Country Guide – Canada

What this country guide covers

Use the links below to jump to process and document sections.

Key differences & highlights for Canada

• Provincial land transfer tax (LTT); lawyers/notaries typically involved in closings.
• Provincial tenancy rules (e.g. Ontario RTA, BC RTB); rent control in some provinces.
• HST/GST on new residential and commercial in certain cases; foreign buyer rules in some provinces.
• Bilingual requirements in Quebec for leases and key documents where applicable.

Buying in Canada

• Pre-purchase. Due diligence, financing, offer.
• Agreement. Contract, earnest money, conditions.
• Closing. Title transfer, funds, registration.
• Post-closing. Possession, tax filings, records.

Proforma Studio’s Transaction Timeline mirrors these phases and can auto-track milestones and send notifications so you don’t miss a step.

Selling in Canada

• Pre-listing. Valuation, documents, disclosures.
• Listing & offers. Listing agreement, offers, negotiation.
• Closing. Signing, funds, transfer of title.
• Post-closing. Payouts, commissions, filings.

Use the Transaction Timeline in the app to track listing, offers, closing, and post-closing steps.

Renting in Canada

• Pre-lease. Marketing, screening, terms.
• Lease execution. Agreement, deposit, handover.
• During tenancy. Rent, maintenance, compliance.
• Exit / renewal. Notice, move-out, deposit return.

Rental rules (lease length, deposits, notices) vary by jurisdiction; the app’s rental module uses country settings to keep workflows aligned.

Document checklists

For major processes (e.g. buying or selling residential), documents typically fall into these categories:

• ID & KYC
• Ownership & title
• Financial (loan, proof of funds)
• Title & encumbrances
• Inspections & compliance
• Regulatory & NOC

Proforma Studio has Document Templates and Document Automation configured per country (sale deeds, purchase agreements, EC, title insurance, leases, etc.). The system can scan PDFs, detect missing fields or signatures, and send notifications.

Costs and taxes overview

Main upfront and ongoing cost categories in Canada (ranges and structure; exact amounts depend on location and deal):

• Land transfer tax (provincial; first-time buyer rebates where applicable).
• Legal/notary fees; title insurance in some provinces.
• HST/GST on new builds or commercial where applicable.
• Provincial and municipal fees.

Proforma Studio’s country-specific Proforma adds these upfront costs and taxes into total investment and uses Canada settings for currency (CAD), date format, and tax rules.

How Proforma Studio uses these country rules in the app

• CountryContext:Currency, date format, and default tax rules by country.
• Proforma by country:Stamp duty, registration, LTT, HST, transfer fees, and closing costs baked into total investment and cash flows.
• Document templates & automation:Templates and validation configured per country (sale deeds, purchase agreements, EC, title, leases).
• Transaction timelines:Milestone tracking and notifications aligned to buy/sell/rent phases.
• Agent commission tracker:Country-aware commission flows and reporting.
• Rental & warehouse:Lease lengths, deposits, rent control hints; warehouse compliance docs by country.