Document Library
Getting approved for a mortgage will require you to provide a number of documents to prove your income, verify downpayment or confirm property details.
This library is intended to provide sample documentation, guidelines and resources on where you can find your own documents.
Check back often as we are adding items to this page regularly.
Quick Link: CRA My Account for Individuals
Many tax related documents can be found by logging into your CRA Account for Individuals. Such documents include:
- Notice of Assessments
- CCB Notice (Canada Childcare Benefit)
- T4 Slips
- CRA Statement of Account
CRA allows you to login using a banking partner, so you can often gain full access by using your online banking credentials. Sign on partners include most major banks and credit unions.
∞ Here is the latest link to the CRA My Account for Individuals Login Page
Government Issued Photo ID
The following items are acceptable Government Issued Photo ID, and can be photographed or scanned:
- Driver’s License (Must be valid at time of mortgage funding)
- Passport
- Permanent Resident Card
- BC Services Card
ID Must show your Date of Birth, Issue Date, Expiry Date and ID number.
Employment Verification Letter
Employment Verification letters can commonly be sourced from:
- Your HR department
- Your employee self service portal
- An immediate supervisor.
All Letters must include the following information:
- Must be on company/employer letterhead
- Must be current-dated within 30 days
- Must be signed by the letter author (electronic signing is OK)
- Must include direct contact number for letter author.
- Must include information related to your position including: job title, rate of pay, tenure/start date of employment.
Current Paystubs
Key Requirements:
- Must be dated within 30 days
- Must include current pay period, and also display YTD Income Figures
- Your Full Name and Employer Information must be visible.
- Please do not redact any portion of the paystub.
Final Paystub of the Year
We’ll ask for a final paystub of the year usually in January and February, before your previous year’s T4 becomes available. The paystub should include all of the regular info a paystub usually has, but also show clearly the Gross YTD income that was earned in the complete tax year.
T4 Slip
T4 Slips can be sourced from a few different locations:
- Your Employer’s Payroll Department
- Your Paper Records
- The myCRA Account for Individuals
- Your Employee Self-Service Portal
T4 slips are best provided in their original “Print” format, as this contains all of the information needed for underwriting. Please ensure that your T4 slips include the following info:
- Your name visible on the slip
- Your employer’s name visible on the slip
- The applicable tax year.
- Showing All Income/Line Items
- No redactions please.
CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA)
The CRA Notice of Assessment (NOA) can be downloaded from your myCRA Account for Individuals here.
- Please include all pages of the NOA.
- Best provided in a downloaded format, but “Printing to PDF’ will work.
- If the most recent NOA shows taxes owing, please also provide a current dated CRA Statement of Account.
T1 General Tax Return
The T1 General Tax Return is a lengthy document that is used to file your taxes each year to the CRA. There are various ways you can find this document:
- If you file with an accountant, your accountant will have copies of your T1 Generals. (Recommended)
- If you file with SimpleTax, or another online provider, you will be able to log in and download your T1’s.
- If you file with H&R Block, you’ll need to find the email from them containing your tax return.
- The T1 General is not available through your myCRA Account for Individuals.
The T1 General has multiple portions that must be included, depending on your situation:
- If you have rental properties, the T1 will need to include a “Statement of Real Estate Rentals” for each rental property you own.
- If you own a sole proprietorship, or partnership business, the T1 will need to include a “Statement of Business Activities”.
General Guidelines/Notes:
- T1 Summaries can be useful at the pre-approval stage, however Full Version T1’s will be required for approval.
- Please no redactions/omissions.
∞ Link to Example T1 General Tax Return
CRA Statement of Account (SOA)
The CRA Statement of Account is used to confirm that you currently do not owe any income taxes. You can source this document from your myCRA Account for Individuals. It must contain the following:
- Your name must be visible
- Tax Balance will need to show $0.00 balance owing. If a minor balance is owing, this is often OK. Ask us for more info.
- The date must be current.
- Best format is to take a “Print to PDF” from your web browser.
- All pages, no redactions please.
Certificate of Incorporation
If you are self employed and own, or partly own a limited company, lenders may request you to provide your Certificate of Incorporation. Your accountant or lawyer will be able to help source this if you do not have these on file already.
Property Tax Bill
A property tax bill may be requested when a lender needs to confirm how much the property taxes are on a specific property you own. You can source your property tax bill from:
- Your municipal finance department > They can often email a copy to you.
- Your municipal online access account. Various towns/cities have portals where taxpayers can access their documents.
- Your paper records. Property Tax Bills are mailed to you each year.
- If you live in a rural community, the BC Ministry of Finance can provide a copy of your tax bill.
Your property tax bill should contain the following information:
- Your name and property address must be visible.
- The tax year should be the most recent.
- The amount due for your annual taxes should be visible.
- No redactions please.
Confirmation of Strata Fees
Confirmation of Strata Fees can come in various formats:
- Recent AGM Meeting Minutes with Latest Strata Fee Schedule
- Bank Statement showing the strata fee being withdrawn from your account.
- Recent Dated Strata Form B
Mortgage Information Statement
Mortgage Information Statements are usually available from Non-Bank Lenders like First National, MCAP, RMG, Merix and so on. You can source these documents from your online mortgage portal.
Mortgage Information Statements must have:
- Current Date (No Older than 30 Days)
- Show your name and property address.
- Key mortgage information including: balance owing, interest rate, payment amounts, amortization, maturity date etc.
Annual Mortgage Statement
Your annual mortgage statement is mailed out to you each year in early January by your bank or lender. It is also commonly available for download via your online banking, or online mortgage portal. The annual statement should contain the following information:
- Your Loan Details including payment amount, interest rate, balance owing, amortization and maturity date.
- Address of the mortgaged property.
- Your name must be visible on the statement.
- Please include all pages with no redactions.
Home Insurance Policy Summary
A current home insurance policy is requested when you are transferring your mortgage to a new lender. The policy will need to:
- Be valid through the funding date of your new mortgage.
- Confirm current coverages, including earthquake if specifically requested
- Show your name and property address.
- Show the name of the property insurer.
Statement of Adjustments | Order to Pay
The Statement of Adjustments or Order to Pay documents are generated from your Real Estate Lawyer, either during a purchase or a sale of a property. We can normally request these documents directly from your lawyer (with your permission), however it’s possible you will have these items on file as well. Either document should include:
- Your name and property address.
- Date of Specific Transaction.
- Lawyer’s Name