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Canadian Mortgage Calculator — CMHC Insurance & Stress Test, 2026

Estimate only — not mortgage or financial advice. Canadian mortgages compound semi-annually by law; payments here use that convention. CMHC premium uses standard CMHC Purchase rates for a traditional down payment and is added to the loan; provincial sales tax on the premium (charged in ON, QC and SK) is payable in cash at closing and is not included. Insured mortgages (under 20% down) are capped at a $1.5M purchase price and normally a 25-year amortization (30 years for eligible first-time buyers and new builds). Lender approval uses the stress test plus GDS/TDS debt-service ratios. Sources: CMHC premium tables; OSFI Guideline B-20.

How it works

Step 1 — minimum down payment. 5% of the first $500,000 of the price, plus 10% of the portion between $500,000 and $1,500,000. At $1,500,000 or more, 20% down is required and mortgage insurance is not available.

Step 2 — CMHC insurance. With less than 20% down, default insurance is mandatory and the premium is added to your mortgage: 4.00% of the loan at 90.01–95% loan-to-value, 3.10% at 85.01–90%, 2.80% at 80.01–85% (plus 0.20% if amortization exceeds 25 years). At 20%+ down there is no premium.

Step 3 — the payment. Canadian fixed rates compound semi-annually, so the monthly rate is (1 + annual ÷ 2)2/12 − 1. The payment then follows the standard amortization formula over your chosen frequency.

Step 4 — the stress test. You must qualify at the greater of your contract rate + 2% or 5.25%. The calculator shows the payment at the qualifying rate — that is the payment your lender tests against the 39% GDS / 44% TDS limits.

Worked example

A $650,000 home with $65,000 (10%) down: the mortgage before insurance is $585,000. At 90% loan-to-value the CMHC premium is 3.10% = $18,135, making a total mortgage of $603,135. At 4.50% over 25 years the monthly payment is about $3,338. The stress-test qualifying rate is 6.50% (4.50 + 2 beats the 5.25% floor), where the payment would be about $4,040 — the figure the lender uses to qualify you.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my lender’s payment slightly different?

Rounding of the rate conversion, the exact payment frequency (accelerated bi-weekly is different from regular bi-weekly), and whether the CMHC premium’s sales tax is financed all move the figure by a few dollars. The method — semi-annual compounding — is the Canadian standard.

Can I avoid CMHC insurance?

Yes: put 20% or more down. The premium is one reason saving the extra down payment can be worth it — on the example above it saves $18,135 plus the interest on it.

What are GDS and TDS?

Gross Debt Service (housing costs ÷ gross income, limit ~39%) and Total Debt Service (all debt payments ÷ gross income, limit ~44%), tested at the qualifying rate. See CMHC Insurance and the Stress Test, Explained.

Related: Rent vs Buy · CMHC & stress test guide · Take-Home Pay Calculator