In the Canadian financial system, mortgage fraud is considered especially tolerable. For Canada’s banks, there’s a dedicated regulator who investigates violations of the Bank Act known as the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). These are their stories. Dun dun. Just kidding. But OSFI, Canada’s banking watchdog, isn’t. While the regulator has been […]
Canada’s bank regulator will finally move to curb investor mortgage risk—nearly 3 years behind schedule. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) will treat investor mortgages as riskier assets in 2026, reducing liquidity for mortgages on non-owner-occupied homes. Originally scheduled for 2023, the rule is part of Canada’s delayed adoption of global risk […]
Canadian banks have been considered mostly risk-free for a long time, but every streak ends. A former Canadian banking regulator urges the country’s policymakers to prepare for that day while it still can. In a new report from CD Howe, a former OSFI manager urges the country to modernize its banking crisis response and adopt […]
Canada’s highly indebted households are now too indebted for prudential management. After a low rate, investor-driven home buying spree, many borrowers are unable to keep up with rising rates, despite having been “stress tested” for a similar scenario. As a result, banks and regulators granted temporary extensions to the maximum period a mortgage can be […]
Canada was warned its mortgage credit addiction is turning into a risk for its economy. Now the call is coming from inside the house. Well, for the house… maybe. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institution (OSFI) released its Annual Risk Outlook (ARO) for 2024/2025, outlining its big 4 concerns, which will set its […]
Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s top stories. Canadian Real Estate Canadian Bank Regulator To Limit Mortgage Leverage Ahead of Rate Cuts Canada’s federal banking watchdog is taking aim at mortgage risks ahead of rate cuts. OSFI has notified banks they’ll be required to reel in the amount of leverage at the portfolio […]
Canada’s problems with a little-known risky mortgage product are more significant than expected. OSFI, the country’s bank regulator, has targeted combined loan plans (CLPs) for the past few years. CLPs enable interest-only payments, allowing borrowers to carry mortgage debt perpetually. The regulator called these a “systemic risk” that inflates home prices, so it’s clearly a […]
Canada is known for three things these days—maple syrup, hockey, and money laundering. Earlier this month, poor attention to the last one may have derailed TD’s $13.5 billion acquisition of US bank First Horizon. Now Robbins LLP, a firm specializing in shareholder rights, has made it the center of a new class action suit. The […]
A few weeks ago, we revealed that sky-high Canadian real estate prices are supported by extended amortizations. It turns out someone else agrees—Canada’s bank regulator, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI). In a letter to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, OSFI explains that removing the ability to extend amortization […]
Canadian homeowners aren’t shy about cashing in on their windfall, especially seniors. Regulatory filings with OSFI, Canada’s bank regulator, show reverse mortgage debt surged in November. Despite rising interest rates, seniors haven’t slowed down on the rush to cash out some of their home equity windfall. In fact, reverse mortgage debt has recently surged in […]
