HomebuyingKey 10 questions to ask when getting a mortgage in Canada in 2026
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| Insured ? | 80% LTV ? The rates in this column apply to mortgage amounts between 65.01% and 80% of the property value. The home must be owner-occupied and have an amortization of 25 years or less. You must have purchased it for less than $1 million. These rates are not available on refinances. Refinances require "Uninsured" rates. | 65% LTV ? The rates in this column apply to mortgage amounts that are 65% of the property value or less. The home must be owner-occupied and have an amortization of 25 years or less. You must have purchased it for less than $1 million. These rates are not available on refinances. Refinances require "Uninsured" rates. | Uninsured ? | Bank Rate ? | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Insured 4.64% | 80% LTV 4.19% | 65% LTV 4.19% | Uninsured 4.99% | 4.99% | ||
Insured 3.99% | 80% LTV 3.89% | 65% LTV 3.89% | Uninsured 4.44% | 4.53% | ||
Insured 3.69% | 80% LTV 3.79% | 65% LTV 3.79% | Uninsured 3.9% | 4.39% | ||
Insured 3.84% | 80% LTV 3.99% | 65% LTV 3.99% | Uninsured 4.39% | 4.44% | ||
Insured 3.69% | 80% LTV 3.55% | 65% LTV 3.55% | Uninsured 3.69% | 4.19% | ||
Insured 4.19% | 80% LTV 4.24% | 65% LTV 4.24% | Uninsured 4.89% | 5% | ||
Insured 5.04% | 80% LTV 4.34% | 65% LTV 4.34% | Uninsured 5.24% | 6.09% | ||
Insured 3.9% | 80% LTV 3.95% | 65% LTV 3.9% | Uninsured 3.9% | 5.95% | ||
Insured 3.45% | 80% LTV 3.45% | 65% LTV 3.45% | Uninsured 3.5% | 4.24% | ||
Insured N/A | 80% LTV N/A | 65% LTV N/A | Uninsured N/A | N/A | ||
Insured 5.45% | 80% LTV 5.45% | 65% LTV 5.45% | Uninsured 5.5% | N/A |
There are three main drivers behind mortgage rates in Hamilton and Canada at large:
The Bank of Canada influences mortgage rates through its policy rate. The Bank’s objective is to keep inflation in the target range of 1% to 3% and preserve the value of the Canadian dollar. It achieves this by setting the target overnight rate, also known as the policy rate.
As of today, the policy rate is 2.25%. The central bank uses the target rate to influence how the banks set their own rates and acts as a barometer for the rate at which banks borrow and lend among themselves.
The higher the inflation, particularly if it’s above 3%, the higher the likelihood of a rate hike. Though inflation does not directly affect mortgage rates, the Bank tends to raise rates to cool down economic activity and force homebuyers to retreat from the market. It’s worth noting that government bond yields, which influence fixed rates, are affected by inflation as well, in addition to factors like oil prices, geopolitical tensions and broader economic conditions (which currently remain uncertain).
Banks, credit unions, monoline lenders and other financial institutions compete to attract borrowers across Hamilton and beyond. During competitive market conditions, lenders may offer better rates. Shopping around and comparing multiple lenders — including local Ontario credit unions like Meridian Credit Union and Hamilton Municipal Employees Credit Union — can often result in a better mortgage rate.
Lenders have a set of criteria they examine when determining whether to give your mortgage application their stamp of approval, along with what mortgage rates to propose. Here is what lenders consider when they calculate a mortgage rate for a Hamilton home.
1. Down payment
This is one of the biggest factors when determining your Hamilton mortgage loan. The bigger the down payment you make, the smaller your loan will be. This will also dictate your mortgage rate. Typically, Canadians must make a down payment between 5% and 20% of their home’s total cost. Here is what the federal government outlines:
If you’re unable to make a down payment of 20% or more, you’ll be required to buy Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) mortgage insurance.
2. Debt service ratios
When calculating a best mortgage rate, lenders in Hamilton consider your gross debt service ratio (GDS) and your total debt service ratio (TDS).
3. Credit score
Credit scores in Canada run from 300 to 900, with traditional mortgage lenders only considering applications with a minimum score of 600, giving preference to candidates in the 700 and up range. A high credit score let’s lenders know that you’re typically good to pay back the money. A low score signifies that you’re a risky candidate. To get the lowest mortgage rates in Hamilton, you will definitely want to ensure your credit score is as high as possible.
4. Income
Mortgage companies in Hamilton will want to look at all sources of income before making any financial decisions. They will examine your salary, any rental income or investments, and type of employment you currently have, whether that’s full-time, casual, temporary or seasonal. If you’re self-employed, they may apply more scrutiny, looking at tax returns from the past three years; any articles of incorporation, business or GST licenses; your business credit score; and income statements, balance statements, and cash flow statements.
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How do these mortgage types differ? Conventional (low-ratio) mortgage requires a down payment of 20% or more, with no mandatory insurance, while a high-ratio mortgage requires a down payment of below 20%, plus mandatory insurance.
Which mortgage type offers cheaper rates? As of September 2026, the average conventional 5-year fixed rate is 4.49%. That’s 40 bps above the average high-ratio 5-year fixed rate, which stands at 4.09%.
| Date | Average Conventional Rate | Average High Ratio Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 09/25 | 4.50% | 4.42% |
| 10/25 | 4.46% | 4.36% |
| 11/25 | 4.35% | 4.31% |
| 12/25 | 4.44% | 4.32% |
| 01/26 | 4.49% | 4.49% |
| 02/26 | 4.47% | 4.43% |
| 03/26 | 4.27% | 4.20% |
| 04/26 | 4.24% | 4.23% |
| 05/26 | 4.38% | 4.22% |
| 06/26 | 4.48% | 4.24% |
| 07/26 | 4.47% | 4.14% |
| 08/26 | 4.49% | 4.09% |
Last Updated: September 1, 2026
How do these mortgage rates differ? A fixed rate mortgage is a rate fixed over a period of time. Interest rates and the mortgage payments remain the same (and consistent) over that mortgage term. A variable rate mortgage is different. While the mortgage payment remains constant, the interest rate payments fluctuate with the prime interest rate.
Which rate is cheaper? As of September, the 5-year fixed rate is 4.30%. That’s 41 bps abow the 5-year variable rate, which stands at 3.89%.
| Month | Fixed | Variable |
|---|---|---|
| 09/25 | 4.60% | 4.64% |
| 10/25 | 4.62% | 4.51% |
| 11/25 | 4.64% | 4.40% |
| 12/25 | 4.64% | 4.41% |
| 01/26 | 4.71% | 4.44% |
| 02/26 | 4.64% | 4.43% |
| 03/26 | 4.33% | 4.38% |
| 04/26 | 4.38% | 4.06% |
| 05/26 | 4.41% | 4.05% |
| 06/26 | 4.45% | 4.01% |
| 07/26 | 4.34% | 3.93% |
| 08/26 | 4.30% | 3.89% |
Last Updated: September 1, 2026
New mortgage loan values have been trending upward throughout 2025, reaching the average of $449,498 in Hamilton and $360,597 in Canada by the end of Q4 2025.
Here are all the average new mortgages loan values in Hamilton from 2022 to 2025:
| Q1 – 2022 | Q2 – 2022 | Q3 – 2022 | Q4 – 2022 | Q1 – 2023 | Q2 – 2023 | Q3 – 2023 | Q4 – 2023 | Q1 – 2024 | Q2 – 2024 | Q3 – 2024 | Q4 – 2024 | Q1 – 2025 | Q2 – 2025 | Q3 – 2025 | Q4 – 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $368,936 | $371,063 | $363,654 | $325,612 | $320,298 | $314,540 | $338,522 | $327,899 | $323,537 | $332,825 | $349,364 | $343,271 | $356,831 | $350,281 | $360,986 | $360,597 |
| Hamilton | $454,262 | $464,878 | $464,145 | $397,312 | $387,022 | $394,835 | $429,151 | $421,325 | $414,904 | $417,423 | $449,581 | $431,720 | $440,898 | $437,893 | $452,673 | $449,498 |
Scheduled monthly payments have been trending downward throughout 2025, reaching the average of $2,422 in Hamilton by the end of Q4 2025.
| Q1 – 2022 | Q2 – 2022 | Q3 – 2022 | Q4 – 2022 | Q1 – 2023 | Q2 – 2023 | Q3 – 2023 | Q4 – 2023 | Q1 – 2024 | Q2 – 2024 | Q3 – 2024 | Q4 – 2024 | Q1 – 2025 | Q2 – 2025 | Q3 – 2025 | Q4 – 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,925 | $2,123 | $2,394 | $2,325 | $2,356 | $2,347 | $2,575 | $2,673 | $2,628 | $2,540 | $2,732 | $2,495 | $2,500 | $2,425 | $2,489 | $2,422 |
Closing costs are the one-time fees buyers pay upon purchasing property in Hamilton. Generally, closing costs include:
Land transfer tax calculations for a $500,000 property in Hamilton without a rebate are:
Before signing a mortgage contact these are some good terms to know:
Fixed or variable mortgage rates aren’t the only things to consider when doing a comparison of mortgage rates in Hamilton. Homeowners also need to decide between an open mortgage and a closed mortgage.
Finding the lowest mortgage interest rate in Hamilton is just one piece of the home purchasing puzzle. You’ll also want to consider prepayment privileges, penalties and portability:
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The better informed you are, the more likely you'll negotiate a better deal for yourself. And, really, that’s what we care about the most.

Taras Trofimov
About the Author
Taras is the Content Manager for LowestRates.ca. He has produced thought leadership content for organizations like Constellation Software, Facebook and Yellow Pages as well as outlets like The Globe and Mail, Autoblog and MSN Autos.
HomebuyingQUICK TAKEAWAYS: Your rates, options, and overall borrowing experience varies between a mortgage broker ...
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