Mortgage stress test calculator
Every federally regulated lender checks you can afford your mortgage at a higher rate. See that rate, the payment it implies and whether your income passes.
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The rule
OSFI’s minimum qualifying rate is the greater of your mortgage contract rate plus 2% or 5.25%. Lenders apply it to uninsured mortgages under guideline B-20, and the same test applies to insured mortgages. The payment at that rate must fit within the GDS and TDS limits.
| Your rate | You qualify at |
|---|---|
| 2.99% | 5.25% (the floor) |
| 3.99% | 5.99% |
| 4.49% | 6.49% |
| 5.25% | 7.25% |
Does the stress test apply at renewal?
Not if you renew with your current lender. Since November 21, 2024, OSFI also stopped requiring it for straight switches of uninsured mortgages to a new lender at renewal (same balance and amortization). It still applies when you refinance or increase your mortgage.
How to pass if you are close
- Pay off a car loan or credit card: each $100 a month of debt payments costs roughly $15,000 of borrowing power.
- Add a co-borrower’s income.
- Put more down, or choose a lower-priced home.
- An insured mortgage with a first-time-buyer 30-year amortization lowers the qualifying payment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the stress test rate in 2026?
There is no single rate: it is your contract rate + 2%, with a floor of 5.25%. With a 4.49% offer you qualify at 6.49%.
Does the stress test change my payment?
No. You pay your actual contract rate. The stress test only limits how much you can borrow.
Do credit unions use the stress test?
Provincially regulated credit unions are not bound by OSFI’s B-20, but most apply a similar test. Insured mortgages from any lender must pass it.
What GDS and TDS do I need?
CMHC’s limits are 39% GDS and 44% TDS. Uninsured lenders may set their own, usually similar or slightly stricter.
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