About the Canadian mortgage calculator
Canadian fixed-rate mortgages compound interest twice a year. The Interest Act (section 6) requires a blended-payment mortgage to state its rate "calculated yearly or half-yearly, not in advance", so 5% means 2.5% every six months, or 5.0625% a year effective. Each payment uses the matching rate per period, for example (1.025)^(1/6) − 1 per month.
With the defaults, a 600,000 home with 10% down needs a CMHC premium of 3.10%, or 16,740, added to the 540,000 loan; at 4.5% over 25 years the 556,740 mortgage costs 3,081.41 a month. The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada's table gives 1,744.81 a month for 300,000 at 5% over 25 years, which this calculator reproduces.
Accelerated bi-weekly payments, half the monthly payment every two weeks, add the equivalent of one monthly payment a year. On that 300,000 mortgage they end the loan in 21.5 years and save 36,261.51 of interest.
Questions
Why are Canadian mortgages compounded semi-annually?
Section 6 of the Interest Act requires a mortgage with blended payments to state its rate calculated yearly or half-yearly, not in advance, and fixed rates are quoted with half-yearly compounding. A 5% rate is then 5.0625% effective a year instead of 5.1162% with monthly compounding. On 300,000 over 25 years the payment is 1,744.81 a month rather than 1,753.77.
What is the minimum down payment in Canada?
5% of the price up to 500,000; 5% of the first 500,000 plus 10% of the rest up to 1.5 million; and 20% at 1.5 million or more, where mortgage insurance is not available (Financial Consumer Agency of Canada). A 600,000 home needs at least 25,000 + 10,000 = 35,000. With less than 20% down you typically need mortgage default insurance.
How much is CMHC mortgage insurance?
CMHC charges a one-time premium on the loan: 2.80% at 80.01% to 85% loan-to-value, 3.10% up to 90% and 4.00% up to 95% (4.50% with a borrowed down payment). Amortizations over 25 years add 0.20 points. The premium is usually added to the mortgage; Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan charge sales tax on it, payable in cash. At 94.17% LTV on 565,000 the premium is 22,600.
Can you get a 30-year mortgage in Canada?
Yes. Since December 15, 2024, an insured mortgage (under 20% down) can be amortized over 30 years if a borrower is a first-time buyer or the home is newly built (Department of Finance); others are capped at 25 years. With 5% down on 500,000 at 4.5%, 30 years costs 2,495.61 a month against 2,734.16 over 25 years, but 77,224.44 more interest.
How much do accelerated bi-weekly payments save?
Paying half the monthly payment every two weeks makes 26 half-payments, or 13 monthly payments, a year. On 300,000 at 5% over 25 years, accelerated bi-weekly payments of 872.41 end the mortgage in 21.5 years and save 36,261.51 of interest; accelerated weekly payments of 436.20 save 36,673.39. Regular bi-weekly payments, set to last 25 years, save only 579.95.
How accurate is the Canadian mortgage calculator?
Accuracy depends on your inputs and the method's assumptions. Decimal arithmetic uses 50 significant digits, but estimates, numerical methods and source data can be less precise; the displayed rounding does not remove those limits. It is checked against 6 worked examples whose answers come from independent sources; for example, “FCAC table: 300,000 at 5% over 25 years” is checked against Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Interest on mortgages: 5.00% row — monthly payment 1,744.81, 5-year interest 70,211.42, 25-year interest 223,444.49.
Where does the method come from?
Interest Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. I-15), section 6; Financial Consumer Agency of Canada — Interest on mortgages (payment table for 300,000 over 25 years); Financial Consumer Agency of Canada — Saving for a down payment; CMHC — Premium information for homeowner and small rental loans; CMHC — Home Start (30-year amortization premiums); Department of Finance Canada — Boldest mortgage reforms in decades come into force.