Ontario Mortgage Rates
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Ontario mortgage rate update: October 2025
October should be a month of stability for mortgage rates in Ontario.
Variable mortgage rates will stay at their current levels until at least October 29, when the Bank of Canada is scheduled to announce its next overnight rate decision. A rate cut from the Bank will result in a similar decrease in variable rates. (After the Bank reduced the overnight rate from 2.75% to 2.5% on September 17, variable rates dipped by as much as 30 basis points at some lenders.)
Expect variable rates to hover around 4% for most of October, though some brokerages and direct lenders are offering variables for considerably less.
Fixed mortgage rates might also be static this month. Government bond yields, which fixed mortgage rates tend to follow, have somewhat flattened out after falling for much of September. If yields avoid any dramatic shifts, fixed rates will, too.
Fixed rates may not dip this month, but they’re still fairly approachable. Brokers are offering three- and five-year fixed rates for less than 3.9%, but they’re still well over 4% at Canada’s biggest banks.
Read more about the Bank of Canada's latest rate announcement.
The BoC makes policy interest rate announcements eight times a year. Find out how its latest decision might impact Canada's housing market.
What’s a good mortgage rate in Ontario right now?
As of October 2025, some mortgage brokers in Ontario are offering fixed rates for under 3.9%, though fixed rates at most banks are well over 4%. The lowest variable rates are around 3.7%.
The rate offers you receive depend on factors like your credit score, total debt level and income, and whether you apply at a major bank or through a mortgage broker.
2025 Ontario mortgage rate forecast
If the Bank of Canada lowers its overnight rate before the end of 2025, variable mortgage rates will also decrease. Fixed mortgage rates will likely continue hovering between 3.75% and 4.25% for much of the year.
Ontario housing market update
The average residential home price in Ontario was $828,896 in September — a 2.9% dip compared to a year before, according to the Ontario Real Estate Association.
Ontario home buyers were active in September, as year-over-year home sales in the province were up 7.3%. Even so, the number of home sales were still 2.6% below the five-year September average and 16.8% below the 10-year September average.
Home sellers were even more active: year-over-year new listings were up by 8.5%. The number of new listings is more than 20% above five- and ten-year averages. The total number of active listings in September reached a 15-year high.
Ontario home buyer resources
Ontario first-time home buyer programs
Areas including Waterloo, the County of Simcoe, Kingston and Chatham-Kent have home buyer assistance programs that can keep costs down.
Land transfer tax refund
When buying your first home in Ontario, you can claim a refund up to $4,000 of land transfer taxes. If you’re a first-time home buyer in Toronto, you may qualify for a $4,475 refund on your municipal land transfer tax.
Ontario land transfer taxes
In Ontario, you'll pay a land transfer tax based on your home's value. The rate tops out at at 2.5% for values more than $2 million.
- 0.5% of the first $55,000 of the home's value.
- 1.0% of any additional value between $55,000 and $250,000.
- 1.5% of any additional value between $250,000 and $400,000.
- 2.0% of any additional value between $400,000 and $2 million.
- 2.5% of any additional value that's more than $2,000,000 if the land contains no more than two single-family residences.
Mortgage calculators
Frequently asked questions
Will Ontario mortgage rates go down in 2025?
Will Ontario mortgage rates go down in 2025?
If the Bank of Canada lowers its overnight rate before the end of 2025, variable mortgage rates will also decrease. Fixed mortgage rates will likely continue hovering between 3.75% and 4.25% for much of the year.
How Ontario lenders determine mortgage rates
How Ontario lenders determine mortgage rates
The mortgage rate you’re offered in Ontario will be based on two primary factors; the state of the economy and your financial situation.
Economic factors
Variable mortgage rates are influenced by the Bank of Canada’s overnight rate. When the overnight rate increases or decreases, a lender’s prime rate follows suit. Variable mortgage rates are based on a lender’s prime rate, so as the prime rate rises or falls, so do variable rates.
Fixed mortgage rates are determined by activity in the government bond market, particularly the yields on one-, three- and five-year bonds. Fixed mortgage rates follow the movement of those yields.
Your financial situation
Factors specific to you also affect the rates you’re offered. These include:
Your credit score.
Your income.
Your total debts.
The loan type you choose.
The amount you’re borrowing.
The term length and amortization period of your loan.
How to qualify for a lower mortgage rate in Ontario
How to qualify for a lower mortgage rate in Ontario
Some factors behind rates are beyond your control, but there are steps you can take to possibly qualify for the best mortgage rates, including:
Improve your credit score. A higher credit score generally results in better offers. Get a better score by eliminating existing debt and paying future bills in full and on time.
Increase your income. It’s not always easy, but any additional income will improve your financial position. Lenders look at your income to assess your ability to afford a mortgage.
Decrease your total debts. Pay down personal loans, student loans or other types of debts. Lenders consider your total debt load when determining the details of your loan.
Consider all your options. See if adjusting the loan type, the term length or the amortization period of your loan could help.
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Clay Jarvis