Do I need to file a UHT return for 2025?

No. The CRA confirms that affected owners do not need to file a return or pay the tax for 2025 and later years. The April 30, 2026 filing deadline no longer exists.

I never filed for 2022 to 2024. Is that forgiven?

No. You still have to file and pay for 2022, 2023 and 2024. The minimum late-filing penalty was $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for corporations, per property per year, and interest builds on tax owing. File now rather than wait for a letter.

Who was an affected owner?

Owners of residential property in Canada on December 31 who were not excluded owners. That mostly meant non-resident, non-Canadian individuals, foreign corporations and, for 2022, many Canadian private corporations, partnerships and trusts. Canadian citizens and permanent residents owning in their own name were excluded and never had to file.

Do provincial and city vacancy taxes still apply?

Yes, and some are rising. BC's speculation and vacancy tax rates go up for the 2026 tax year, Vancouver's empty homes tax is 3% of assessed value, Toronto's vacant home tax is 3%, and Ottawa's vacant unit tax climbs for repeat years. Each has its own annual declaration, separate from the federal tax that ended.

The Underused Housing Tax Has Ended

What the tax was

The Underused Housing Tax started with the 2022 calendar year. It charged 1% of a residential property’s value each year to “affected owners”, mainly non-Canadians and foreign entities, unless an exemption applied, such as a primary residence, a property rented at arm’s length for at least 180 days, or new construction. Every affected owner had to file a return by April 30 for each property, even when no tax was due. The penalties were for the missing return, not just the tax.

The reach was wider than expected in the first year. Canadian private corporations, partnerships and trustees of bare trusts holding a home were affected owners for 2022 and had to file to claim their exemption. Amendments passed in June 2024 made most of them excluded owners from 2023 on and reduced the penalties.

What ended, and when

Bill C-15, the Budget 2025 Implementation Act, No. 1, received Royal Assent on March 26, 2026. It removes the need to file or pay for 2025 and every later year. The CRA’s notice says so plainly. The Act itself is set to be repealed in 2035, after the assessment periods for the last taxable years run out.

What did not end

2022, 2023 and 2024. Returns and tax for those three years are still owed. The CRA can assess them, charge the late-filing penalty and add interest.
Provincial and city vacancy taxes. BC’s speculation and vacancy tax rises in the 2026 tax year to 1% for Canadian citizens and permanent residents and 3% for foreign owners and untaxed worldwide earners, with a higher BC-resident credit. Vancouver’s empty homes tax and Toronto’s vacant home tax are each 3% of assessed value. Ottawa’s vacant unit tax starts at 1% and climbs for each year in a row the home sits empty. All need a declaration every year. Miss it and the home is treated as vacant.
The foreign buyer ban. Separate law, separate timeline. See the foreign buyer guide.

If you still owe a return

File the missing years now on the CRA’s UHT return (Form UHT-2900), using the tax identifier the CRA issued for the program. Filing before the CRA writes to you gives you the best chance of penalty relief under the taxpayer relief provisions. A co-owned property needs a return from each affected owner.

Questions people ask

Do I need to file a UHT return for 2025?: No. The CRA confirms that affected owners do not need to file a return or pay the tax for 2025 and later years. The April 30, 2026 filing deadline no longer exists.
I never filed for 2022 to 2024. Is that forgiven?: No. You still have to file and pay for 2022, 2023 and 2024. The minimum late-filing penalty was $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for corporations, per property per year, and interest builds on tax owing. File now rather than wait for a letter.
Who was an affected owner?: Owners of residential property in Canada on December 31 who were not excluded owners. That mostly meant non-resident, non-Canadian individuals, foreign corporations and, for 2022, many Canadian private corporations, partnerships and trusts. Canadian citizens and permanent residents owning in their own name were excluded and never had to file.
Do provincial and city vacancy taxes still apply?: Yes, and some are rising. BC's speculation and vacancy tax rates go up for the 2026 tax year, Vancouver's empty homes tax is 3% of assessed value, Toronto's vacant home tax is 3%, and Ottawa's vacant unit tax climbs for repeat years. Each has its own annual declaration, separate from the federal tax that ended.

Sources

Every figure in this guide comes from one of these primary sources, checked on September 9, 2026.