If you are over-mortgaged and facing negative equity in your home, can you walk away from your mortgage in Canada? We explain what you can do if there is a shortfall on your mortgage after a sale or bank foreclosure.

Canada has full recourse mortgage laws

A theoretical shortfall is not a real shortfall. You don't have to sell. If you can keep your mortgage payments current, and expect that the market will return before you intend to sell you can hold tight.

If you are in default your lender will begin proceedings to collect. If you do not respond and cannot catch up on missed mortgage payments, your bank or lender will likely begin proceedings to sell your home through a power of sale.

If you sell with a shortfall, or your bank forecloses, you still owe your mortgage lender any deficiency between the money realized from the sale and the balance owing on your mortgage.

Should you sell your home for less than you borrowed and find yourself unable to repay the shortfall, in Ontario, your lender can pursue you to collect the difference, as they have full recourse: