Fort St. John sits at the heart of Canada’s energy capital, where billion-dollar projects and blue-collar prosperity create a mortgage market unlike anywhere else in BC. This northeastern powerhouse draws workers from across the country with median household incomes hitting $102,000 — nearly 40% above the provincial average.
The numbers tell the real story here. While most BC communities struggle with aging populations, Fort St. John stays remarkably young with a median age of just 32.4 years. That’s not accident — it’s economics. The oil and gas sector, combined with massive construction projects, keeps pulling in families who need homes, not just rental units. Half the housing stock consists of single-family detached homes, exactly what these well-paid workers want to buy.
Here’s what makes Fort St. John different from other resource towns: diversification that actually works. Yes, oil and gas extraction employs 10.7% of the workforce, but construction leads at 12.5%, followed closely by retail trade at 11.9%. When energy prices dip, infrastructure projects often ramp up. When both slow down, the service economy built around 21,000+ residents keeps humming.
The climate might seem harsh — Plant Hardiness Zone 3a means serious winters — but locals embrace it. Fort St. John averages 304 sunny days annually, more than most southern BC cities. Summer brings midnight sun effects and outdoor festivals that draw visitors from hundreds of kilometers away.
For mortgage professionals, Fort St. John represents opportunity with eyes wide open. Property values reflect both the income potential and the volatility. Our 55% maximum LTV accounts for market realities while still serving borrowers who’ve built substantial equity in this unique corner of British Columbia.
The unemployment rate of 8.9% might concern some lenders, but context matters. In boom-bust economies, that’s often transitional unemployment between projects rather than structural joblessness. These aren’t minimum-wage workers looking for help — they’re skilled tradespeople, engineers, and supervisors moving between high-paying opportunities.
the Nearest Costco
Our Mortgage Products Available in Fort St. John
| Mortgage Product Name | Max LTV | Key Notes for Fort St. John |
|---|---|---|
| Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Variable Income | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Commercial | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Development/Subdivisions | 50.0% | Standard product terms |
| Equity Lending | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
| Purchases | 55.0% | Standard product terms |
Detailed Mortgage Product Information
Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Credit Repair and Debt Consolidation in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
“Their credit report reads like a horror novel, but the house was just renovated and is worth a lot…”
Here’s what happens when life takes a wrong turn. A bad business venture. Workplace Injury. That divorce that dragged on for two years. Suddenly your credit score looks like a batting average and the banks won’t even return your calls.
But here’s the thing – none of that changes what your ho...
Variable Income
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Variable Income in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
“Their income is all over the map, but there’s definitely income…”
Here’s a funny thing about lending based on Line 15000 of your Notice of Assessment: It’s a neat little box to underwrite against. Works great if you’re a salaried employee. Not so great if you’re running a fishing charter in Campbell River where thres fishing season, and the rest of the year.
We get it. Income isn’t always ti...
Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Bridge Financing/Fully Open Term in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
“Subjects came off their current home last week but their new place closes Friday…”
Here’s a funny thing about bridge financing: everyone thinks it’s complicated. It’s not. Someone needs to close on their new house before their old house sells. Or their sale fell through after they removed subjects on their dream home. Or they found the perfect downsizer condo but haven’t listed the family hom...
Commercial
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Commercial in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
“We need a commercial mortgage, but we’re in Fort St. James…”
Here’s the thing about being a MIC that lends in tiny towns: sometimes commercial comes with the territory. The general store that’s been there since 1952. The six-plex that passes for high-density housing in Vanderhoof. The campground that’s also someone’s retirement plan.
We’re not going to pretend we love commercial lending. We ...
Development/Subdivisions
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Development/Subdivisions in Fort St. John:
50.0 %
“Got a client with subdivision dreams? Unfortunately we’ll probably say no…”
Look, we know you’ve got that client. The one with 5 acres in Kamloops who’s convinced they’re sitting on a goldmine once it’s subdivided. They’ve got the sketches. They’ve done the math. They just need a lender who “gets it.”
We get it. We just don’t do it anymore.
After 20 years of funding subdivisions across rura...
Equity Lending
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Equity Lending in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
“They have tons of equity but don’t qualify under B20…”
Here’s the thing about equity lending: it exists because banks literally can’t do it. B20 guidelines require income verification. Full stop. No wiggle room. No common sense exceptions.
We’re provincially regulated. The funds we lend on come from individual investors, not the Bank of Canada. So when your client has 50% equity but their in...
Purchases
Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) for Purchases in Fort St. John:
55.0 %
Moving is supposed to be exciting. New town, new job, new chapter. So why do banks act like you’re asking for their firstborn when you need a mortgage?
“You haven’t been at your new job for thre months”
“Your self-employment income doesn’t count in a new market.”
“We need to see established a year if you are part time contract - even if you’re working 40 hours under your new role”
Meanwhile...