Congratulations on making the decision to buy a home. Before you get started, you should be informed of the new Canadian mortgage rules. As of January 2018, these new rules have been enacted, which could affect your finances. To help you get a better idea of how the new rules affect Edmonton mortgage rates, Vaughn Leroux at Dominion Lending Centres has described the recent changes below.

Stress Test

The new Canadian mortgage rules include a mandatory stress test for all new and existing homeowners. The purpose is to see if you can financially handle a rise in interest rates without accruing more debt and stretching your finances too far.

Mortgage debt is a major issue throughout Canada and could greatly affect the entire financial system. To prevent and system-wide problems,  the government decided to implement a stress test to reduce the amount of mortgage debt homeowners are carrying and to help cool down the residential market.

Showing you can make payments with an increased rate will be determined in one of two ways:

• Using the Bank of Canada five-year benchmark qualifying rate of -5.34% or
• Using the mortgage rate you are offered by your lender plus an additional 2%

Who is Affected?

Anyone who is looking for a mortgage is affected; this includes those who already have a first mortgage and would like to change banks when their loan period is up. Even if you pay 20% or more towards your down payment, you still are required to take the stress test.  However, you are not affected by these new rules if you wish to renew or refinance your Edmonton mortgage with your original lender.

Financially, the new stress test has been affecting Canadians affordability by as much as 15%. We recommend getting a pre-approved mortgage to determine your options.

Contact Us

For more information on the new Canadian mortgage rules, or to see if the stress test affects your finances, please contact your local Edmonton mortgage broker at 780-431-5600.