Question 1

What is the Quebec Welcome Tax and when do I pay it?

Accepted Answer

Quebec's Droits de mutation immobilière (transfer duties, colloquially 'welcome tax') is billed by the municipality 3-6 months after closing, not at closing like Ontario LTT. Budget for it separately. Rates range from 0.5% on the first $58,900 to 1.5% on portions above $294,600 (Montreal adds higher brackets up to 3%).

Question 2

Do I need a lawyer or a notary for a Quebec mortgage closing?

Accepted Answer

In Quebec, real estate closings are handled by a notaire (notary), not a lawyer. Notaries draft and register the deed and the mortgage. The notary is typically chosen by the buyer; legal fees are usually $1,200-$2,500 plus disbursements.

Question 3

Can I get mortgage service in French in Quebec?

Accepted Answer

Yes — we have French-speaking advisors. All major Quebec lenders (Desjardins, National Bank, RBC, Scotia, BMO) deliver mortgages bilingually with French documentation available on request. Smaller monoline lenders sometimes deliver in English only — we'll tell you upfront which lenders accept French-language files.

Question 4

What is the Hypothèque légale and how does it differ from a standard mortgage?

Accepted Answer

Quebec uses the civil-law hypothèque (rather than common-law mortgage) — functionally similar but with different default and foreclosure mechanics. The hypothèque is registered against the property at the Bureau de la publicité des droits. We handle Quebec hypothèque files identically to mortgages elsewhere; the notary manages the registration.

Question 5

Which Quebec cities have the highest home prices?

Accepted Answer

Montreal (~$685K), Brossard (~$640K), Laval (~$565K), Longueuil (~$485K) dominate. Quebec City (~$405K), Gatineau (~$425K), and Sherbrooke (~$365K) are materially more affordable. The Greater Montreal Area accounts for ~70% of provincial mortgage origination.

Quebec mortgage rates.

Purchase — Quebec

Refinance — Quebec

Renewal — Quebec

HELOC — Quebec

Mortgage brokers in Quebec

Quebec mortgage rates — common questions.

Rates in other provinces

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