The loan to value of a mortgage is defined as the amount of the loan, in dollars as a percentage of the value of the property, in dollars.
This is calculated by dividing the mortgage loan amount by the value of the property.
Example
If a borrower wished to purchase a property for $400,000 and he or she had $50,000 as a down payment, the loan to value would be calculated using the following formula:
Mortgage Amount / Property Value
To obtain the mortgage amount, the amount of the down payment must first be subtracted from the purchase price.
Purchase Price – Down Payment = Required Mortgage Amount
$400,000 – $50,000 = $350,000
The mortgage amount is then divided by the property value (which is, in this case, the purchase price)
$350,000 / $400,000 = 0.875 or 87.5% loan to value
Bill C-37, enacted in 2007 by the federal government, contains legislation that changed the definition of conventional and high ratio mortgages in Canada. By amending section 418, subsection 1 of the Bank Act, the federal government changed what constitutes a high ratio mortgage in Canada from 75% loan to value to 80% loan to value.
Mortgage brokering in Ontario is regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) and requires a license. To obtain a license you must first pass an accredited course. The Real Estate and Mortgage Institute of Canada Inc. (REMIC) is accredited by FSCO to provide the course. For more information please visit us at www.remic.ca/getlicensed or call us at 877-447-3642.
The following is the text of the amendment:
418. (1) A bank shall not make a loan in Canada on the security of residential property in Canada for the purpose of purchasing, renovating or improving that property, or refinance such a loan, if the amount of the loan, together with the amount then outstanding of any mortgage having an equal or prior claim against the property, would exceed 80 per cent of the value of the property at the time of the loan.
