Gifted down payment in Alberta.

Underwriters need to confirm the funds are a true gift (not a loan), came from an immediate family member, and have a clean source-of-funds trail.

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 gifted down payment 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)

• Signed gift letter on the lender's template
• 90 days of statements from the gifting account
• Proof of transfer from the gifter to the borrower
• Source-of-funds documentation for the gifter if the deposit is recent or large
• Gifter's government-issued ID (FINTRAC requirement at most lenders)

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: The signed gift letter alone is not enough. Underwriters trace the funds back through the gifter's account and may ask for explanations on large recent deposits.

• Transfer the gift at least 30 days before closing
• Keep the funds in a single account once received
• Have the gifter retain statements showing the source of the gift on their side

• Gift coming from a non-immediate-family member (friend, employer, distant relative) — most A-lenders refuse.
• Gift documented as a 'loan' anywhere — in texts, emails, or the gifter's notes.
• Source of the gifter's funds that cannot itself be explained.