Editorial Policy
This page explains how we research, write, fact-check, and update the content on RenewalRate.ca, and what we commit to when we publish something about your money.
Sourcing standards
Every rate figure, policy claim, or market statistic on RenewalRate.ca is tied to a primary or credibly-secondary source. Primary sources include:
- Bank of Canada (policy rate announcements, Monetary Policy Reports, statistical releases)
- Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) research and data portal
- Statistics Canada (new housing price index, CPI, household debt data)
- Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) guidelines (stress test rules, B-20)
- Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) publications
- Department of Finance Canada announcements
Secondary sources are used when primary data is not yet available or when we need market commentary. We credit secondary sources by name and link where possible. We do not republish paywalled content. We do not use AI-generated content as a primary source. We do not cite anonymous forum posts as evidence.
Accuracy and corrections
If we get something wrong, we want to hear about it. Email [email protected] with the URL and a specific correction.
Our process when a correction is flagged:
- We acknowledge the email within two business days.
- We verify the claim against the original source.
- If we were wrong, we update the article within five business days and add a dated correction note at the bottom of the piece explaining what changed.
- If the error was material (affecting a payment figure, a rate comparison, or a legal claim), we link the correction from our homepage for seven days.
- If we disagree with the flagged correction, we reply explaining why.
We do not silently edit articles. Substantive changes are logged.
Conflicts of interest and how we handle them
RenewalRate.ca is monetized through affiliate commissions. When we recommend that a reader get a quote from a specific mortgage brokerage, and that brokerage is one of our affiliate partners, we have a financial interest in the reader clicking that link. That is a material connection under Canadian competition law and we disclose it plainly everywhere it applies.
What we commit to:
- No partner pre-approval. Partners do not see articles before they go live. They do not review drafts, suggest edits, or sign off on comparisons.
- No paid reviews. We do not accept payment, free services, or other consideration in exchange for a positive review, a rating, or a placement. Commissions are paid on funded referrals only, not on coverage.
- Rankings are editorial. When we rank or compare products, the order reflects our editorial view of reader value, not the commission rate we receive from each partner.
- We cover non-partners. If a lender, product, or brokerage is relevant to a story, we cover it whether or not we earn a commission from it.
- We name the conflict in the piece. Every article that includes a partner affiliate link carries a visible disclosure near the top of the page, not buried in the footer.
- We remove partners who underperform for readers. If we receive repeated, substantiated complaints about a partner's service, we suspend the referral relationship and say so publicly.
Calculator methodology
Our payment-shock calculator uses standard Canadian mortgage amortisation mathematics (semi-annual compounding, not in advance, per the Interest Act of Canada section 6 for fixed-rate mortgages). Inputs are entered by the user and all computation happens in the browser. We do not transmit, log, or store the figures you enter.
Readers who find a computational error should email us and we will publish a correction as above.
Revision cadence
Rate-sensitive content (posted rates, best-available-rate summaries, Bank of Canada commentary) is reviewed at least monthly and after every scheduled Bank of Canada rate decision.
Evergreen educational content (renewal process explainers, stress test overviews, glossary entries) is reviewed at least every six months and updated whenever a rule change or regulatory update makes the previous version inaccurate.
Every article displays a "last reviewed" date at the top. If a piece has not been reviewed in more than 12 months, we either update it or add a dated note warning the reader that it may be out of date.
AI and automation
We use software tools, including AI assistants, for research, drafting support, and editorial workflows. We do not publish AI-generated content without human editorial review, fact-checking, and attribution of sources. The editorial voice, analysis, and conclusions on RenewalRate.ca reflect human judgment, not automated output.