Research standards
Research and source review.
Which Canadian sources this site is built on, how they are monitored, and what happens on the site when one of them changes.
Primary sources
These are the bodies that actually set or publish the rules and figures used across this site. Where a page states a threshold, it traces back to one of them.
Source hierarchy
When sources disagree, the one closest to the rule wins. We do not average opinions, and we do not cite another publisher for a number that a regulator publishes directly.
| Tier | What it covers | How we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Rule-setter | OSFI, CMHC, FINTRAC, provincial regulators and tax authorities | Authoritative. Stated as the rule. |
| Official data | Bank of Canada, Statistics Canada, provincial data portals | Quoted with the date of the release. |
| Consumer guidance | FCAC and provincial consumer agencies | Used for plain-language framing. |
| Market observation | Publicly advertised lender pricing | Indicative context only, with a snapshot date. |
| Commentary | Industry analysis and news | Background only. Never the basis for a figure. |
What triggers a review
Rather than a decorative quarterly stamp, review is event-driven. A page gets re-read when something that page depends on actually moves:
- A Bank of Canada policy rate decision or an unscheduled announcement.
- An OSFI guideline change or supervisory statement affecting qualification.
- A CMHC change to insurance eligibility, premiums, or price caps.
- A federal or provincial budget touching down payment programs, rebates, or land transfer tax.
- A reader-reported correction.
Rolling maintenance passes cover the rest of the library so that nothing sits unread indefinitely.
How a change propagates
Shared figures live in one place in the codebase rather than being retyped page by page. When a threshold or rate snapshot changes, every guide, calculator, and widget that reads it changes with it — which is why the site does not carry three different versions of the same number.
Substantive changes are recorded on the site changelog, so a reader can see what moved and when.
Rate figures
Rates shown anywhere on this site are indicative market context with a stated snapshot date. They are not quotes, not offers, not held, and not lender-specific commitments. Your actual rate depends on your file, the property, the lender, and the day.
Calculator assumptions
Each calculator states its own inputs and assumptions on the page. In general: payments use standard Canadian semi-annual compounding conventions for fixed-rate mortgages, qualification uses the greater of the contract rate plus two percentage points or the 5.25% floor, and default insurance premiums follow published CMHC bands. Property tax, heat, condo fees, and closing costs are estimates unless you enter your own figures.
Results are estimates for planning. They are not approvals, not quotes, and not advice. If a figure here looks wrong for your situation, write to hello@mortgagepreapproval.ca and we will check it.
Written and reviewed by the Canadian Mortgage Compass Editorial Desk. This page is general information for Canadian readers and is not mortgage, legal, tax, or financial advice, and not an offer of credit. Rules, rates, and lender policies change; confirm your own situation with a licensed mortgage professional in your province. Editorial policy · Corrections