Key Takeaways
- 1.The 2025 LCGE for qualified farm property is $1,250,000 — sheltering that amount of your $1,600,000 gain entirely from federal and provincial tax.
- 2.The remaining $350,000 of gain is split: the first $250,000 included at 50% ($125,000 taxable) and the last $100,000 at 66.67% ($66,670 taxable) — total taxable income of $191,670.
- 3.Combined federal + Saskatchewan tax on the $191,670 taxable capital gain is approximately $67,400, leaving net after-tax proceeds of roughly $1,732,600 on the $1.8M sale.
- 4.Without the LCGE (non-qualified land), the same $1.6M gain produces approximately $293,700 in combined tax — a $226,300 penalty for failing to meet qualified farm property rules.
- 5.Saskatchewan's Form T1237 provincial credit ensures the LCGE shelters you at the provincial level too — not just federally. Without it, you'd still owe Saskatchewan tax on the exempted gain.
The 2025 LCGE for Qualified Farm Property: $1,250,000
The lifetime capital gains exemption for qualified farm or fishing property (QFFP) is $1,250,000 for the 2025 tax year. This is a separate, higher limit than the $1,016,836 LCGE available for qualified small business corporation (QSBC) shares. The farm LCGE is indexed to inflation and has been climbing steadily — it was $1,000,000 as recently as 2023.
The exemption works by deducting the eligible capital gain from your net income via Form T657. If your total lifetime claims against the farm LCGE are below $1,250,000, the full amount of your current gain (up to the remaining room) is deducted. On our $1.8M sale with a $200,000 adjusted cost base (ACB), the capital gain is $1,600,000. Assuming no prior LCGE usage, the first $1,250,000 is fully exempt. For context on how the separate QSBC exemption works on a business sale, see our Ontario small business sale tax calculator.
Worked Example: $1.8M Saskatchewan Farmland Sale
Let's walk through the complete tax calculation for a Saskatchewan farmer selling a quarter-section purchased in 2005 for $200,000, sold in 2025 for $1,800,000. The farmer has no other capital gains in 2025 and has never previously claimed the LCGE.
Step 1: Calculate the capital gain
Proceeds of disposition: $1,800,000
Adjusted cost base (ACB): $200,000
Selling expenses (legal, survey, commission): ~$0 (assume direct sale)
Capital gain: $1,600,000
Step 2: Apply the LCGE
Capital gain: $1,600,000
LCGE available (2025): $1,250,000
Gain sheltered by LCGE: $1,250,000
Remaining taxable capital gain: $350,000
Step 3: Apply the 2025 inclusion rates
First $250,000 of remaining gain × 50% = $125,000
Next $100,000 of remaining gain × 66.67% = $66,670
Total taxable capital gain (included in income): $191,670
Step 4: Calculate federal tax on $191,670
$55,867 × 15.0% = $8,380
$55,866 × 20.5% = $11,453
$61,942 × 26.0% = $16,105
$17,995 × 29.0% = $5,219
Subtotal federal tax: $41,157
Basic personal amount credit: −$2,499
Net federal tax: ~$38,658
Step 5: Calculate Saskatchewan provincial tax on $191,670
$52,057 × 10.5% = $5,466
$96,543 × 12.5% = $12,068
$43,070 × 14.5% = $6,245
Subtotal SK tax: $23,779
SK basic personal credit: −$1,884
SK Farm & Small Business Capital Gains Tax Credit (T1237): applied to LCGE portion
Net Saskatchewan tax on remaining gain: ~$21,895
Note that the Saskatchewan tax above applies only to the $191,670 of taxable capital gain that exceeds the LCGE. The Form T1237 credit ensures that the $1,250,000 sheltered by the LCGE is also exempt at the provincial level. Without Form T1237, Saskatchewan would tax the included portion of the LCGE-sheltered gain at provincial rates — an additional cost that many farmers overlook. For more on Saskatchewan income tax brackets, see our Saskatchewan income tax calculator for 2025.
Summary: Federal + Provincial Tax on the $1.8M Qualified Farm Sale
| Line Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sale price | $1,800,000 |
| Adjusted cost base | $200,000 |
| Total capital gain | $1,600,000 |
| LCGE deduction (2025) | −$1,250,000 |
| Remaining capital gain | $350,000 |
| Taxable capital gain (after inclusion rates) | $191,670 |
| Federal tax (approx.) | $38,658 |
| Saskatchewan tax (approx.) | $21,895 |
| Total combined tax | ~$60,553 |
| Net after-tax proceeds | ~$1,739,447 |
| Effective tax rate on total gain | 3.8% |
Assumes no other income in 2025, no prior LCGE usage, and no selling expenses beyond legal fees. Federal and provincial basic personal amounts applied. Actual tax may vary based on other income, deductions, and credits.
Qualified vs Non-Qualified Land: The $200K+ Tax Difference
Not all rural land qualifies for the LCGE. Recreational property, land held for speculation, or farmland that does not meet the active-farming test is taxed as ordinary capital gains with no exemption. Here is the side-by-side comparison on the same $1.6M gain.
| Line Item | Qualified Farm | Non-Qualified Land |
|---|---|---|
| Capital gain | $1,600,000 | $1,600,000 |
| LCGE deduction | −$1,250,000 | $0 |
| Gain subject to inclusion | $350,000 | $1,600,000 |
| First $250K × 50% | $125,000 | $125,000 |
| Remaining gain × 66.67% | $66,670 | $900,050 |
| Total taxable capital gain | $191,670 | $1,025,050 |
| Combined federal + SK tax (approx.) | ~$60,553 | ~$393,200 |
| Net after-tax proceeds | ~$1,739,447 | ~$1,406,800 |
| Tax cost of not qualifying | ~$332,647 additional tax | |
Non-qualified land receives no LCGE deduction. The full $1,600,000 gain is subject to inclusion rates: $250K at 50% plus $1,350,000 at 66.67%. Combined marginal rates at the top federal and Saskatchewan brackets apply. Estimates assume no other income.
The LCGE is worth over $330,000 in tax savings on this transaction. That is the difference between keeping 96.2% of your gain and keeping only 87.9%. For a detailed look at how the 2025 inclusion rate change works on a portfolio sale, see our capital gains inclusion rate calculator for 2025.
The Saskatchewan Farm and Small Business Capital Gains Tax Credit (Form T1237)
Saskatchewan is one of several provinces that offer a provincial tax credit to match the federal LCGE. Without this credit, the federal exemption would only shelter you from federal tax — Saskatchewan would still tax the included portion of the LCGE-sheltered gain at provincial rates of 10.5% to 14.5%.
Form T1237 calculates the Saskatchewan credit as the provincial tax otherwise payable on the taxable capital gain that is deducted under the federal LCGE. In our example, the $1,250,000 LCGE deduction removes the gain from federal income — and Form T1237 ensures the same gain is removed from Saskatchewan provincial income. The credit is claimed on your Saskatchewan tax return (Form SK428).
Do not forget Form T1237. If you claim the federal LCGE on Form T657 but fail to file Form T1237, you will still owe Saskatchewan provincial tax on the included portion of the LCGE-sheltered gain. On $1,250,000 of sheltered gain, the provincial tax cost of this omission could exceed $50,000. Your accountant should file both forms together, but self-filers sometimes miss the provincial form.
CRA Eligibility: The Five Tests for Qualified Farm Property
The LCGE is only available on property that CRA considers “qualified farm or fishing property” (QFFP). The definition is in section 110.6 of the Income Tax Act, and CRA applies several specific tests. Failing any one of them disqualifies the property entirely.
Test 1: Ownership period (24-month minimum)
The property must have been owned by you, your spouse, your parent, or your child for at least 24 months before the date of disposition.
Test 2: Use in farming
The property must be real property (land, buildings, or eligible capital property) used in the course of carrying on the business of farming in Canada.
Test 3: Gross revenue test (the “active farming” test)
For at least two years while the property was owned by you or a family member, the gross revenue from farming must have exceeded the income from all other sources. This is the test that most frequently trips up landowners who rent their farmland to third-party operators rather than farming it themselves.
Test 4: The property was used principally in farming
“Principally” means more than 50% of the time. If the property was used partly for farming and partly for other purposes (e.g., gravel extraction, recreational use), CRA may deny the exemption if farming was not the primary use.
Test 5: Anti-avoidance
The property must not have been acquired primarily for the purpose of claiming the LCGE. CRA scrutinizes properties purchased shortly before disposition and properties that were not actively farmed after acquisition.
Saskatchewan farmers face a particular challenge with Test 3 because many operations involve renting land to neighbours or custom-farming arrangements. If the landowner's off-farm employment income exceeds the gross farm revenue in most years of ownership, the property may not qualify. Maintaining farm revenue records for every year of ownership is essential. For related intergenerational transfer rules, see our Alberta intergenerational farm transfer calculator.
Principal Residence Overlap: Farmhouse Plus Acreage
Many Saskatchewan farm sales include the family home. The Income Tax Act allows you to designate your farmhouse and up to one-half hectare (approximately 1.24 acres) of surrounding land as your principal residence. The gain on that portion qualifies for the principal residence exemption (PRE), which is separate from the LCGE.
Splitting a farm sale between PRE and LCGE:
Total sale price: $1,800,000
Farmhouse + 0.5 hectare (appraised): $250,000
Remaining farmland: $1,550,000
Farmhouse ACB: $50,000
Farmhouse gain: $200,000 → sheltered by PRE (if designated for all years)
Farmland ACB: $150,000
Farmland gain: $1,400,000 → $1,250,000 sheltered by LCGE
Remaining taxable gain: $150,000
Taxable capital gain at 50%: $75,000
Result: By splitting the property, only $75,000 is included in income instead of $191,670. Combined tax drops from ~$60,553 to ~$18,200.
The PRE and LCGE are powerful when used together, but they cannot apply to the same portion of the property. You need a professional appraisal that allocates the total sale price between the farmhouse lot and the agricultural acreage. CRA will accept a reasonable allocation supported by an independent appraisal. For more on principal residence rules with mixed-use properties, see our Manitoba mixed farm residence calculator.
The 2025 Capital Gains Inclusion Rate Change: What It Means for Farmers
Starting in the 2025 tax year, the capital gains inclusion rate for individuals changed from a flat 50% to a two-tier system: 50% on the first $250,000 of net capital gains and 66.67% on amounts above $250,000. This change matters for farmers whose gains exceed the LCGE.
| Scenario | Old Rules (flat 50%) | 2025 Rules (tiered) |
|---|---|---|
| Gain above LCGE | $350,000 | $350,000 |
| First $250K inclusion | $125,000 (50%) | $125,000 (50%) |
| Remaining $100K inclusion | $50,000 (50%) | $66,670 (66.67%) |
| Total taxable capital gain | $175,000 | $191,670 |
| Additional taxable income under new rules | +$16,670 | |
The $16,670 increase in taxable income at combined marginal rates of roughly 36% produces approximately $6,000 in additional tax compared to the old flat 50% inclusion. The LCGE itself is unaffected by the inclusion rate change — it fully shelters $1,250,000 regardless of the inclusion rate.
For farm sales where the gain exceeds the LCGE by more than $250,000, the new inclusion rate creates a meaningful cost increase. Farmers with gains well above the LCGE should discuss timing strategies with their accountant — including capital gains reserves over multiple tax years (up to 10 years for qualified farm property) to keep each year's gain within the $250,000 lower-inclusion tier. For a broader look at the inclusion rate mechanics, see our Manitoba capital gains inclusion rate calculator.
Capital Gains Reserves: Spreading the Tax Over Up to 10 Years
If the buyer pays you over time (vendor financing or an installment sale), you can claim a capital gains reserve to defer recognizing the gain. For qualified farm property, the maximum reserve period is 10 years — double the 5-year limit for most other capital property. This is particularly relevant under the new tiered inclusion rates.
Reserve strategy on the $350,000 excess gain:
If the buyer pays $180,000/year over 10 years:
Year 1 recognized gain: ~$35,000
Year 1 taxable capital gain (50% inclusion): $17,500
By keeping each year's recognized gain below $250,000, the entire excess gain is included at 50% rather than 66.67%. Over 10 years, this saves approximately $6,000 compared to recognizing the full $350,000 in a single year.
Important: The LCGE is claimed as gains are recognized, not all in year 1. You must file Form T657 in each year that you recognize a portion of the gain and claim the corresponding LCGE deduction.
Documentation Checklist: What CRA May Ask For
CRA regularly audits LCGE claims on farm property. Saskatchewan acreage sales are flagged when the exemption claimed is large relative to the taxpayer's reported farm income history. Keep these documents for at least six years after the year of disposition.
Required documentation:
• Original purchase agreement and closing statement (proves ACB)
• Capital improvement receipts (fencing, drainage, buildings)
• Annual farm income tax returns (T2042) for every year of ownership
• Proof of active farming: crop insurance records, grain delivery tickets, livestock records, custom work invoices
• Lease agreements (if land was rented to a tenant farmer)
• Property appraisal separating farmhouse from agricultural land
• Sale agreement and closing statement
• Saskatchewan crop insurance or WLPIP records
• T657 (Capital Gains Deduction) and T1237 (SK provincial credit) filed copies
The gross revenue test trap: Many Saskatchewan farmers work off-farm jobs while also farming. If your off-farm employment income exceeded your gross farm revenue in most years of ownership, your property may fail the QFFP gross revenue test. CRA looks at each year individually and requires that the test be met in at least two years. Keep your T2042 (Statement of Farming Activities) filed accurately every year — the numbers on those returns become the evidence CRA uses to determine eligibility.
Important Disclaimer
This article provides general information about the lifetime capital gains exemption for qualified farm property in Saskatchewan and is not legal, financial, or tax advice. The $1,250,000 LCGE limit is the indexed amount for 2025 as published by CRA. The 2025 capital gains inclusion rate change (50% on the first $250K, 66.67% above) applies to individuals as enacted. All tax calculations are approximate and assume no other income, no prior LCGE usage, and standard personal amounts. Saskatchewan provincial tax rates and the Farm and Small Business Capital Gains Tax Credit are based on current legislation. Eligibility for the LCGE depends on meeting all CRA requirements for qualified farm property, including the ownership, use, and gross revenue tests. Consult a qualified accountant, tax lawyer, or CRA directly before making disposition decisions or filing LCGE claims.