Does Your New Home Warranty Cover Radon? A Province-by-Province Guide

Your New Home Warranty Might Cover Radon Mitigation ? Here's What Each Province Offers

If you've tested your home for radon and the result came back above Health Canada's guideline of 200 Bq/m³, your next thought is probably: how much is this going to cost me to fix?

Professional radon mitigation typically runs between $2,000 and $4,000 in Canada. But depending on where you live and when your home was built, you may already have coverage you don't know about ? through your new home warranty, a provincial tax credit, or a national grant program.

Here's a province-by-province breakdown of what's available right now.

Ontario: Tarion Covers Up to $50,000

Ontario leads the country when it comes to radon warranty protection. Tarion, the not-for-profit that administers Ontario's statutory new home warranty program, provides up to $50,000 in coverage for radon remediation ? and it's valid for the full seven-year warranty period.

Ontario is one of the only jurisdictions in Canada where radon mitigation is explicitly covered under a new home warranty.

What you need to file a claim

• A radon test result showing levels above 200 Bq/m³
• The test must cover a minimum 91-day period (long-term test)
• According to Tarion, both DIY test kits and professional testing are accepted ? provided the kit or professional is certified through the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP). RadonTest.ca kits are analysed by Lex Scientific, a C-NRPP certified laboratory

What's covered

• Full cost of a builder-installed radon mitigation system
• If the builder fails to act, Tarion steps in and covers the remediation directly

What's not covered

• The cost of the radon test itself
• Health issues or personal property damage
• Homes outside the seven-year warranty window

For Ontario homeowners with a home built after February 1, 2021, this is one of the strongest radon protections available anywhere in North America. If your home is within its warranty period, test first ? if your result is above 200 Bq/m³, you can submit a warranty claim to your builder and Tarion using the applicable warranty form.

British Columbia: The 2-5-10 Warranty and Radon

BC's Homeowner Protection Act requires most new homes to carry a 2-5-10 warranty: 2 years on labour and materials, 5 years on the building envelope, and 10 years on the structure.

While BC's warranty doesn't explicitly name radon the way Ontario's does, there's growing recognition that elevated radon qualifies as a latent defect. The BC Financial Services Authority ? which regulates real estate professionals in the province ? already considers high radon a latent defect that must be disclosed in real estate transactions.

BC has also taken stronger action through its building code. After studies showed the standard National Building Code radon "rough-in stub" was often insufficient, BC updated its provincial code to require a full outside-venting pipe in new construction. Certain municipalities with known high-radon geology have even stricter requirements.

Bottom line: If you're in a newer BC home and test high for radon, it's worth contacting your warranty provider. A successful claim hasn't been widely publicized yet, but the regulatory direction suggests this area may evolve.

Alberta: Building Code Protection, but No Explicit Warranty Coverage

Alberta's New Home Buyer Protection Act (effective February 2014) requires all new homes to carry warranty insurance. The province's major warranty provider, the Alberta New Home Warranty Program (ANHWP), covers defects in materials, labour, the building envelope, and structural components.

However, unlike Ontario's Tarion program, Alberta's warranty doesn't explicitly include radon remediation as a named coverage item. Radon protection in Alberta currently relies on the National Building Code requirement for a radon rough-in ? a capped vent pipe beneath the basement slab that can be activated into a full sub-slab depressurization system if radon levels test high after occupancy.

Some Alberta builders, such as Pacesetter Homes, have gone beyond code minimums by voluntarily integrating active radon mitigation technology into their standard builds. But this is builder-by-builder, not a provincial mandate.

If you're in Alberta: Your home likely includes a radon rough-in if it was built to current code. Activating it into a working mitigation system is relatively inexpensive ($500–$1,500) compared to a full retrofit. But you'll likely be paying out of pocket.

Saskatchewan: A Tax Credit That Covers Radon Mitigation

Saskatchewan takes a different approach: rather than warranty coverage, the province offers a Home Renovation Tax Credit that explicitly includes radon mitigation as an eligible expense.

How it works

• 10.5% tax credit on up to $4,000 of eligible renovation expenses (up to $5,000 for seniors)
• Maximum credit: $420/year ($525 for seniors)
• Eligible expenses include labour, professional services, and building materials for radon reduction
• Available for expenses incurred on or after October 1, 2024

This won't cover the full cost of a mitigation system, but it takes a meaningful bite out of a $2,000–$4,000 bill. You claim it through your annual tax return ? the CRA administers it as part of Saskatchewan's personal income tax system.

Manitoba: Pay for Radon Mitigation Through Your Hydro Bill

Manitoba has one of the more creative financing solutions in the country. Manitoba Hydro's Home Energy Efficiency Loan allows homeowners to finance radon mitigation with no down payment, and the monthly payments get added directly to your Manitoba Hydro bill.

Loan details

• Borrow up to $5,000
• Interest rate: 6.75%
• Maximum term: 5 years
• Minimum monthly payment: $15
• Mitigation must be performed by a C-NRPP certified contractor

This removes the biggest barrier to radon mitigation ? the upfront cost. Instead of paying $3,000 at once, you might pay $55?$60/month added to a bill you're already paying.

Available Everywhere: The Lungs Matter Grant

Regardless of which province you're in, the Canadian Lung Association's Lungs Matter program offers up to $1,500 toward professional radon mitigation for eligible homeowners.

Eligibility requirements

• Household income below your province's median
• Long-term radon test results (minimum 91 days) showing levels above 200 Bq/m³
• Test must be from a C-NRPP certified kit or professional
• Mitigation must not already be completed
• Quote from a C-NRPP certified mitigation professional required

The program started in Manitoba and has since expanded nationally. If you're on a tight budget and your test comes back high, this could cover a significant portion of the fix.

The National Building Code: What Every New Home Should Have

Since 2010, Canada's National Building Code has required new homes to include a radon rough-in ? a short capped vent pipe that rises from beneath the basement slab. Most provinces have adopted this requirement into their own codes.

The rough-in doesn't actively reduce radon. Think of it as a pre-installed connection point. If you test your home and levels are high, a C-NRPP certified contractor can connect a fan to that pipe and create a full sub-slab depressurization system ? often for well under $2,000 since the hard part (cutting through the slab and routing the pipe) is already done.

Health Canada has also developed two newer national standards ? one for radon control in new buildings and one for mitigation in existing buildings ? providing updated, practical guidance for builders and homeowners.

What This Means for You

The landscape is improving, but it's uneven. Here's a quick reference:

The common thread across every program: you need a long-term radon test result first. No test, no claim, no grant, no credit. A 91-day test is the minimum standard accepted by Health Canada, Tarion, the Canadian Lung Association, and C-NRPP certified professionals.

Whether your home is brand new or decades old, the first step is always the same ? find out what you're breathing.

RadonTest.ca is not affiliated with Tarion Warranty Corporation. Warranty coverage is subject to Tarion's terms and conditions. For full details on eligibility and the claims process, visit tarion.com.

RadonTest.ca is not affiliated with any warranty provider, government program, or grant organization mentioned in this article. Program details are subject to change — verify eligibility directly with the relevant provider.