Update March 18, 2026: The Government of Canada has officially passed Bill C-4, which introduces GST relief on newly built homes for first-time buyers. The program is now in effect. The rebate applies to agreements of purchase and sale entered into on or after March 20, 2025 and before 2031. The Canada Revenue Agency can now begin processing rebate claims. To learn more, please refer to the Government of Canada announcement.

The federal government has announced a proposed GST rebate for first-time home buyers. It is not law yet, and nothing has changed on purchase agreements at this point. GST is still charged, and the current GST Housing Rebate remains in place.

Even so, the announcement has raised questions for many buyers who are trying to decide when to move forward and how this might affect their plans.

What has been announced so far

The proposed First-Time Home Buyer GST Rebate is intended to help reduce the amount of GST paid when purchasing a newly built home.

Based on the information shared to date:

• First-time buyers could recover up to $50,000 of GST on new homes priced at or below $1 million
• Homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million would qualify for a reduced rebate
• The home must be purchased as a primary residence
• The agreement of purchase and sale must be signed on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031

Buyer eligibility

This proposed rebate is intended for people buying their first home. To qualify, a buyer would need to meet all of the following:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Not have owned a home in the current calendar year or the previous four calendar years
• Purchase the home as their primary residence
• Only claim the rebate once in their lifetime
• Not have a spouse or common-law partner who previously claimed the rebate

Qualifying details

In addition to buyer eligibility, the following conditions would apply based on the information released so far:

• The agreement of purchase and sale must be signed on or after May 27, 2025 and before 2031
• Agreements signed before May 27, 2025 would not qualify, even if later changed or replaced with a new one
• GST continues to apply under the current rules

More clarity is expected as the federal government releases additional guidance.

Buying with parents or family members

Some first-time buyers purchase a home with help from a parent or family member.

In these situations, the first-time buyer may still qualify for the rebate, even if the co-purchaser does not. The rebate would apply only to the qualifying buyer. Additional details around shared ownership are expected as the program moves forward.

Why this matters

This proposed rebate reflects an effort to improve affordability for first-time buyers and support new home construction. While it is still pending legislation, understanding how it may work helps buyers plan with fewer unknowns and more confidence.

What you can do next

If you are thinking about your first home, our new home consultants can help you understand current pricing, existing rebates, and what is known so far about the proposed GST rebate.

Alberta

• Explore homes on our Alberta homepage
• Contact our Alberta team

Ontario

• Explore homes on our Ontario homepage
• Contact our Ontario team

This article reflects information shared by the Department of Finance Canada as of May 27, 2025. Program details may change as legislation moves forward. For the latest updates, we recommend reviewing the Government of Canada announcement.

Calgary, Alberta | February 17, 2026

Cardel Homes is introducing a more transparent and accessible approach to bringing multi-family communities to market through a collaboration with 3DX™ by Epic Inspired, a real-time 3D visualization and go-to-market platform built for complex residential projects. The partnership debuts at Metro One, Cardel’s newest multi-family development in Silverton, a Cardel Homes–developed community in Calgary, supporting a connected digital experience that helps buyers move confidently from early exploration through integrated home selection and reservation.

Metro One reflects Cardel Homes’ focus on livability, clarity, and long-term value. The project is shaped by practical design decisions—from efficient unit layouts and balcony configurations to material selection and courtyard planning—made with everyday living in mind. Rather than relying on static drawings or disconnected visuals, Cardel sought a way to communicate these decisions consistently and in an easy-to-understand way throughout the buyer journey using beautifully crafted 3D visualization that preserves design intent.

3DX™ provides the digital foundation for doing so. Through a high-quality, immersive, and interactive 3D building experience, buyers can explore Metro One as a complete system, gaining a strong understanding of how individual homes relate to the building, amenities, views, and surrounding context. Unit-level experiences communicate layouts, finishes, and spatial flow, helping buyers understand how a home lives before making a decision.

Beyond visualization, the platform supports a connected workflow that brings together exploration, comparison, live availability, and integrated reservation within a single environment. Designed to align with industry-leading sales and inventory systems, 3DX™ helps ensure information remains accurate and consistent across presentation centres, websites, and remote sales environments—reducing unnecessary back-and-forth and supporting more confident decisions.

“Metro One was designed to be clear, livable, and intentional,” said Warren Saunders, Sales & Marketing Manager, Multi Family Division. “3DX gives us a way to communicate those decisions more effectively, so buyers can understand what they’re choosing and why it fits their lifestyle.”

According to Simon Chang, Founder and CEO of 3DX™, the platform was built in response to how projects and buyer expectations have evolved. “As projects become more complex and launches span more channels, it becomes harder to communicate the full picture clearly in one place,” said Chang. “3DX was designed to bring design, availability, and context together so buyers and project teams can understand a project more easily and make confident decisions.”

More broadly, 3DX™ is designed to support for-sale, rental, and mixed-use projects, with additional capabilities such as AI-assisted workflows available as project needs evolve. Metro One stands as a practical example of how thoughtful design and a connected digital platform can work together to improve clarity, alignment, and the home-buying experience.

Inquires:

Cardel Homes
Warren Saunders
Sales and Marketing Manager | Multi Family Division
Warren.Saunders@cardelhomes.com
Phone: 403.258.7716

3DX™ by Epic Inspired
Info@epicinspired.com
Phone: 604.633.9855

Cardel Homes is proud to announce the grand opening of the Metro One Sales Centre in the vibrant southwest Calgary community of Silverton. This new space is designed to offer condo buyers a simplified, confident, and technology-enhanced home-buying experience.

The Metro One Sales Centre is more than just a showroom — it’s a place where buyers can explore floorplans, visualize their future home, and experience the innovation behind Cardel’s approach to multi-family living. With interactive tools and a customer-first design, the centre reflects Cardel’s commitment to making condo buying easier and more transparent.

Built Around How Buyers Actually Buy

Cardel Homes has developed a new digital experience for Metro One that reflects what buyers have told us they want. Based on extensive research, we’ve aligned our sales process with how today’s condo buyers prefer to shop: independently, visually, and with access to real-time information.

Buyers can explore the entire building — inside and out — view every perspective, and filter their search to find the home that feels right. They can research floorplans, check availability, and review the building design, landscaping, and interior finishes — all through interactive displays in the sales centre or on their own devices at home.

“Our goal was to align with our research on how condo buyers prefer to buy,” says Warren Saunders, Sales and Marketing Manager for Cardel Homes Multi Family. “Whether in the sales centre or at home with family and friends, buyers get the same seamless experience — with real information, in real time, and real visuals of how their new home will look.”

From browsing to reserving and purchasing, the entire journey is intuitive and connected — designed to match how buyers make decisions today.

Guidance You Can Trust

At Metro One, buyers are supported every step of the way by Cardel’s experienced and knowledgeable sales team. With a focus on transparent communication and personalized guidance, our team helps customers navigate their options, understand the details, and feel confident in their choices.

We’re here to answer questions, provide clarity, and ensure every buyer feels informed and supported — whether they’re just starting their search or ready to reserve their new home.

Visit Us

Cardel Homes introduces distinctive modern-vintage architecture for Metro One, located in its master-planned community of Silverton in southwest Calgary. This anticipated design concept blends historical charm and contemporary elegance to create a one-of-a-kind residential offering.

“We have gone to great lengths to define a new architectural style that resonates with today’s condo buyers committed to home ownership and protecting their investment. Our focus is on delivering Cardel’s trusted quality through a value engineered building design,” said Warren Saunders, Sales and Marketing Manager, Cardel Homes Multi-Family division. “This modern-vintage approach offers best-in-class design and establishes a new benchmark for residential midrise wood-frame condos in Alberta.”

The key features of Metro One’s modern-vintage architecture include:

• Podium-Style Architecture: A brick podium anchors the building, creating a solid base before transitioning to stacked sections that combine old and new. It has strong visual character rooted in tradition, making it a standout in its suburban context.
• Preserved Heritage Elements: The brickwork, facade, and architectural details of a heritage building are meticulously maintained, retaining their historical significance and aesthetic appeal. Classic materials like brick, iron, and black-framed windows serve as inspiration.
• Modern Additions: Contemporary materials such as metal and panelized components form new additions or extensions. These provide a striking contrast with the original brickwork, emphasizing the fusion of past and present.
• Key Transitional Elements: Materials incorporated above the podium level act as key transitional elements, defining the modern-vintage architecture with added depth, colour, and visual interest.
• Diverse Outdoor Living Spaces: This architectural style uniquely features five types of outdoor spaces to suit various lifestyles. Residents can choose from Sunshine, Terrace, Cabana, or Verandah balconies, or a ground-level covered patio.

“Metro One’s modern-vintage architecture is a testament to our commitment to innovation and quality,” said Mike Selinger, Alberta Regional President of Cardel Homes. “We are excited to offer a living experience that combines the best of historical charm and modern convenience, perfectly suited for today’s condo buyers.”

JANUARY 9, 2025 – CALGARY, AB – CARDEL HOMES HAS ANNOUNCED THE EXPANSION OF ITS ALBERTA OPERATIONS WITH THE ADDITION OF MULTI-FAMILY CONDOS IN THEIR MASTER-PLANNED COMMUNITY OF SILVERTON.

Operating under the Cardel Homes brand, condo presales for Cardel’s first condo project in Silverton, named Metro One, will begin within the next few months, with construction targeted for late 2025. Cardel’s introduction of condos will consist of nine separate projects, thoughtfully incorporated into Silverton’s transit-oriented development, totalling over 1,500 units upon the community’s completion.

Silverton is a walkable, tree-lined community surrounded by many established amenities, including shops, restaurants, parks, schools and natural areas. With easy access to Macleod Trail, Stoney Trail, and a future LRT station, this vibrant, urban and progressive new neighbourhood offers convenient citywide connectivity and a quick escape to the mountains.

“Cardel Homes is excited to be expanding our product offering with the addition of condos for Calgary homebuyers within our very own master-planned community of Silverton,” said Mike Selinger, Regional President for Cardel Homes Alberta. “Cardel is committed to designing and building innovative homes of the highest quality while creating and supporting vibrant, liveable communities. With the addition of exciting new condos to Silverton, this really brings our mission to life.”

Developed and built by Cardel Homes, Silverton is located on the southwest edge of Calgary. This transit-oriented development promotes a dynamic, sustainable lifestyle with pedestrian-friendly streets and a blend of commercial and recreational spaces. The future LRT station will enhance accessibility and complement the nearby Somerset station. It is also situated near several major roads, further simplifying travel. Silverton features a variety of home types, including front-garage homes, paired homes, laned homes, townhomes, and upcoming condos, providing diverse living options to suit every family.

Cardel Homes has been building for over 50 years and is still setting new benchmarks as they deliver what modern families want: well-thought-out floorplans, features that make life easier and great value in a great home. An international builder with operations in Alberta, Ontario, Colorado and Florida, Cardel Homes is highly selective in the communities they build in, choosing exceptional neighbourhoods that offer a mix of conveniences. Every Cardel home is built for your life and designed to look better and last longer. Follow us on Facebook or Instagram at @cardelhomesyyc and @cardelcondosyyc.

Learn more about Metro One, our exciting new condo development in Silverton, and be the first to hear about presales.