These Federal Benefits Will Help You Pay For Big Purchases,​ From A Car To A House

A zero-emission vehicle

The Canadian government is currently trying to transition more people away from fossil fuel powered vehicles with the iZEV program.

So, if you buy a qualifying zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), the government will help you out with a rebate.

According to the feds, only a few types of vehicles are eligible for the rebate, so be sure to check out their site before you sign on the dotted line.

Depending on which vehicle you buy, you could receive up to $5,000 back.

And, to make things even easier, the rebate is applied at the point of sale by the dealership – so it's also their responsibility to submit the documentation.

This also adds to any provincial rebates that might exist where you live.

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Home Renovations

Feeling like your windows are a bit drafty? Or that your insulation isn't keeping your house at the right temperature?

Well, the Canada Greener Homes Initiative, you could be eligible for a government grant of up to $5,000 to retrofit your house to be more energy efficient.

The initiative also offers interest-free loans of up to $40,000 for similar renovations.

Eligible renovations include replacing windows and doors, air sealing, new insulation, installing a renewable energy source, getting a more efficient water heater, and more.

Of course, before you get started, be sure to double-check on the government's website to ensure your refurb qualifies.

If you want to take advantage of this, you can apply online.

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Buying a house

There are a quite a few programs that could help you buy a home in Canada, whether you're a first-time home buyer or not.

If you're a newbie, you can apply for the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, where the government will offer you 5% to 10% of the home's value to make that first down payment a little smaller.

There is a specific eligibility criteria though, and the amount you can get varies depending on where you live and your income.

There's also the Home Buyers' Amount, which is a tax credit you can claim (up to $5,000) if you bought your house during that tax year, with some qualifications.

Rent

Paying rent is a regular "big purchase" many Canadians make every single month.

To help with this, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers the Canada Housing Benefit which helps Canadians who make under $20,000 pay for housing, whether that's rent or a mortgage.

The feds also recently announced a one-time top-up for the benefit to help with the current cost of living crisis.