23 February 2010 Ministerial Correspondence 2009-0350751M4 - HRTC - Eligible expenditures

Please note that the following document, although believed to be correct at the time of issue, may not represent the current position of the CRA.
Prenez note que ce document, bien qu'exact au moment émis, peut ne pas représenter la position actuelle de l'ARC.

Principal Issues: Are goods purchased in the United States of America eligible for the HRTC?

Position: Yes, if all other conditions are met, the cost of the goods acquired would be eligible if they are directly attributable to a renovation or an alteration of an eligible dwelling located in Canada.

Reasons: Legislation - definitions of: eligible dwelling, qualifying expenditure, and qualifying renovation.

XXXXXXXXXX

Dear XXXXXXXXXX :

The office of the Honourable James M. Flaherty, Minister of Finance, forwarded to my predecessor, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, a copy of your correspondence regarding the new home renovation tax credit (HRTC). Please accept my apology for this delayed reply.

The legislation regarding the new HRTC has been enacted and is contained in section 118.04 of the Income Tax Act. The HRTC provides individuals with a temporary 15% non-refundable income tax credit on eligible home renovation expenditures for services received or goods acquired after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010. However, expenditures for services received or goods acquired under agreements entered into before January 28, 2009, do not qualify for the HRTC. Taxpayers can claim this credit for the 2009 tax year on eligible expenditures exceeding $1,000, but not more than $10,000, which will result in a non-refundable tax credit of up to $1,350.

Under section 118.04, expenditures qualify for the HRTC if they are directly attributable to a renovation or an alteration of an eligible dwelling, including land that forms part of the eligible dwelling, and if the renovation or alteration is of an enduring nature and is integral to the eligible dwelling. Such expenditures include the cost of labour and professional services, building materials, fixtures, equipment rentals, and permits.

An eligible dwelling is a housing unit located in Canada that is owned by the individual at the time of the renovation, and ordinarily inhabited by the individual, his or her current or former spouse or current or former common-law partner, or his or her children at any time after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010. Therefore, any housing unit that an individual owns and uses personally, including a home and a cottage, qualifies for the HRTC.

Provided the above conditions are met, goods acquired in the United States after January 27, 2009, and before February 1, 2010, will be eligible for the HRTC if they relate to a renovation or an alteration of an eligible dwelling and are not one of the exclusions (for example, household appliances and electronic home-entertainment devices). As noted above, the housing unit being renovated or altered must be located in Canada.

You can find more information on the HRTC on the Canada Revenue Agency Web site at www.cra.gc.ca/hrtc and in the Government of Canada brochure available at www.actionplan.gc.ca/grfx/docs/hrtc_eng.pdf.

I trust that the information I have provided is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Keith Ashfield
Minister of National Revenue

William King
(905) 721-5194
2009-035075