Ontario Mortgage Rates — August 2026

Q: What are mortgage rates in Ontario in August 2026?

As of August 10, 2026, public Canadian comparison tables showed lowest advertised pricing of roughly 4.09% on a 5-year fixed, about 4.14% on a 3-year fixed, about 4.49% on a 2-year fixed and about 3.40% on a 5-year variable, with 10-lender averages closer to 4.59% on the 5-year fixed and 3.95% on the 5-year variable. Ontario borrowers see essentially the same national lender panels. These are advertised benchmarks, not offers or guarantees, and your own quote depends on your file.

Q: Are Ontario mortgage rates different from the rest of Canada?

Headline pricing is largely national because the biggest lenders quote the same rate sheets coast to coast. What differs in Ontario is the deal itself: higher average property values in the Greater Toronto and Golden Horseshoe markets push more borrowers above the $1 million insured cap and into uninsured pricing, and Ontario has its own land transfer tax plus a second municipal land transfer tax in Toronto. Those factors change your cost and your qualifying picture more than geography changes the rate.

Q: Why are Ontario fixed mortgage rates under upward pressure?

Fixed mortgage rates are priced off Government of Canada bond yields plus a lender spread. Bank of Canada data showed the 5-year benchmark yield moving between about 3.17% and 3.27% in the week of July 31 to August 6, 2026, elevated compared with 2025 levels, largely on energy-driven inflation risk. When yields hold at those levels, lenders have little room to cut fixed pricing even though the policy rate has not moved.

Q: Is a variable rate cheaper than fixed in Ontario right now?

At the start of the term, generally yes. In August 2026 the lowest advertised 5-year variable was near 3.40% against roughly 4.09% for the lowest 5-year fixed, a gap of about 0.65 to 0.70 percentage points. That gap is compensation for risk, not free money. Variable pricing is a discount to prime, which was 4.45%, and market pricing implied a meaningful chance of a policy rate increase by late 2026 or early 2027. This page does not recommend one over the other.

Q: How much does a 1% rate difference change an Ontario mortgage payment?

On a $600,000 balance over a 25-year amortization, moving from roughly 4.09% to roughly 5.09% raises the monthly payment by several hundred dollars, and the effect compounds over a five-year term. Ontario balances are often larger than the national average, so the same percentage move costs more here in dollar terms. Run your own balance, rate and amortization through a mortgage payment calculator rather than relying on a rule of thumb.

Q: When is the next Bank of Canada rate announcement?

September 2, 2026. The Bank of Canada held its target for the overnight rate at 2.25% on July 15, 2026, its sixth consecutive hold, and prime at the major banks has been 4.45% since October 2025. Market-implied probabilities in early August 2026 pointed to a hold in September with rising odds of an increase by December 2026 or January 2027. Market expectations are not forecasts or guarantees and change with new data.

Quick takeaway: As of August 10, 2026, public Canadian rate tables showed lowest advertised pricing near 4.09% on a 5-year fixed, 4.14% on a 3-year fixed and 3.40% on a 5-year variable, with 10-lender averages closer to 4.59% and 3.95%. The Bank of Canada's overnight rate was 2.25%, prime 4.45%, and the 5-year Government of Canada benchmark yield was around 3.17%–3.27%. Next rate decision: September 2, 2026.

4.09%Lowest advertised insured 5-year fixed in public tables, August 10, 2026.

3.40%Lowest advertised 5-year variable over the same period.

4.45%Prime rate at Canada's major banks, unchanged since October 2025.

3.22%5-year Government of Canada benchmark bond yield, August 6, 2026.

Where Ontario mortgage rates sit in August 2026

Mortgage pricing in Ontario comes from the same national lender panels used everywhere else in Canada — the big six banks, credit unions, monoline lenders and digital lenders all publish one rate sheet. The table below summarizes lowest-in-market advertised rates and 10-lender averages reported by public Canadian comparison sites on August 10, 2026.

Term	Lowest advertised	10-lender average	Who tends to look at it
1-year fixed	~4.74%	~5.25%	Borrowers who want to revisit in 12 months
2-year fixed	~4.49%	~4.77%	Short bridge to an expected lower-rate window
3-year fixed	~4.14%	~4.58%	Common compromise term in 2026
4-year fixed	~4.29%	~4.65%	Middle-length payment certainty
5-year fixed	~4.09%	~4.59%	Longest mainstream payment certainty
5-year variable	~3.40%	~3.95%	Lowest starting rate, moves with prime

Figures are rounded public benchmarks as of August 10, 2026 and change frequently. Lowest advertised rates typically assume an insured, high-ratio, owner-occupied purchase with strong credit and verified income — many Ontario files do not qualify for them. See current Canadian mortgage rates and mortgage renewal rates for updated pricing.

Why fixed rates are not falling even though the Bank of Canada is on hold

This is the single most common source of confusion for Ontario borrowers right now, and it comes down to two different pricing mechanisms:

Variable rates are quoted as a discount to lender prime (4.45%), and prime only moves when the Bank of Canada moves its policy rate. Six consecutive holds means variable pricing has been flat.
Fixed rates are priced off Government of Canada bond yields plus a lender spread. Bank of Canada data showed the 5-year benchmark yield ranging from about 3.17% to 3.27% over July 31 to August 6, 2026, with the 3-year near 2.95%–3.04% and the 10-year around 3.55%–3.65%. Those yields have been elevated on energy-driven inflation risk, and elevated yields keep fixed mortgage rates elevated regardless of what the policy rate does.

The practical implication: waiting for the Bank of Canada to "cut so fixed rates fall" misreads the plumbing. A meaningful drop in Ontario fixed pricing requires bond yields to fall first.

What actually makes an Ontario file different

The headline rate is national, but the deal around it often is not. Four Ontario-specific factors change what you can get:

Property values push files into uninsured pricing. Default insurance is unavailable above the $1.5 million price cap, and any purchase with 20% or more down is uninsured. In the Greater Toronto Area and much of the Golden Horseshoe, that describes a large share of transactions — and uninsured rates are usually priced above the insured rates you see advertised.
Land transfer tax. Ontario charges provincial land transfer tax, and the City of Toronto layers a second municipal land transfer tax on top. That is a closing cost, not a rate, but it changes how much down payment you have left and therefore which pricing tier you land in.
Larger balances magnify rate differences. A 0.25% pricing difference on a $300,000 balance is minor. On the $600,000–$900,000 balances common across Ontario, it is real money over a five-year term.
Property type matters. Condos, rentals, rural properties and non-standard construction are all underwritten differently and may carry a premium or a shorter approved amortization.

Before comparing any two offers, confirm you are looking at the same insurance status, term, amortization, prepayment privileges and penalty calculation. Then run your real numbers through the mortgage payment calculator.

See what Ontario lenders would actually quote you

Advertised rates assume a best-case borrower. RateShop can put current Ontario purchase, switch, renewal and refinance options side by side using your real balance, property and timeline — so you are comparing offers, not table headlines.

Compare Ontario mortgage rates

Fixed or variable in Ontario this month?

In August 2026 the advertised gap between the lowest 5-year variable (~3.40%) and the lowest 5-year fixed (~4.09%) was roughly 0.65 to 0.70 percentage points. There is no universally correct choice, and nothing here is personalized advice, but it helps to be clear about what each side is buying:

Fixed buys payment certainty for the term and insulates you from further bond-yield moves. The cost is a higher starting rate and, if you break early, a penalty that on many lenders' terms is calculated using an interest rate differential.
Variable buys a lower starting rate and typically a cheaper break penalty (often three months' interest). The cost is exposure to prime. Market-implied probabilities in early August 2026 showed roughly a 93% chance of a hold on September 2, but odds of an increase rose toward late 2026 and were priced as more likely than not by early 2027.

A more durable exercise than predicting rates: price your payment at the fixed quote, then at a variable rate 0.50% and 1.00% higher, and pick the structure whose worst case you can comfortably carry. If the higher-rate scenario is uncomfortable, that tells you something the forecast cannot.

If you are renewing in Ontario

Renewal is where most of the Ontario volume is in 2026. A renewal letter is a genuine offer, but it is a first offer, and lenders routinely price retention above what they quote new clients the same week. Start comparing four to six months before maturity — most lenders will hold a rate for 90 to 120 days — and check what happens if you do nothing, since automatic renewal into a posted rate is usually the most expensive outcome available.

Switching lenders at maturity avoids a prepayment penalty because the term has ended. On a straight switch with no new money and no longer amortization, insured borrowers have been able to move at renewal without re-applying the minimum qualifying rate since federal guidance changed in late 2024; uninsured switches may still be requalified depending on lender policy, which affects a large share of Ontario files. Confirm the requirement with the lender before applying. Details and current pricing are on the mortgage renewal rates page.

Rate disclaimer

All rates, yields and market figures on this page are general educational information gathered from public sources on or about August 10, 2026 and may be out of date, incomplete or superseded without notice. RateShop does not guarantee any rate, approval or product availability. Actual mortgage rates depend on lender criteria, credit profile, verified income, property type and value, mortgage purpose, down payment or equity, insurance status, amortization and documentation. Market-implied rate probabilities are not forecasts and frequently prove wrong. This page does not provide personalized mortgage, legal, tax or financial advice. Speak with a licensed mortgage professional about your own situation.

Frequently asked questions

What are mortgage rates in Ontario in August 2026?

On August 10, 2026 public tables showed lowest advertised pricing near 4.09% on a 5-year fixed, 4.14% on a 3-year fixed, 4.49% on a 2-year fixed and 3.40% on a 5-year variable, with 10-lender averages nearer 4.59% and 3.95%. Ontario borrowers use the same national lender panels. These are benchmarks, not offers. See current Canadian mortgage rates.

Are Ontario mortgage rates different from the rest of Canada?

Headline pricing is largely national. What differs is the file: higher GTA and Golden Horseshoe property values push more borrowers into uninsured pricing, and Ontario adds provincial land transfer tax plus a municipal one in Toronto. Those change your cost and qualifying picture more than geography changes the rate.

Why are Ontario fixed mortgage rates under upward pressure?

Fixed rates follow Government of Canada bond yields plus a lender spread, not the overnight rate. The 5-year benchmark yield sat around 3.17%–3.27% in the week of July 31 to August 6, 2026 on energy-driven inflation risk. While yields hold there, lenders have little room to cut fixed pricing even with the policy rate unchanged.

Is a variable rate cheaper than fixed in Ontario right now?

At the start of the term, generally yes — about 0.65 to 0.70 points cheaper in August 2026. That gap is compensation for risk. Variable is a discount to prime (4.45%) and market pricing implied rising odds of an increase by late 2026 or early 2027. This is not a recommendation either way.

How much does a 1% rate difference change an Ontario mortgage payment?

On a $600,000 balance over 25 years, roughly 4.09% versus roughly 5.09% is a difference of several hundred dollars a month, compounding across a five-year term. Ontario balances skew large, so the dollar impact is bigger here. Run your own figures in the mortgage payment calculator.

When is the next Bank of Canada rate announcement?

September 2, 2026. The Bank held at 2.25% on July 15, 2026 for a sixth consecutive decision, and prime has been 4.45% since October 2025. Market-implied odds in early August favoured another hold in September, with increasing probability of a hike by December 2026 or January 2027. Expectations are not guarantees.

Ontario mortgage rates: August 2026