| Minimum down payment | 5% of the first $500,000, then 10% of the portion up to $1.5 million. At $1.5 million or more, 20%. | Financial Consumer Agency of Canada |
| Insured mortgage limit | Homes priced under $1.5 million can be bought with less than 20% down, since December 15, 2024. | Department of Finance Canada |
| Mortgage insurance premium | 0.60% to 4.00% of the loan, set by how much you borrow against the price. Ontario's 8% sales tax on the premium is paid at closing. | CMHC, Ontario Ministry of Finance |
| Longest insured amortization | 30 years for first-time buyers and new builds. 25 years for everyone else. | Department of Finance Canada |
| Stress test | Federally regulated lenders qualify uninsured borrowers at the higher of the contract rate plus 2%, or 5.25%. | OSFI |
| Switching at renewal | No new stress test when you switch lenders without borrowing more or extending the amortization. | Finance Canada, OSFI |
| Land transfer tax in Toronto | You pay Ontario's tax and the City's, on the same brackets up to $2 million. The City charges more above $3 million on houses since April 1, 2026. | Ontario, City of Toronto |
| First-time buyer rebates | Up to $4,000 back from Ontario and up to $4,475 from Toronto. | Ontario, City of Toronto |