Home Accessibility Renovation or Alteration Tax Credit & Rebate
If you have a disability or diminished ability and thinking of buying a new home or making renovations to your existing home, you may qualify for a tax credit or rebate on your accessibility renovations and alterations. Persons with mobility constraints often worry about moving to a new home. It can be reassuring to know that there are programs that will cover some of your costs, to help you to adjust in your new home.
Who Qualifies?
If you are 65 years or older, or earn a low or moderate income you can qualify for a tax credit or rebate on accessibility related renovations and alternations to your dwellings. Persons with disabilities that live with a senior (CRA dependents) can also qualify through the BC Government.
How Much Tax Credit Can I Get?
The costs of renovating areas, such as bathrooms and entry ways, to improve accessibility can add up. The Federal Government, as well as the BC Government offer a tax credit for accessibility related home renovations and alterations to those who qualify. BC Housing also offers a rebate on those costs.
Federal Government: Tax Credit on a Maximum Claim of $20,000 per tax year (you can submit claims from previous years up to 10 years back)
BC Government: Tax Credit on a Maximum Claim of $10,000 per tax year. Maximum Refund 10% ($1,000).
BC Housing: Maximum Lifetime Rebate: $20,000
What Qualifies?
Improvements to areas within your dwelling and surrounding lands for wheelchairs and walkers etc qualify. The renovation or alteration must clearly address an accessibility issue of the applicant.
Examples include the follow (may vary depending on the government organization providing the approval):
- Bathtubs – walk-in
- Counters/cupboards – lowering existing ones
- Counters/cupboards – installing adjustable ones
- Door locks that are easy to operate
- Doors that are widened for passage
- Drawers and cupboards – touch-and-release
- Flooring – non-slip or to allow the use of walkers or wheelchairs
- General renovation costs – necessary to enable access for seniors or persons with disabilities to first-floor or secondary suites
- Grab bars and related reinforcements around the toilet, tub and shower
- Hand-held showers on adjustable rods or high-low mounting brackets
- Hand rails in corridors
- Lever handles on doors and taps, instead of knobs
- Light fixtures throughout the home and exterior entrances
- Light switches and electrical outlets placed in accessible locations
- Lighting – motion-activated
- Pull-out shelves under counter to enable work from a seated position
- Showers – wheel-in
- Sinks – alterations to allow use from a seated position (and insulation of any hot-water pipes)
- Swing clear hinges on doors to widen doorways
- Taps – hands-free
- Taps – relocation to front or side for easier access
- Toilets – raised
- Wheelchair ramps, stair/wheelchair lifts and elevators
Please review the full instructions with each government organization, as some require the costs to be approved before the modifications have started.
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