Can I use the multigenerational credit for a main-floor bedroom in Ottawa?

The Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit applies only to creating a self-contained secondary unit, meaning a space with its own private entrance, kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area, so a senior or an adult eligible for the disability tax credit can live with a relative. A main-floor bedroom conversion on its own does not meet that definition. The CRA's own example makes this clear: a room converted to a bedroom with an ensuite but no kitchen does not qualify.

If the bedroom conversion is part of a larger project that does create a fully self-contained secondary unit, the credit is 14.5% of up to $50,000 of qualifying expenses, for a maximum of $7,250. But secondary-unit additions are outside the scope of this site, and the CRA decides which expenses qualify against its own conditions.

What may apply instead

If the person moving into the bedroom is 65 or older, or eligible for the disability tax credit, two other federal credits are worth looking at with the CRA directly. The Home Accessibility Tax Credit lets an eligible person claim up to $20,000 of eligible expenses a year for renovations that allow access or mobility within the home, or reduce the risk of harm, and are of an enduring nature and integral to the dwelling. The medical expense tax credit may also apply to renovation expenses for a person with a severe and prolonged mobility impairment, where the work does not normally increase the home's value. The CRA sets the conditions for both. Amounts checked September 2026.

Before any work starts, confirm with each program you plan to apply to whether it requires approval before the contractor begins, since at least one program will not reimburse costs incurred before it authorizes the work.