Land Transfer Tax by Province Canada

Direct answer: Land transfer tax is a one-time closing cost paid when property ownership transfers. Ontario, BC and Manitoba use marginal brackets; New Brunswick and PEI use a flat 1% of the greater of purchase price or assessed value; Nova Scotia is municipal and can also have a 10% provincial non-resident deed transfer tax; Alberta, Saskatchewan and the territories are often handled through registration or title fees rather than a conventional provincial LTT table.

Primary sources: Ontario land-transfer-tax rates; BC property transfer tax; Manitoba land transfer tax; New Brunswick Real Property Transfer Tax Act; PEI real property transfer tax; Nova Scotia non-resident deed transfer tax.

Use the Mortgage Calculator to estimate land transfer tax beside your payment, CMHC premium and closing-cost budget.

Land transfer tax formula

Primary sources: Ontario land-transfer-tax rates; BC property transfer tax.

tax = sum of each price bracket x that bracket's marginal rate

A marginal tax table does not apply the top rate to the whole purchase price. Only the dollars inside each bracket are charged at that bracket's rate.

Ontario example

Primary sources: Ontario land-transfer-tax rates.

Ontario's published rates are 0.5% on the first $55,000, 1.0% on the amount over $55,000 up to $250,000, 1.5% on the amount over $250,000 up to $400,000, 2.0% on the amount over $400,000, and 2.5% on the portion over $2,000,000 for one- or two-family residences.

Purchase Price	Approx. Ontario LTT	Notes
$500,000	$6,475	Before any first-time buyer refund
$800,000	$12,475	Toronto buyers may also face municipal LTT
$1,200,000	$20,475	Budget separately from down payment

Province comparison examples

Primary sources: Ontario land-transfer-tax rates; BC property transfer tax; Manitoba land transfer tax; New Brunswick Real Property Transfer Tax Act; PEI real property transfer tax; Nova Scotia non-resident deed transfer tax.

Province	Example treatment	Important caveat
Ontario	$800,000 purchase is about $12,475 provincial LTT	Toronto can add municipal LTT; first-time buyer refund may apply.
British Columbia	$800,000 purchase is about $14,000 property transfer tax	High-value, foreign-buyer and exemption rules can change the result.
Manitoba	$500,000 purchase is about $7,650 using official marginal brackets	Registration fees can also apply.
New Brunswick	1% of the greater of consideration or assessed value	Final value can depend on assessment.
Prince Edward Island	1% of the greater of purchase price or assessed value	Exemptions and assessed-value review rules matter.
Nova Scotia	Municipal deed transfer tax varies by municipality	Non-resident provincial deed transfer tax rose to 10% on April 1, 2025.

Common mistakes

• Budgeting from down payment only: land transfer tax is usually paid in cash at closing.
• Ignoring municipal tax: Toronto and many Nova Scotia municipalities can materially change the bill.
• Assuming rebates automatically apply: first-time buyer refunds and exemptions have eligibility rules.
• Using a province-wide shortcut for Quebec: municipalities can have different rates above the base brackets.

Methodology and assumptions

Examples use published provincial formulas where a stable official formula is available and disclose when municipality-specific or buyer-specific rules may change the result. The usecos mortgage calculator estimates primary transfer tax for common scenarios, but it does not replace a lawyer/notary closing statement. Verified July 29, 2026.

Sources: Ontario land transfer tax rates; Ontario first-time homebuyer refund; BC property transfer tax; Manitoba land transfer tax; New Brunswick Real Property Transfer Tax Act; PEI real property transfer tax; Nova Scotia non-resident provincial deed transfer tax.