Bonus and commission income in Alberta.

Lenders apply 2-year averaging on T4 box 14 income that exceeds base salary, with discounts on certain commission structures.

Alberta adds its own layer. Calgary and Edmonton run on different employment-cycle assumptions. Oil-sector commission and bonus income is heavily averaged. That matters here because underwriters are already scrutinizing the income side of a bonus and commission income file — a property or program complication local to Alberta can push a marginal file over the edge.

No land transfer tax. Land Titles registration fee plus mortgage registration fee — a few hundred dollars typical.

Programs to check eligibility for in Alberta:

• FHSA
• Home Buyers' Plan (RRSP withdrawal)

• Two years of T4s
• Two recent paystubs showing year-to-date
• Employment letter detailing base, bonus structure, and commission program

Alberta nuance: Bonus and commission income require 2 years of T4s; many Alberta files are killed by overstating recent strong years.

• Variable income from energy-sector roles is averaged over 24 months minimum.
• Acreage and rural files trigger MLI restrictions over a hectare.
• Condo board documents are commonly thin — request the full reserve study.

Underwriter view of this scenario: Box 14 minus base salary, averaged over 24 months, is the qualifying portion. A single strong year does not move the average meaningfully.

• Two consecutive years of strong bonus/commission income
• Employment letter that clearly separates base from variable
• Use base salary alone in your affordability math; treat the average as upside

• Commission income that dropped more than 30% year-over-year without explanation.
• Less than 24 months of bonus/commission history at the current employer.