Nearly 8 in 10 fixed-payment variable-rate borrowers have hit their trigger rate, according to data from National Bank of Canada.
The finding was released in a report last week written by National Bank Financial economists Stefane Marion and Daren King. They estimated that between 73% and 80% of variable-rate mortgage holders with fixed payments have hit their trigger rate, depending on when the mortgage was originated between 2020 and 2022.
The trigger rate is the point where the borrower’s monthly payment is no longer covering rising interest costs, and generally results in the borrower needing to increase their payment.