Craig Johnston Personal Real Estate Corporation · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite West
Craig Johnston Personal Real Estate Corporation · Brokerage: Royal LePage Elite West
Free calculator · BC stress test · 2026
The BC mortgage stress test is what every lender uses to decide if you qualify. The qualifying rate is the higher of your contract rate plus 2% or the 5.25% minimum qualifying rate set by OSFI. This calculator runs the full math live as you adjust the inputs — same numbers a lender uses, with the honest verdict on GDS + TDS ratios.
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Your stress test results
The BC mortgage stress test is non-negotiable for federally regulated lenders (all the major banks). Your qualifying rate is the higher of: your contracted rate plus 2%, OR the 5.25% minimum qualifying rate set by OSFI. You must qualify for monthly payments at that qualifying rate, not your actual contract rate, even though the payment you'll actually make is at the lower contract rate.
GDS (Gross Debt Service) ratio caps at 39% — your monthly housing costs (mortgage + property tax + heat + half of strata) divided by gross monthly income. TDS (Total Debt Service) ratio caps at 44% — same denominator, but the numerator adds in all your other monthly debt payments. Both ratios must be within limits to qualify with a major lender.
The September 2026 Coquitlam detached HPI benchmark is $1,584,400 (-6.6% YoY per GVR®). At this price with 20% down, you're financing about $1.3M. Use the calculator above to see exactly what household income you'd need to qualify, or what target price your current income supports.
Frequently asked
Whether you could still afford your mortgage payment if rates rose. Lenders use the higher of your contracted rate + 2% or the 5.25% minimum qualifying rate set by OSFI as the 'qualifying rate', then check if your housing costs at that qualifying rate stay within GDS/TDS ratios.
Provincially regulated credit unions are exempt from the federal stress test, so they CAN qualify you at your contract rate without the 2% buffer. In practice many still apply a similar internal buffer for risk management. Some buyers who don't qualify with a major bank do qualify through a credit union.
With 20% down ($300K), a $1.5M home means a $1.2M mortgage. The household income you need depends on your contract rate (and so the qualifying rate), amortization, property tax, strata fees and other debts. The calculator above runs your specific numbers.
Yes — minimum 5% down for homes under $500K, then graduated requirements between $500K and $1.5M, and 20% minimum for homes over $1.5M. CMHC mortgage insurance is required on anything under 20% down.
Get a pre-approval BEFORE you go shopping. A pre-approval that passes the stress test gives you a defensible target price and credibility with sellers. House-hunting without pre-approval wastes everyone's time.
Qualifying on paper is the floor. The conversation about HOW to structure your move-up, WHEN to lock your rate, WHICH lender suits your file best — that's where the real value lives. Free 20-minute strategy call ends with a written one-page plan.
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September 2026 Coquitlam detached HPI is $1,584,400, -6.6% YoY. What that means for your buy or sell decision — without the salesy fluff. One email per month. Unsubscribe anytime.
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