assistance to provide all documents required to receive payment of the financial assistance.

For new properties:

The applicant must be the first buyer of the property.
The property must not have been occupied before it was purchased, except by the applicant and only for a maximum of 12 months before the date of purchase.
The property must be registered under a warranty program for new homes, provided by a recognized builders’ association.

For existing residential buildings:

Only the purchase of an existing residential building that includes 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units, with at least one of them being offered for rent on the date that the financial assistance is paid, and that has no other main use is eligible for financial assistance.
The building must have been constructed or converted into a residential building for at least 10 years.
The building must not be a divided co-ownership at the time of purchase. In addition, the owner cannot apply for such a conversion while the application for financial assistance is being processed.

What are the owner's obligations?

The beneficiary of the financial assistance must commit to remain the owner of the new residential property for at least 3 years from the date of purchase and occupy it as his / her principal residence. A notary, chosen by the beneficiary, must prepare and register these obligations in the Land registry. Notaries may charge a fee for this service. Beneficiaries who fail to comply with these obligations will be required to reimburse part or all of the financial assistance. This provision does not apply if the beneficiary sells the residential property for which financial assistance was paid within 3 years of its purchase and acquires, within one month after the sale of this property, another residential property in Montréal.
The beneficiary of financial assistance for the acquisition of an existing residential building with 2 or 3 above-ground dwelling units must commit not to convert the building into a divided co-ownership for at least 3 years after the financial assistance has been granted. A notary, chosen by the beneficiary, must prepare and register these obligations in the Land registry. Beneficiaries who fail to comply with this obligation will be required to reimburse part or all of the financial assistance.

What is the procedure to apply?

Applicants who are eligible for financial assistance should fill out the form for the Home Ownership Program available:

On the Ville de Montréal Web site at www.habitermontreal.com ;
In borough offices, Accès Montréal offices, or the reception desk of the Direction de l’habitation of Ville de Montréal, 303, rue Notre-Dame Est, 4^th floor, Montréal, Québec H2Y 3Y8.

The completed form with the required documents may be sent by mail or delivered in person to one of the above locations, or sent by fax to 514 872-3883. Required documents are listed in the application form. For information, please call 514 872-4630.

Once the application has been received, a letter will be sent to the applicant explaining the approval procedure and the expected waiting period.

Important information: applications for financial assistance received more than 6 months after the date the transaction is recorded in the Land registry will be refused. The date the application is received at the Direction de l’habitation (Housing Department), at an Accès Montréal office or at a borough office will be deemed as the date on which the application for financial assistance was submitted. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that his / her application reaches la Direction de l’habitation.

How much does it cost to apply?

There is no fee for processing financial assistance applications under this program. However, your notary may charge fees for the preparation and registration in the Land register of your obligation to occupy your home for 3 years and, if required, the obligation not to convert your residential property into a divided co-ownership for a period of at least 3 years. Fees may also by charged by the commissioner for oaths.