When buying a home, you’ll need to make many financial decisions. One of those is the period of time that you’ll take to pay off your mortgage. For Canadians with less than a 20% down payment, the maximum amortization period they could choose was 25 years. However, this changed in August 2024 with the 2024 Federal Budget, where the federal government announced that first-time homebuyers will have access to 30-year mortgages on new construction homes in Canada.
In addition, in September 2024, the federal government expanded 30-year mortgages to all first-time homebuyers and all buyers of new builds, effective December 15th 2024.
What does this mean to Canadians, and is choosing a longer amortization period a smart move? Learn everything you need to know below.
Key Takeaways
- After December 15th, 2024, all first-time homebuyers in Canada can choose to pay off their mortgage over 30 years.
- All buyers of new construction homes, including condos and manufactured homes, can choose a 30-year amortization period after December 15th, 2024.
- Longer mortgages mean lower monthly payments but also more interest paid over the life of the loan.
Who Can Get a 30-Year Mortgage in Canada?
Previously, only homebuyers with a down payment larger than 20% could choose a 30-year mortgage in Canada. However, the federal government has changed mortgage rules to allow first-time homebuyers and all buyers of new builds to choose a 30-year amortization, regardless of the size of their down payment, after December 15th, 2024.
A first-time homebuyer is any Canadian who has never purchased a home before and has not occupied a home that their current spouse or common-law partner owned in the last four years. You may also be considered a first-time homebuyer if you recently experienced a marriage or common-law partnership breakdown.
A home must not have been previously occupied for residential purposes to be considered a new build. A new build also includes condos and manufactured homes, in addition to single-family homes.
Mortgage Term vs Amortization
The idea of a mortgage term versus a mortgage amortization can be confusing, but the two are distinct terms with different meanings.
A mortgage term is the duration of your current mortgage contract. The mortgage term refers to the fixed period of time that you can “lock in” the mortgage terms your lender offered, including your interest rate. Once this term is finished, you’ll need to sign a new term. The most common term length in Canada is five years.
On the other hand, the amortization period represents the entire lifespan of your mortgage. The amortization is how long it takes to pay off the total amount of the mortgage. If your mortgage amortization is 30 years (or 360 months) the mortgage amount gets cut up into 360 pieces, and you pay one piece each month.
How to Qualify for a 30-Year Mortgage
As of December 15th, 2024, there are three ways you can qualify for a 30-year mortgage in Canada:
- Buy a home with a down payment of 20% or more
- Purchase any home as a first-time homebuyer
- Purchase a new construction home, including a condo or manufactured home
With that being said, you will have to meet the standardl mortgage requirements, including passing the mortgage stress test. The mortgage stress test ensures you can afford your mortgage payments if interest rates rise. You can use a mortgage affordability calculator to determine how much house you can afford.
The Pros and Cons of Choosing a 30-Year Mortgage
While this new, longer mortgage amortization has many benefits, choosing this option also has some drawbacks.
The benefits of a 30-year mortgage
- More affordable monthly payments – the longer you take to pay off a loan, the lower your monthly payment. This lower payment will help more Canadians afford a home.
- Available on new-construction homes – if you’re stretching your budget to afford a home, buying a new-construction home is a good idea, because it won’t require as much maintenance as an existing home (which can be expensive), this will further reduce the strain on your budget.
The drawbacks of a 30-year mortgage
- More interest paid over the life of the loan – you’ll end up paying more interest with a longer mortgage, often tens of thousands of dollars more. This is money that may be better spent saving for retirement or paying down debt.
- Longer time to pay off the loan – choosing a 30-year mortgage means it will take 30 years to pay off your mortgage versus 25 years for a typical mortgage. This additional five years may impact your plans for retirement or other financial goals.
Comparing the Cost of 30-Year and 25-Year Mortgages
One downside of choosing a 30-year amortization is the higher amount of interest you’ll pay over the life of the loan.
For example, let’s compare the interest paid over a 25 and 30-year period using the average sale price in Canada as of August 2024, $649,096. We’ll assume a 20% down payment and a 5% interest rate to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison.
As you can see from the example above, all else equal, a 30-year mortgage will cost $91,637 more in the long run. On the other hand, your monthly mortgage payment will be $249 less if you choose a 30-year amortization period.
The takeaway here is that choosing a longer mortgage amortization will lower your monthly costs. However, you’ll pay significantly more in interest over the life of your loan, and it will take you longer to pay off your mortgage completely.
30 vs 25 Year Fixed Mortgage Rates
Another factor to consider when choosing an amortization length is the interest rates over the mortgage term. The most common mortgage term length is five years, and choosing a 30-year amortization will likely result in an extra mortgage term.
In addition, the interest rates available may differ. For example, as of October 2024, the current five-year fixed mortgage rate with RBC is 4.770% for mortgages with 25-year amortization or less. For mortgage amortizations greater than 25 years, the five-year fixed rate is 4.870%. While this may not seem like a significant difference, you will pay an extra $4,423 in interest over a five year period by choosing the 30-year mortgage.
What’s the Right Mortgage Length for You?
The new federal policy of providing a 30-year mortgage amortization to first-time homebuyers in Canada has both benefits and drawbacks. While it can lower monthly mortgage payments and increase borrowing power, it also leads to higher total interest payments over the life of the mortgage.
Before you decide which mortgage length is right for you, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully and make an informed decision that aligns with your financial goals and long-term plans. Additionally, understanding the difference between mortgage terms and amortization periods is essential to make an informed decision about the best mortgage option. If you’re unsure, you should seek expert guidance from a qualified mortgage professional to assess your unique financial situation and make a well-informed choice.
FAQs
Can you get a 30-year mortgage in Canada?
Yes, 30-year mortgages are available in Canada to anyone purchasing a home with a down payment of 20% or more. If you are a first-time homebuyer or you are buying a new construction home in Canada, you are also eligible for a 30-year mortgage after December 15th, 2024.
Who qualifies for a 30-year mortgage in Canada?
Several different types of buyers qualify for 30-year mortgages in Canada.
- Anyone purchasing a home with a 20% or higher down payment
- A first-time homebuyer purchasing a home. A first-time home buyer must meet one of the government of Canada’s following criteria:
- Has never purchased a home before
- Did not occupy a home that their current spouse or common-law partner owned in the last four years
- Anyone purchasing a new construction home, including a condo. To be considered a new construction home, it must not have been previously occupied for residential purposes.
What’s the longest amortization period for a mortgage in Canada?
If you have a down payment of 20% or more, the longest mortgage in Canada from a major bank is 30 years. This period of time is called amortization and is the total amount of time it takes to pay off your mortgage. If you’re buying a home with a down payment of less than 20%, your maximum amortization is 25 years unless you are a first-time homebuyer or buying a new construction home after December 15th, 2024.
Alternatively, you may be able to find a 35 or 40-year amortization mortgage from a private mortgage lender in some provinces.
