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Canadian seniors may be eligible for a tax credit on safety-related home renovations. Let’s look at the credits available and their eligibility criteria.
I am a senior aged 68 in Saskatchewan. I replaced some flooring with non-slip carpet. I was wondering if this could be deducted on my income tax.
—Gayle
Most renovations are not tax-deductible or eligible for a tax credit in Canada unless it’s for a rental or business property.
In your case, Gayle, you’re probably wondering about the federal tax credit for seniors, as well as a provincial tax credit specific to Saskatchewan.
Deadlines, tax tips and more
You don’t need to be in Saskatchewan for this tax credit. The federal home accessibility tax credit for qualifying renovations applies if you (or certain family members who live with you) are 65 or older at the end of the year, or if you qualify for the disability tax credit (DTC). To qualify for the DTC, you must have a severe and prolonged physical or mental impairment and apply to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
This may or may not be the case for you, Gayle. For others who are reading along, know that an eligible renovation must be of an enduring nature and either allow:
There’s no specific list of qualifying expenses, but non-slip carpet may be justifiable.
The maximum claim is $20,000 of expenses, and the tax savings, which vary by province, range from 14% to 26%.
Some expenses may also qualify for a medical expense tax credit, including renovation or construction expenses that would not normally be expected to increase the value of the home. The expenses would also not normally be incurred by someone with normal physical development or who does not have a severe and prolonged mobility impairment.
There are other home costs that may qualify for a medical expense tax credit. Examples include an air conditioner for someone with a severe chronic ailment, disease or disorder; bathroom aids to get in or out of a bathtub or shower or to get on or off a toilet; or a power-operated guided chair to be used in a stairway, including installation. There may be others, but non-slip carpet would not generally qualify in your case, Gayle.
Your province, Gayle, reintroduced a home renovation tax credit that was previously available in 2021 and 2022. It applies for the 2025 and 2026 tax years, but expenses between October 1, 2024 and December 31, 2025 can be claimed in 2025. So, your carpet costs may qualify.
The credit is not just for seniors and has nothing to do with disabilities or other impairments. Any Saskatchewan resident can claim the credit, which provides 10.5% savings for expenses exceeding $1,000, up to $5,000. For seniors aged 65 and older by year-end, the upper expense limit is increased to $6,000.
A few other provinces offer provincial tax credits for renovations. British Columbia has the home renovation tax credit for seniors and persons with disabilities, and New Brunswick has the Seniors’ Home Renovation Tax Credit). Ontario’s Seniors’ Home Safety Tax Credit was only available in 2021 and 2022.
There is also a multigenerational home renovation tax credit (MHRTC), Gayle, that refunds up to $7,500 for up to $50,000 of qualifying renovations. The expenses must be incurred to create a self-contained secondary unit to allow a senior or an adult who is eligible for the disability tax credit to live with a qualifying relative.
In this case, carpet could qualify if the other conditions were met.
It does not appear your carpet expenses will meet any of the disability and medical related tax credit requirements, Gayle. You might be able to save a bit of tax by claiming the federal home accessibility tax credit, and as a resident of Saskatchewan, the provincial home renovation tax credit.
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