About this calculator
Quebec's transfer duty — everyone calls it the welcome tax (taxe de bienvenue) — is charged by your municipality on bands set provincially and indexed each year. For 2026: 0.5% on the first $62,900, 1% to $315,000 and 1.5% above that. On a $500,000 home the duty is $5,611. Municipalities may add higher rates above $500,000, and Montreal — exempt from the usual caps — runs its own ladder to 4% above $3,113,000; tick the Montreal box to use its bands. Note the tax base is the highest of the price, the stated consideration or the municipal assessment times its comparative factor, so an assessed value above your price can raise the bill.
Quebec is also one of only three provinces that tax the CMHC premium: 9% (rising to 9.975% on January 1, 2027), payable in cash at closing. And a Quebec quirk worth knowing: notaries, not lawyers, handle the transaction, and if you ever switch lenders at renewal, your notary must register the transfer — one reason Quebec borrowers switch less often.
How to use it
- Enter the home price and down payment — if the down payment is under 20%, the CMHC premium is calculated and added to the mortgage automatically.
- Add the mortgage rate and amortization (25 years is standard; 30 is available to first-time buyers and new builds).
- Enter your estimated annual municipal property tax — it is shown monthly as part of the total payment.
- Tick "first-time home buyer" if it applies: provincial transfer-tax reliefs are then applied.
- Read the total monthly payment, the transfer tax due at closing, and the stress-test payment your lender must qualify you at.
The formula
Canadian mortgage rates are quoted as nominal rates compounded semi-annually ("j2"), not monthly like US rates. Converting the quoted rate to its true monthly equivalent is why a Canadian payment at 4.5% is slightly lower than the same rate run through a US calculator. The CMHC premium, when the down payment is under 20%, is added to the loan before the payment is calculated.
Worked example
A $500,000 Quebec home with $100,000 down leaves a $400,000 mortgage — $2,213.89 a month at 4.50% over 25 years (Canadian semi-annual compounding). The welcome tax is $5,611 anywhere in Quebec at this price, Montreal included, because the bands only diverge above $552,300. At $800,000 the duty is $10,111 on provincial bands but $11,349 in Montreal. Buy at $600,000 with the $35,000 minimum down payment and the CMHC premium is $22,600, plus $2,034 of Quebec premium tax in cash at closing.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Quebec welcome tax calculated?
On the 2026 provincial bands: 0.5% of the first $62,900 ($314.50), 1% of the portion from $62,900 to $315,000 ($2,521), and 1.5% of everything above $315,000. A $500,000 home: $314.50 + $2,521 + $2,775 = $5,611. The base is the highest of the purchase price, the declared consideration, or the municipal evaluation multiplied by its comparative factor. The city sets the due date — usually a few months after registration, not on closing day.
How do Montreal's bands differ?
Montreal shares the first two bands, then climbs faster: 1.5% to $552,300, 2% to $1,104,700, 2.5% to $2,136,500, 3.5% to $3,113,000 and 4% above. At $1 million the duty is $15,349 in Montreal against $13,111 on provincial bands. Other cities (Quebec City, for example) set their own rates above $500,000 up to a 3% cap, so outside Montreal the provincial figure is a floor, not a guarantee.
Is the CMHC premium taxed in Quebec?
Yes — 9% provincial tax on the premium, in cash at closing (it cannot be added to the mortgage). The rate is legislated to rise to 9.975% on January 1, 2027, matching the QST; some websites already show 9.975% as current, which is wrong for 2026 purchases. On a $22,600 premium the 2026 tax is $2,034.
Can first-time buyers get the welcome tax back in Quebec?
There is no province-wide first-time buyer rebate for transfer duties in Quebec, unlike Ontario or BC. Some municipalities run small local programs, and the federal Home Buyers' Plan (RRSP withdrawal up to $60,000) and the FHSA still help with the down payment — but budget the full duty here. Tick "first-time buyer" anyway: it changes nothing in Quebec's tax line, which is itself useful to know.
What formula does this mortgage calculator — quebec calculator use?
Monthly rate j2 = (1 + annual rate ÷ 2)^(2/12) − 1; payment = loan × j2 ÷ (1 − (1 + j2)^−n) Canadian mortgage rates are quoted as nominal rates compounded semi-annually ("j2"), not monthly like US rates. Converting the quoted rate to its true monthly equivalent is why a Canadian payment at 4.5% is slightly lower than the same rate run through a US calculator. The CMHC premium, when the down payment is under 20%, is added to the loan before the payment is calculated. The worked example on this page applies the formula step by step with real numbers, so you can verify the result by hand.