How to Stop a Power of Sale in Ontario (2026): Your Options and Timeline

If your lender has issued a Notice of Sale, it's frightening — but in Ontario, power of sale is reversible if you act quickly. Every day matters, so understanding your timeline and your options is the first step to keeping your home.

The short answer

You can usually stop a power of sale by bringing your mortgage current (reinstating it) or refinancing to pay the lender out — as long as you act before the sale closes and you have equity in the home. The most common rescue is a refinance or a bridge through an alternative or private lender, which can fund in days. See our power of sale rescue options.

How power of sale works in Ontario

Ontario lenders typically use power of sale rather than foreclosure. After you fall behind, the lender issues a Notice of Sale under the mortgage. There's a statutory redemption period (commonly around 35–45 days from the notice) during which you can pay what's owed and stop the process. If you don't, the lender can list and sell the property to recover the debt — and any equity beyond what's owed is supposed to come back to you, though costs eat into it.

Your options to stop it

1. Reinstate the mortgage

If you can pay the arrears plus the lender's legal costs, you can bring the mortgage current and the sale stops. This works when the shortfall is temporary — a job gap that's now resolved, for example.

2. Refinance to pay the lender out

If reinstating isn't possible, a refinance replaces the defaulting mortgage entirely. Because A-lenders won't refinance a mortgage in active default, this usually runs through a B-lender or private lender on an equity basis. It can fund in as little as a week.

3. Bridge financing

A short-term private bridge can buy you time to sell on your own terms (almost always for more than a forced sale) or to arrange longer-term financing.

4. Sell on your own terms

If keeping the home isn't realistic, selling it yourself before the lender does almost always nets you more of your equity.

Why acting early matters

Equity is the key to every option above — and the longer you wait, the more legal costs and interest erode it. Most homeowners we help could have saved themselves thousands by calling 30 days earlier. If a sheriff or auction date is set, that's the deadline driving everything.

Power of sale vs. foreclosure

Power of sale (used mainly in Ontario) is faster and notice-driven. Foreclosure is a court process used in provinces like BC and Alberta, with a court-set redemption period. If you're outside Ontario, see stopping a foreclosure instead.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to stop a power of sale in Ontario?

You generally have a redemption period of roughly 35–45 days from the Notice of Sale to pay what's owed, but the practical deadline is whenever the sale actually closes. The sooner you act, the more (and cheaper) your options.

Can I get a mortgage while in power of sale?

Not from a bank, but alternative and private lenders will refinance against your equity specifically to pay out the defaulting lender and stop the sale.

Will I lose my equity?

If the home sells under power of sale, surplus after the debt and costs is returned to you — but forced-sale pricing and legal costs shrink it. Refinancing or selling on your own terms protects far more of your equity.

Facing a Notice of Sale? Explore power of sale rescue financing or talk to us confidentially — we've helped hundreds of Ontario homeowners stop a sale.