No land transfer tax — what this saves
Alberta is one of two Canadian provinces (along with Saskatchewan) without a formal Land Transfer Tax. You'll pay nominal land titles registration fees instead:
- Land Title Office registration fee: ~$50 + $1 per $5,000 of property value
- Mortgage registration fee: ~$50 + $1 per $5,000 of mortgage value
On a $720,000 purchase with $576,000 mortgage:
- Land title fee: ~$194
- Mortgage registration: ~$165
- Total: ~$360
Compare to other provinces on the same $720,000 purchase:
| Province | LTT / PTT | |---|---| | Alberta | ~$360 | | Saskatchewan | ~$300 | | Quebec (rural) | ~$9,000 | | Manitoba | ~$11,200 | | Ontario (outside Toronto) | ~$10,475 | | British Columbia (outside FBT zones) | ~$12,400 | | Ontario (Toronto with MLTT) | ~$20,950 |
The Alberta closing-cost advantage is roughly $10,000-$20,000 on a typical home purchase. That money stays in your pocket.
No provincial sales tax — another small win
Alberta has no Provincial Sales Tax (PST). This affects two specific mortgage costs:
CMHC premium PST
Provinces that charge PST on the CMHC insurance premium itself: Ontario (8%), Quebec (9.975%), Saskatchewan (6%). Alberta charges zero — your CMHC premium is added to mortgage balance with no additional out-of-pocket tax at closing.
On a typical $700k insured purchase:
- CMHC premium: ~$19,530
- Alberta: $0 PST = full $19,530 financed in mortgage
- Ontario: $1,562 PST = out-of-pocket at closing
Other GST/HST considerations
For new builds, federal GST applies but no provincial portion. The federal new housing rebate still applies up to $450k purchase price. See GST/HST on new construction.
Alberta's federal stress test exposure
The federal mortgage stress test applies in Alberta the same as everywhere:
Qualifying rate = max(contract + 2%, 5.25%)
Most Alberta A-tier lenders (RBC, TD, Scotia, BMO, CIBC, monolines) apply the federal stress test.
But Alberta has notable provincial credit unions and credit union-like institutions:
- ATB Financial — Alberta's provincial Crown corporation bank; significant residential mortgage book
- Servus Credit Union — largest Alberta credit union by membership
- Connect First Credit Union — formed by recent merger; significant Calgary presence
- First Calgary Financial — now part of Connect First
ATB and the credit unions are provincially regulated. They're NOT bound by federal OSFI Guideline B-20 and can choose their own qualifying standards. For marginal buyers who don't fit the federal stress test, this can be the difference between getting in or being shut out.
Calgary vs Edmonton property tax
Alberta property tax is higher than BC but lower than most Eastern Canadian cities. By major city:
| City | Approx rate | |---|---| | Calgary | 0.65% of assessed value | | Edmonton | 0.96% | | Red Deer | 0.92% | | Lethbridge | 1.10% | | Grande Prairie | 1.05% | | Fort McMurray (Wood Buffalo) | 0.84% |
On a $600k Calgary home: ~$3,900/year property tax. Same home in Edmonton: ~$5,760/year. The difference compounds — and affects GDS qualifying capacity, so it matters at affordability stage.
Alberta home price context
Alberta home prices, while rising, remain dramatically below Toronto/Vancouver:
- Calgary average home price (2026): ~$650-700k
- Edmonton average: ~$430-470k
- Red Deer / Lethbridge / Medicine Hat: ~$330-400k
Combined with the no-LTT advantage and lower property tax, Alberta is one of the most affordable Canadian provinces for first-time buyers. The trade-offs: cyclical economy tied to oil + gas, weather, distance from major Eastern markets.
Alberta broker licensing — RECA
Alberta mortgage brokers and agents are licensed by RECA (Real Estate Council of Alberta) — Canada's only fully self-regulated real estate / mortgage broker regulator.
Licensing tiers:
- Real Estate Industry Member with mortgage broker authorization — full broker
- Mortgage Associate — mortgage agent-equivalent, supervised by broker
Before working with any Alberta broker, verify license at reca.ca. RECA also publishes disciplinary actions and license restrictions.
Worked Calgary first-time buyer example
Couple buying a $650,000 Calgary detached home, 10% down, first-time buyers:
| Cost line | Amount | |---|---| | Purchase price | $650,000 | | Down payment | $65,000 | | Insured mortgage (after CMHC premium) | $603,135 | | Land title registration fee | ~$180 | | Mortgage registration fee | ~$150 | | Provincial LTT | $0 | | CMHC premium (3.1%) | $18,135 | | Alberta PST on CMHC | $0 | | Legal fees | $1,500 | | Title insurance | $400 | | Property inspection | $500 | | Closing adjustments | ~$1,200 | | Total cash needed at closing (beyond down payment) | ~$3,930 |
The same purchase in Toronto would require ~$23,500+ in closing costs (after first-time buyer rebates). Alberta saves first-time buyers nearly $20,000 at closing.
Alberta mortgage rate landscape
Most national A-tier lenders price Alberta the same as Ontario. The same big-bank or monoline rate sheet typically applies to both provinces. Local credit unions sometimes offer competitive rates, especially for property types that A-tier might find harder to underwrite (acreages, off-grid properties, mobile homes).
Investment property considerations
Alberta investor scene:
- No LTT on rental purchase — same advantage as primary residence
- Cap rates higher than Ontario / BC — Calgary 4-5%, Edmonton 5-6%, smaller markets 6-8%
- Tenant law balance — Alberta's Residential Tenancies Act is more landlord-favorable than Ontario's RTA
- Cycle exposure — Alberta rental markets follow oil and gas; deeper drawdowns in 2014-2016 and shorter recoveries
For investors leaving high-cost markets (GTA, GVA), Alberta is often the first destination considered.
What to do next
- Confirm your Alberta residency for property purchase
- Run affordability at Alberta property tax rates
- Use closing costs calculator with Alberta selected to see the closing-cost saving
- Compare A-tier vs ATB / Alberta credit union pricing if you're marginal on stress test
- Run rental investment math at Alberta cap rates if considering investor purchase
- Verify your broker's RECA license
Alberta's closing-cost structure is among the best in Canada for buyers. Lower upfront friction means more capital available for down payment, renovation, or post-close reserves.