CostSources & Methodology
Every closing-cost figure the calculator shows is tagged one of two ways: Rule — set by a specific law, bylaw, or published schedule, shown as calculated — or Estimate — a typical market figure you can override with your own quote. This page lists every rule, its legal source, and the last time it was checked against that source. It does not list the Estimate rows (legal fees, title insurance, home inspection, appraisal, status certificate, tax adjustments) since those are explicitly typical figures, not government rates — see the calculator's own "See every line" breakdown for those.
Rules below last checked: September 2026. Rates, brackets, and thresholds change — sometimes with little notice — so treat every figure as a starting point to confirm with your lender, lawyer, or notary, not a final number.
Land transfer / property transfer tax, by province
| Province | How it's charged | First-time buyer rebate | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Percentage brackets, 0.5%–2.5% | Up to $4,000 | Ontario Land Transfer Tax Act |
| Toronto (on top of Ontario) | Its own bracket schedule, mirrors Ontario to $3M then 4.4%+ | Up to $4,475 (on top of Ontario's own cap) | City of Toronto Municipal Land Transfer Tax By-law |
| British Columbia | Percentage brackets, 1%–5% | Full exemption to $835,000, phasing out to $860,000 | BC Property Transfer Tax Act |
| Alberta | No transfer tax — flat title + mortgage registration fees | N/A (no tax to rebate) | Alberta Land Titles Act fee schedule |
| Quebec | Percentage brackets, 0.5%–1.5% (Montreal has its own higher tiers to 4%) | None provincially | Act Respecting Duties on Transfers of Immovables (Quebec); Ville de Montréal welcome tax bylaw for Montreal |
| Manitoba | Percentage brackets, 0%–2% | None | Manitoba Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act |
| Nova Scotia | Flat 1.5% (Halifax's rate; other municipalities can set their own) | None | Halifax Regional Municipality deed transfer tax by-law |
| Nova Scotia, non-resident buyers | Additional flat 10% of price | — | Nova Scotia Non-Resident Deed Transfer Tax Act |
| Saskatchewan | No transfer tax — flat title + mortgage registration fees | N/A | Saskatchewan Land Titles Act, 2000 fee schedule |
| New Brunswick | Flat 1% | None | New Brunswick Real Property Transfer Tax Act |
| Prince Edward Island | Flat 1% | Full exemption for first-time buyers | PEI Real Property Transfer Tax Act |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | No transfer tax — flat registration fees on deed and mortgage | N/A | Newfoundland and Labrador Registration of Deeds Act |
| Yukon | No transfer tax — flat title + assurance fund fees | N/A | Yukon Land Titles Act fee schedule |
| Northwest Territories | No transfer tax — flat registration fees | N/A | Northwest Territories Land Titles Act fee schedule |
| Nunavut | No transfer tax — flat registration fees | N/A | Nunavut Land Titles Act fee schedule |
Mortgage insurance (CMHC)
| Rule | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Premium rate, under 10% down | 4.00% of the loan | CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium schedule |
| Premium rate, 10–14.99% down | 3.10% | CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium schedule |
| Premium rate, 15–19.99% down | 2.80% | CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium schedule |
| Premium rate, 20%+ down | 0% — no insurance required | CMHC mortgage loan insurance premium schedule |
| Insured mortgage price cap | $1,500,000 — 20% down required above this regardless of the buyer | Federal mortgage insurance rules (OSFI / Dept. of Finance Canada) |
| 30-year amortization surcharge | +0.20% on the premium rate, first-time buyers and new builds only | Federal mortgage insurance rules (OSFI / Dept. of Finance Canada) |
| Legal minimum down payment | 5% to $500,000, 10% on the slice to $1.5M, 20% above that | Federal mortgage insurance rules (OSFI / Dept. of Finance Canada) |
| PST on the premium itself | Ontario 8%, Quebec 9%, Saskatchewan 6%, all other provinces 0% | Each province's provincial sales tax legislation |
Notes on what's not on this page
The Estimate-tagged rows (legal fees, title insurance, home inspection, appraisal, status certificate, tax adjustments) are typical market figures, not government rates — they're editable in the calculator's own results table for exactly that reason. Property tax rates shown per city or province are municipal/provincial averages for budgeting purposes, not a specific assessment. Rent, cap rate, and cash-flow tools use your own entered rate and rent figures rather than a fixed government rule.
Questions or something look wrong? hello@costtoclose.ca.