Homebuyer Rescission Period

The Homebuyer Rescission Period in BC gives buyers three business days to cancel a home purchase, with a small fee, for added protection.

Homebuyer Rescission Period

September 30, 2025



What is the Homebuyer Rescission Period?

The Homebuyer Rescission Period (HBRP) is a consumer protection measure in British Columbia that provides buyers of residential real estate with a three-business-day cooling-off period. During this time, buyers can cancel their purchase agreement for any reason, subject to a small rescission fee.

Why the Homebuyer Rescission Period Matters in Real Estate

The HBRP matters in real estate because it reduces buyer pressure in competitive markets and allows time for due diligence. It increases consumer protection and transparency in BC’s real estate transactions.

Example of the Homebuyer Rescission Period in Action

A buyer signs a contract to purchase a home in Vancouver. Within the three-day HBRP, they decide to withdraw after a home inspection reveals significant issues. They pay the required rescission fee and exit the contract.

Key Takeaways

  • Provides BC buyers a three-day cooling-off period.
  • Allows cancellation of a purchase with a small fee.
  • Increases consumer protection in real estate deals.
  • Helps buyers complete due diligence without pressure.
  • Applies to most residential transactions in BC.

Related Terms

  • 10-Day Cooling-Off Period
  • Consumer Protection
  • Purchase Agreement
  • Real Estate Regulation
  • Deposit

Additional Terms

Public Realm Improvements

Public realm improvements are enhancements to public spaces such as sidewalks, parks, plazas, and streetscapes, often funded or contributed by. more

Mortgagee in Possession

A mortgagee in possession is a lender who takes control of a property after borrower default, but before foreclosure or power of sale. The lender. more

Lease Surrender Agreement

A lease surrender agreement is a negotiated contract between a landlord and tenant that ends a lease before its scheduled expiration. Terms may. more

Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure refers to natural or engineered systems that manage stormwater, reduce heat, and improve sustainability in developments.. more

Escrow Holdback

An escrow holdback is a portion of funds withheld at closing and held in escrow until specific conditions are met, such as completion of repairs,. more

Underused Housing Tax

The Underused Housing Tax (UHT) is a federal annual 1% tax on the value of vacant or underused residential property owned by non-resident,. more

More For You

If The Future Of Toronto Depends On Density, Why Do We Punish Those Who Embrace It?
Landscape view of Toronto downtown in winter.

This article is authored by Carl Laffan, who provides architectural services in Toronto, specializing in office, residential, and mixed-use projects.

The City of Toronto’s recent “gentle-density” initiative, permitting multiplexes as-of-right across the city, was proposed as an inoffensive introduction of low-rise density within the single-family neighbourhoods that cover 70% of Toronto. Although well researched and widely supported, political pressure from local opposition groups ultimately imposed bedroom caps and size limits, effectively neutering the initiative. During a period when the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported we needed 150,000 new homes, multiplex permits issued since its adoption are reported to provide only 1,288: the equivalent of two high-rise towers.

Keep ReadingShow less
OLT Advances Condo Atop 120-Year-Old Queen West Post Office

Rendering of 1117 Queen Street West from November 2023 proposal/Giannone Petricone Associates

It’s been over two years since plans to adaptively reuse one of Toronto's oldest purpose-built postal offices were submitted to the City. Two refusals, three revisions, and an Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) hearing later, the project finally has the go-ahead it sought back in November 2023.

The plans for 1117 Queen Street West have remained relatively true to the applicant’s original vision: a 29-storey condo tower integrated into a former Canada Post building, known as the Postal Station C. Featuring Beaux-Arts architecture and designed by Samuel George Curry in 1902, the building has been listed on the City Heritage Register since June 1973.

Keep ReadingShow less

New home sales in the Greater Toronto Area remained at historic lows in January 2026, according to new data released Tuesday by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD).

There were just 269 new homes sold across the GTA in January, down 36% from January 2025 and 80% below the 10-year average of 1,339 units for the month, based on data from Altus Group, BILD’s official source for new home market intelligence.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rental Is Having A Moment, And This Firm Is Building For It

1141 Bloor Street West, Toronto/Hazelview

For more than 25 years, Hazelview Investments has been shaping Canada’s real estate landscape.

With presence in six provinces and more than 20 cities across the country, the company has grown into a trusted partner for investors, developers, planners, and residents alike.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hyde Park Homes Purchases Berkeley Church, Cites Plans To Reopen Fall 2026

The Berkeley Church at 315-317 Queen Street East in Toronto/Google Maps

More than two years after its parent company, Berkeley Events, was placed under receivership, Toronto’s Berkeley Church has been purchased by Hyde Park Homes, with the company revealing to STOREYS that they have plans to reopen the historic event venue later this year.

Built in 1871, the three-storey, brick-faced building at 315-317 Queen Street East in Corktown was initially a Wesleyan Methodist Church. In 1999, the space was converted into an event venue, used for weddings, corporate events, parties, conferences, and even some concerts (Tegan and Sara, Feist, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, just to name a few). The property was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1997.

Keep ReadingShow less
CREA: Winter Storms Suppress January Home Sales
Max Sandelin/Unsplash

Canadian home sales started 2026 on a colder note, with activity dampened by severe winter weather across parts of the country.

According to new data released Tuesday by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), home sales recorded over Canadian MLS® Systems fell 5.8% month-over-month in January. Actual (not seasonally adjusted) sales were also 16.2% lower than in January 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
New (Free) Guide Shows Toronto Homeowners How To Tap Into ‘Missing Middle’

'Missing Middle' housing in Toronto

Liam Gill doesn’t describe himself as a developer, but that hasn’t stopped him from carving out a place in Toronto’s development landscape. Now, the lawyer and tech entrepreneur wants to help others do the same with his Citizen Developer’s Guide, released Wednesday morning in collaboration with More Neighbours Toronto.

The guide is designed for people like Gill — those without a formal background in real estate development, but with an interest in densifying their own home or investment property. Throughout the document, Gill walks readers through how to estimate build costs, cash flow projections, and ultimate market value, and go about the zoning, permitting, and financing processes.

Keep ReadingShow less

Canada’s rental housing market may not always grab snappy headlines, but it’s quietly proving its staying power.

Across the country, large-scale organizations are putting capital into purpose-built rental housing, whether through acquisitions, repurposed properties, or REIT activity. The trend is less about flashy growth and more about steady, strategic investment — a trend that’s already shaping 2026.

Keep ReadingShow less