Down payment · 50 cities · 2026
One page per city, same rules, same source: the minimum down payment on the median house, the 20% that avoids the premium, the CMHC premium, the share the FHSA and HBP cover, the condo, and ten years of perspective.
Across the 50 cities tracked, the median house costs $610,000 in 2026 and the minimum down payment is $36,000 at the median of cities (5.9% of the price), against $13,050 in 2016 (+167%). The 20% that avoids the premium is $122,000; the CMHC premium at the minimum, $22,726. A full FHSA ($40,000) covers the minimum in 33 of 50 cities, and FHSA + HBP ($100,000) in 49. 35 cities exceed $500,000, the threshold where the 10% tier applies; one (Westmount) exceeds 1.5 million and requires 20%. The highest minimums: Westmount ($454,500), Saint-Lambert ($87,000), Beaconsfield ($78,100); the lowest: Saguenay ($18,300), Victoriaville ($18,300), Sept-Îles ($13,750). Median condo: $397,000, minimum $19,850. Source: Centris (Matrix) and federal rules, compiled October 7, 2026.
Median price of a single-family house in 2026 (Jan. to Sep.); minimum down payment and share of the price; 20% with no premium; CMHC premium with the minimum; share of the minimum covered by a full FHSA ($40,000); minimum down payment for the median condo.
| City | House 2026 | Minimum | % of price | 20% | CMHC premium | FHSA covers | Condo: minimum |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westmount | $2,272,500 | $454,500 | 20.0% | $454,500 | none | 9% | $58,500 |
| Saint-Lambert | $1,120,000 | $87,000 | 7.8% | $224,000 | $41,320 | 46% | $22,250 |
| Beaconsfield | $1,031,000 | $78,100 | 7.6% | $206,200 | $38,116 | 51% | n/a |
| Kirkland | $955,000 | $70,500 | 7.4% | $191,000 | $35,380 | 57% | n/a |
| Candiac | $866,000 | $61,600 | 7.1% | $173,200 | $32,176 | 65% | $23,800 |
| Rosemère | $845,000 | $59,500 | 7.0% | $169,000 | $31,420 | 67% | n/a |
| Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville | $819,500 | $56,950 | 6.9% | $163,900 | $30,502 | 70% | $24,700 |
| Boucherville | $810,000 | $56,000 | 6.9% | $162,000 | $30,160 | 71% | $26,800 |
| Dollard-des-Ormeaux | $792,500 | $54,250 | 6.8% | $158,500 | $29,530 | 74% | $23,000 |
| Blainville | $760,000 | $51,000 | 6.7% | $152,000 | $28,360 | 78% | $21,450 |
| Montreal | $755,000 | $50,500 | 6.7% | $151,000 | $28,180 | 79% | $23,805 |
| Pointe-Claire | $745,500 | $49,550 | 6.6% | $149,100 | $27,838 | 81% | $33,375 |
| La Prairie | $740,000 | $49,000 | 6.6% | $148,000 | $27,640 | 82% | $20,738 |
| Brossard | $734,200 | $48,420 | 6.6% | $146,840 | $27,431 | 83% | $20,200 |
| Dorval | $712,500 | $46,250 | 6.5% | $142,500 | $26,650 | 86% | $21,750 |
| Chambly | $689,000 | $43,900 | 6.4% | $137,800 | $25,804 | 91% | $20,625 |
| Sainte-Julie | $667,400 | $41,740 | 6.3% | $133,480 | $25,026 | 96% | $21,500 |
| Mirabel | $650,000 | $40,000 | 6.2% | $130,000 | $24,400 | 100% | $22,495 |
| Sainte-Thérèse | $650,000 | $40,000 | 6.2% | $130,000 | $24,400 | 100% | $18,625 |
| Varennes | $631,000 | $38,100 | 6.0% | $126,200 | $23,716 | 105% | $17,900 |
| Beloeil | $630,000 | $38,000 | 6.0% | $126,000 | $23,680 | 105% | $21,250 |
| Boisbriand | $630,000 | $38,000 | 6.0% | $126,000 | $23,680 | 105% | $30,700 |
| Laval | $630,000 | $38,000 | 6.0% | $126,000 | $23,680 | 105% | $21,500 |
| Saint-Constant | $620,000 | $37,000 | 6.0% | $124,000 | $23,320 | 108% | $20,725 |
| Mascouche | $615,000 | $36,500 | 5.9% | $123,000 | $23,140 | 110% | $18,500 |
| Vaudreuil-Dorion | $605,000 | $35,500 | 5.9% | $121,000 | $22,780 | 113% | $19,250 |
| Longueuil | $602,000 | $35,200 | 5.8% | $120,400 | $22,672 | 114% | $19,250 |
| Magog | $600,000 | $35,000 | 5.8% | $120,000 | $22,600 | 114% | $16,750 |
| Terrebonne | $599,000 | $34,900 | 5.8% | $119,800 | $22,564 | 115% | $19,100 |
| Repentigny | $588,000 | $33,800 | 5.7% | $117,600 | $22,168 | 118% | $16,550 |
| Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu | $577,000 | $32,700 | 5.7% | $115,400 | $21,772 | 122% | $18,700 |
| L'Île-Perrot | $561,500 | $31,150 | 5.5% | $112,300 | $21,214 | 128% | $20,225 |
| Saint-Jérôme | $547,500 | $29,750 | 5.4% | $109,500 | $20,710 | 134% | $15,750 |
| Châteauguay | $520,000 | $27,000 | 5.2% | $104,000 | $19,720 | 148% | $19,500 |
| Saint-Hyacinthe | $507,500 | $25,750 | 5.1% | $101,500 | $19,270 | 155% | $16,750 |
| Gatineau | $490,000 | $24,500 | 5.0% | $98,000 | $18,620 | 163% | $15,188 |
| Quebec City | $480,000 | $24,000 | 5.0% | $96,000 | $18,240 | 167% | $16,750 |
| Granby | $462,543 | $23,127 | 5.0% | $92,509 | $17,577 | 173% | $15,750 |
| Joliette | $460,000 | $23,000 | 5.0% | $92,000 | $17,480 | 174% | n/a |
| Sherbrooke | $458,500 | $22,925 | 5.0% | $91,700 | $17,423 | 174% | $15,900 |
| Lévis | $440,000 | $22,000 | 5.0% | $88,000 | $16,720 | 182% | $15,025 |
| Drummondville | $429,900 | $21,495 | 5.0% | $85,980 | $16,336 | 186% | n/a |
| Trois-Rivières | $410,000 | $20,500 | 5.0% | $82,000 | $15,580 | 195% | $15,500 |
| Val-d'Or | $400,000 | $20,000 | 5.0% | $80,000 | $15,200 | 200% | n/a |
| Rimouski | $395,000 | $19,750 | 5.0% | $79,000 | $15,010 | 203% | $14,200 |
| Sorel-Tracy | $391,750 | $19,588 | 5.0% | $78,350 | $14,886 | 204% | n/a |
| Rouyn-Noranda | $370,000 | $18,500 | 5.0% | $74,000 | $14,060 | 216% | n/a |
| Saguenay | $366,000 | $18,300 | 5.0% | $73,200 | $13,908 | 219% | $14,350 |
| Victoriaville | $366,000 | $18,300 | 5.0% | $73,200 | $13,908 | 219% | n/a |
| Sept-Îles | $275,000 | $13,750 | 5.0% | $55,000 | $10,450 | 291% | n/a |
The minimum is no longer 5%: in 35 of 50 cities, the median house exceeds $500,000 and the 10% tier applies, pushing the minimum down payment to 5.9% of the price at the median and up to 7.8% in Saint-Lambert. In ten years the minimum did +167% at the median of cities, more than the price itself, because of that tier. The FHSA changes the picture in affordable cities: $40,000 is enough for the minimum in 33 cities, and a couple with FHSA and HBP ($200,000) reaches 20% in most cities under $600,000. At the other end, Westmount ($454,500), Saint-Lambert ($87,000), Beaconsfield ($78,100) require more than a full FHSA just for the minimum. The CMHC premium at the minimum went from $9,850 to $22,726 at the median: that is the cost of the small down payment, and it has more than doubled.
Minimum down payment: 5% of the first $500,000 and 10% of the remainder, as long as the price stays under 1.5 million (federal rule since December 15, 2024; $1 million cap before); 20% above, with no insurance. CMHC premium: 4.00% of the loan above a 90% loan-to-value ratio, 3.10% between 85 and 90%, 2.80% between 80 and 85%, nothing at 80% and below. FHSA: $8,000 a year, $40,000 lifetime; HBP: $60,000 per person. All amounts are computed on the median price of the year's Centris sales, not on a specific house; welcome tax, notary and the sales tax on the premium come on top in cash. The full rules: minimum down payment 2026 in Quebec.
Prices come from the Statistics module of Centris (Matrix), queried on September 16, 2026 with the same parameters for the 50 cities: Single-family and Condominium categories, whole municipality (boroughs or sectors combined for Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Longueuil, Gatineau, Lévis, Sherbrooke, Saguenay, Terrebonne, Repentigny), median sale price by year over ten years. Down payment and premium rules are those of the Department of Finance Canada and CMHC; FHSA and HBP ceilings, those of the Canada Revenue Agency. Only aggregates are published. The same cities have their home prices pages.
It depends on the city and the pace of prices. Where the median house gained $30,000 a year over ten years, waiting three years to save a $20,000 premium cost more than the premium. Where prices have plateaued, waiting can make sense. The calculation is done on your city and your savings capacity, not on a principle.
We add cities every month. A broker from the team can pull the same statistics for any municipality or neighbourhood in Quebec.
Our other data series, all built from Centris listings:
Each series is recalculated from actual sales or leases, city by city, aggregates only.
The Loaa & Manseur team, led by Lotfi Manseur and Loaa Al Daow, is the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 of large residential teams according to the official RE/MAX ranking, computed on actual transactions. Its Google profile counts more than 220 reviews with a 4.9 rating. Its offices are at 55 avenue de l'Équinoxe in Brossard, one bridge from the island, and every broker's licence can be checked in the OACIQ public register. Three things to verify yourself before calling us, and to demand of any other broker.
Also available in French: version française de ce guide.
Published September 7, 2026 by the Loaa & Manseur team, the number 1 team at RE/MAX Platine in 2024 and 2025, 6th RE/MAX team in Quebec, 15th in Canada and in the global top 50 according to the official RE/MAX ranking. Tell us about your project.
Équipe no 1 de RE/MAX Platine en 2024 et en 2025, 6e au Québec, 15e au Canada et dans le top 50 mondial au classement officiel RE/MAX. Réponse en moins de 24 heures, sept jours sur sept.