Can a foreign buyer take title with a Canadian spouse in BC?

Direct answer

Generally yes — under the Canadian-citizen-spouse exemption, a non-Canadian individual who is the spouse or common-law partner of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person registered under the Indian Act may purchase residential property jointly with that Canadian-status spouse. The exemption is in the Regulations to the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act. Both spouses must be on title; the exemption does NOT cover a foreign buyer purchasing alone with a Canadian spouse "co-signing" without going on title. However, BC's 20% Foreign Buyer Additional Property Transfer Tax still applies, prorated to the foreign spouse's ownership share. Worked example on a $1.5M Vancouver condo purchased 50/50 by a Canadian-citizen and a non-Canadian spouse: standard PTT = $28,000 (paid at full rate); BC APTT on the foreign spouse's 50% share = 20% × $750,000 = $150,000. Total tax due at registration = $178,000. Practitioner note: many couples structure ownership 99% Canadian / 1% foreign to minimize APTT exposure while preserving the federal exemption — but BCFSA + CRA scrutinize artificial allocations. Always document the economic substance with a real-estate lawyer.