Stress test lab
Load your numbers, see the qualifying rate, and whether the price passes. Example values; replace them with yours. Nothing leaves your browser.
At your 4.12% contract rate the same ratios would allow $691,900. The test takes away $109,700 (16%).
- Mortgage
- $539,433
- insured, incl. $17,233 premium
- Payment you'd make
- $2,602
- monthly at 4.12%
- Payment the lender tests
- $3,249
- monthly at 6.12%
- Loan-to-income
- 4.69×
- OSFI watches lenders' share above 4.5×
With 30 years the most you pass at is $582,200; with 25 years it would be $550,300 ($31,900 less, but less interest over time).
Estimate, not advice. Educational estimate only, not financial, mortgage, tax or legal advice. Lenders, insurers and governments set their own rules and can change them; confirm with a licensed professional before you decide.
Qualifying rate 6.12%. Maximum price with the stress test $582,200.
What is driving this result
- The lender tests you at 6.12%: your 4.12% rate + 2 points. You would actually pay 4.12%, so the test assumes a payment $647 a month higher than your real one.
- At 6.12% the most you can put toward housing is $3,738 a month under the 39% GDS limit, and $3,767 after your other debts under the 44% TDS limit.
- Your GDS ratio (housing costs at the qualifying rate ÷ income) is what stops a higher price.
- Without the buffer, the same ratios would allow about $691,900. The stress test removes $109,700 (16%) of buying power.
Paths to pass at $630,000
Each lever is solved on its own, holding everything else at your inputs. Enter a price above to test your own target.
About $11,100 a year of co-signer income would pass, if they carry $0 a month of their own debts. Their debts count too, and they become fully liable. How co-signing works.
Even $0 of other debts doesn't pass: GDS or another rule is the limit, so paying debts off won't do it alone.
A down payment of $111,400 ($51,400 more) would pass.
You're already at 30 years.
A lower rate can't do it: at any rate below 3.25% the 5.25% floor sets the test.
Not an option with less than 20% down: insured mortgages use the federal test at every lender.
Show the numbers
| Qualifying rate | Maximum price |
|---|---|
| 3.00% | $772,400 |
| 3.25% | $753,200 |
| 3.50% | $734,800 |
| 3.75% | $717,000 |
| 4.00% | $699,900 |
| 4.25% | $683,400 |
| 4.50% | $667,600 |
| 4.75% | $652,300 |
| 5.00% | $637,600 |
| 5.25% | $623,400 |
| 5.50% | $609,800 |
| 5.75% | $600,000 |
| 6.00% | $588,100 |
| 6.25% | $575,800 |
| 6.50% | $564,000 |
| 6.75% | $552,600 |
| 7.00% | $541,500 |
| 7.25% | $530,900 |
| 7.50% | $520,700 |
| 7.75% | $510,800 |
| 8.00% | $501,200 |
| Contract rate ↓ / Income → | $85K | $100K | $115K | $130K | $145K | $160K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.12% | $459K | $546K | $623K | $700K | $776K | $850K |
| 3.62% | $445K | $528K | $603K | $677K | $751K | $824K |
| 4.12% | $427K | $507K | $582K (your inputs) | $648K | $719K | $789K |
| 4.62% | $410K | $486K | $558K | $622K | $689K | $756K |
| 5.12% | $396K | $467K | $536K | $600K | $661K | $725K |
| 5.62% | $381K | $450K | $516K | $578K | $635K | $696K |
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Assumptions & sources
Assumptions
- Qualifying rate: the greater of the contract rate + 2 points or 5.25% (OSFI Guideline B-20 for uninsured loans at federally regulated lenders; federal mortgage-insurance rules for every insured loan). Same formula for fixed and variable rates.
- GDS = (principal and interest at the qualifying rate + property tax + heating + 50% of condo fees) ÷ gross monthly income. TDS adds your other monthly debt payments. Limits default to CMHC's 39% / 44%; uninsured lenders set their own.
- Less than 20% down: insured. Minimum down payment 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% above; insured price must be below $1,500,000; premium added to the loan by loan-to-value; 30-year insured amortization only for first-time buyers and new builds (+0.20 points on the premium).
- Fixed rates compound semi-annually (the Canadian convention). Property tax and heating are your estimates. Credit score, employment history, property type and the lender's own policies are not modelled.
- "Without the stress test" uses your contract rate in place of the qualifying rate and keeps every other rule.
Sources
- OSFI — Minimum qualifying rate for uninsured mortgages (effective January 29, 2026). Checked .
- Department of Finance Canada — Statement on the insured mortgage stress test (December 2023) (effective December 12, 2023). Checked .
- CMHC — Calculating GDS / TDS. Checked .
- CMHC — Homeowner mortgage loan insurance: Purchase (eligibility). Checked .
- CMHC — Home Start: 30-year amortization for first-time buyers and new builds. Checked .
- Department of Finance Canada — Mortgage reforms in force: $1.5M insured price cap, 30-year amortization (effective December 15, 2024). Checked .
- OSFI — Loan-to-income limits for uninsured mortgage portfolios (effective January 29, 2026). Checked .
- Bank of Canada — Effective rate on new insured fixed mortgages, 5 years and over (series V122667780) (effective August 1, 2026). Checked .
- Bank of Canada — Effective rate on new uninsured fixed mortgages, 5 years and over (series V122667786) (effective August 1, 2026). Checked .
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