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Find the Best 5 year Open Variable Mortgage Rates in Canada

Compare the best 5 year open variable mortgage rates from major banks, credit unions and mortgage brokers.

Today's top rates in:

5-Year Variable
4.85%
5-Year Fixed
4.24%
Select one of the following to get started!

Compare 5-year variable mortgage rates from lenders across Canada

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The Best Mortgage Rates in Canada

Evaluate Canada’s best 5 year variable mortgage rates in one place. You can compare the most current 5 year variable mortgage rates and monthly payments from 175+ banks and lenders across Canada.

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Rates are based on an average mortgage of $500,000 and subject to change based on filter criteria.

Lender tooltip icon Insured tooltip icon Insurable tooltip icon Uninsured tooltip icon
Lendwire Inc.
Lendwire Inc.
4.04% grey tooltip icon
$2,640.95 / month
4.24% grey tooltip icon
$2,695.56 / month
4.24% grey tooltip icon
$2,695.56 / month
MMG Mortgages
MMG Mortgages
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.44% grey tooltip icon
$2,750.71 / month
4.44% grey tooltip icon
$2,750.71 / month
Rocket Mortgage
Rocket Mortgage
4.55% grey tooltip icon
$2,781.28 / month
4.75% grey tooltip icon
$2,837.28 / month
4.55% grey tooltip icon
$2,781.28 / month
Innovation Federal Credit Union
Innovation Federal Credit Union
4.57% grey tooltip icon
$2,786.86 / month
4.57% grey tooltip icon
$2,786.86 / month
4.57% grey tooltip icon
$2,786.86 / month
BMO
BMO
4.60% grey tooltip icon
$2,795.23 / month
4.79% grey tooltip icon
$2,848.54 / month
4.79% grey tooltip icon
$2,848.54 / month
Nuborrow
Nuborrow
5.49% grey tooltip icon
$3,049.05 / month
5.49% grey tooltip icon
$3,049.05 / month
5.49% grey tooltip icon
$3,049.05 / month
True North Mortgage
True North Mortgage
2.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,363.66 / month
2.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,363.66 / month
2.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,363.66 / month
Sudbury Credit Union
Sudbury Credit Union
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
City Wide Financial Corp
City Wide Financial Corp
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
3.99% grey tooltip icon
$2,627.39 / month
ATB Financials
ATB Financials
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
Prospera Credit Union
Prospera Credit Union
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
Vancity Mortgages
Vancity Mortgages
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
4.09% grey tooltip icon
$2,654.55 / month
Centum Home Lenders Ltd.
Centum Home Lenders Ltd.
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
Centum Clinton Wilkins
Centum Clinton Wilkins
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
Nesto
Nesto
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
4.14% grey tooltip icon
$2,668.19 / month
One Link Mortgage & Financial
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
East Coast Mortgage Brokers
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
Monster Mortgage
Monster Mortgage
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
First Foundation
First Foundation
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month
4.19% grey tooltip icon
$2,681.85 / month

Today's Best Mortgage Rates in Canada

Evaluate Canada’s best 5 year variable mortgage rates in one place. RATESDOTCA’s Rate Matrix lets you compare 5 year variable rates against all other key mortgage types and terms.

Rates are based on an average mortgage of $500,000

Insured 80% LTV 65% LTV Uninsured Bank Rate
1-year fixed rate 5.04% 5.15% 5.15% 6.63%
6.29%
2-year fixed rate 4.74% 4.79% 4.74% 4.74%
5.59%
3-year fixed rate 4.14% 4.14% 4.14% 4.49%
4.89%
4-year fixed rate 4.29% 4.14% 4.14% 4.49%
4.74%
5-year fixed rate 3.99% 3.99% 3.99% 4.14%
4.59%
7-year fixed rate 4.44% 4.39% 4.39% 5.90%
5.50%
10-year fixed rate 5.09% 5.29% 5.29% 5.80%
7.14%
3-year variable rate 4.60% 4.70% 4.60% 4.60%
6.85%
5-year variable rate 4.30% 4.55% 4.30% 4.30%
4.65%
HELOC rate N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Stress test 5.25% 5.25% 5.25% 5.25% N/A
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Written By Lubna Umar

Updated

Today's 5 years Variable Mortgage RatesUpdated 11:40 ET on Dec 06, 2024

Rates are based on a home value of $500,000

card image
6.60%
Term
5 Yr Variable
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Apr 20
card image
6.10%
Term
5 Yr Variable
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Mar 21
card image
6.90%
Term
5 Yr Variable
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Mar 21

Rates are based on a home value of $500,000

card image
6.64%
Term
5 Yr Fixed
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Mar 21
card image
4.94%
Term
5 Yr Fixed
Loan to value
Up to 80%
Insurance
Uninsured
Rate held until
Apr 30
card image
4.84%
Term
5 Yr Fixed
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Apr 20

Rates are based on a home value of $500,000

card image
5.95%
Term
5 Yr Variable
Loan to value
Up to 80%
Insurance
Uninsured
Rate held until
Apr 20
card image
5.95%
Term
5 Yr Variable
Loan to value
Up to 95%
Insurance
Insured
Rate held until
Apr 20

What is a 5-year open variable-rate mortgage?

An open 5-year variable has some key similarities and differences versus the more popular closed 5-year closed mortgage.

On the one hand, both are variable, or “floating-rate” mortgages, meaning the interest costs can fluctuate over the term if prime rate rises or falls. Unless you have a fixed-payment variable rate (usually just called a variable-rate mortgage, or VRM), these movements in prime could affect your monthly mortgage payments (that’s referred to as an adjustable-rate mortgage, or ARM).

In the case of a VRM, if prime rate rose, the amount of your monthly payment going towards interest cost would increase and the amount going towards principal would decrease, and vice versa if prime rate fell.

The thing that makes open variable mortgages unique is that they allow the borrower to repay as much of the loan as they like -- at any time without penalty. That said, the loan is still based on scheduled payments over the five-year term.

Closed mortgages, on the other hand, have restrictions on the amount you can repay on top of your scheduled mortgage payments.

Breaking a closed variable mortgage early can also entail prepayment charges. Those “penalties,” as it were, are typically three months’ interest.

Pros of a 5-year variable-rate open mortgage

If you’re debating whether a 5-year variable-rate open mortgage is for you, here are some advantages to consider.

  • Flexibility: When it comes to paying off your mortgage, having an open mortgage means you can make more frequent payments or make a large lump-sum payment without incurring any penalties. That makes the product well-suited for short-term financing needs with an uncertain time horizon.
  • Refinance at any time: For those who want the freedom to refinance their mortgage at any time, an open variable-rate mortgage provides just that. There is absolutely no penalty should you want to refinance early and because you can choose any lender, you have full access to the market’s best rates.

Cons of a 5-year variable-rate open mortgage

Open variables have some disadvantages as well.

  • Risk of rising rates in the future: Your interest costs could potentially surge if interest rates rise quickly. That’s because variable rates fluctuate as prime rate rises and falls.
  • Higher rates: Because open mortgages offer the ultimate flexibility when it comes to prepaying your mortgage, the interest rate is significantly higher compared to closed mortgages. As an example, if a closed variable rate is prime – 1.00%, an open variable could be two points higher, or prime + 1.00%.

The significant rate premium means you should never plan to hold an open variable for more than 3-9 months. Any more than that and you’d potentially be better off getting a low-cost closed variable, breaking the mortgage early and paying the 3-month interest charge.

Learn more about 5-year variable mortgages.

Variable Rate Outlook – 2021

As of this writing, in spring 2021, prime rate has remained unchanged at 2.45% since March 2020. Guidance from the Bank of Canada suggests no changes to its target overnight rate until mid-to-late 2022.

Those tempted by low floating-rate offers can have confidence that rate hikes are not on the horizon for at least the next year and a half, says the Bank of Canada. However, borrowers should be mindful that the most likely direction for rates is upwards, so be prepared to:

(A) see your rate rise in the coming years, or

(B) lock into a fixed rate at the first sign that rates will rise.

Note: There is little chance of obtaining the best fixed rates available when you are switching from a variable to a fixed. Among other reasons, that’s because lenders anticipate rising rates well ahead of most borrowers and price their fixed-rate offers accordingly.

Open variable rate alternatives

If the flexibility of being able to repay your mortgage at any time is important to you, another option is a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC).

A HELOC lets you borrow against your home equity. HELOC interest rates fluctuate because they are quoted as a discount or premium to the prime rate. Borrowers can repay their HELOC as quickly or slowly as they want, as only the interest cost must be paid each month.

HELOCs have cheaper rates but often higher set-up costs. Moreover, you cannot transfer a mortgage into a HELOC so legal fees generally apply. Some lenders do allow free transfers into an open variable mortgage.

Find out if a HELOC is right for you.

Lubna Umar

Lubna Umar is an SEO Content Manager at RATESDOTCA. She has produced a wide variety of content, including academic essays, pieces of fiction and financial literacy guides. In her free time, she can be found exploring the café culture in Toronto or any other major city.

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