No one likes to pay land transfer tax (LTT) and unfortunately there is no way around it. However, first-time home buyers do get substantial rebates.

First-time buyers of new and re-sale homes are eligible for rebates on provincial and Toronto land transfer taxes. The maximum rebate first-time home buyers can receive for provincial land transfer tax is $4,000 (beginning January 1, 2017) and for Toronto's LTT its $3,725.

The provincial LTT is payable anywhere in Ontario, including Toronto. The Toronto LTT is payable only for properties in the City of Toronto.  The Toronto LTT rebates are in addition to any provincial LTT rebate the buyer qualifies for.

The buyer is considered to be a first-time buyer for the provincial and Toronto LTT if they are at least 18 years of age and have not previously owned a home anywhere in the world at anytime. 

See "Land Transfer Tax Calculator" under the "Calculators" tab to determine LTT amounts for varying priced properties.