General eligibility criteria.
The following framework reflects the categories in the supplied approval model. It is a common design baseline. Each lender may add, remove or change criteria based on its product, jurisdiction, risk appetite and regulatory obligations.
Basic requirements
- Be at least 18 or have reached the age of majority in the applicable province or territory.
- Reside in Canada and hold a status accepted by the program.
- Have a verifiable residential address.
- Have an active Canadian bank account and valid telephone number.
- Show a regular, identifiable and verifiable source of income.
- Submit a complete application with accurate information.
- Show sufficient repayment capacity after existing obligations.
Canadian status that may be considered
- Canadian citizen
- Permanent resident
- Valid work permit holder
- Other status expressly accepted by the partner lender
Study permits, refugee status and temporary visas appeared as assessment fields in the source model. Their eligibility should be confirmed for each program before publication.
Income that may be considered
| Category | Examples | Possible evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | Full-time, part-time, seasonal, contract and tip income | Pay stubs, employment letter or contract, bank deposits |
| Self-employment | Incorporated business, professional, gig work and construction | Notice of assessment, T1, business number, bank history |
| Benefits | EI, disability, CPP, OAS, GIS, CNESST, WSIB, SAAQ and parental benefits | Benefit letter, payment notice and bank deposits |
| Other income | Pension or other recurring income accepted by the program | Documents appropriate to the income source |
A preliminary threshold of $1,200 per month and three months of employment stability appeared in earlier content. SureNorth will publish these thresholds only after each lender’s final rules confirm them.
Financial and banking assessment
The assessment compares verified monthly income with housing costs, vehicle payments, debts, short-term loans and other known obligations. The remaining amount must meet program requirements and support the proposed payment.
| Item | Possible assessment |
|---|---|
| Income | Amount, frequency, regularity and expected duration |
| Housing | Rent or mortgage payment |
| Essential services | Known expenses when required |
| Vehicle | Vehicle payment or auto loan |
| Debt | Credit cards, personal loans, short-term loans and other obligations |
| Insolvency | Bankruptcy, consumer proposal or garnishment |
| Outcome | Disposable income and ratios defined with the lender |
Depending on the program, the partner may request electronic bank verification or up to 90 days of statements. The review may consider deposit regularity and source, non-sufficient-funds activity, stop payments and overdraft use.
- Undischarged bankruptcy or a stated intention to file bankruptcy or a consumer proposal.
- An unsatisfied consumer proposal when the program excludes it.
- Incomplete, inconsistent or unverifiable information.
- Indicators of fraud, duplicate identity or altered documents.
- Insufficient, unstable or unverifiable income.
- Excessive non-sufficient-funds activity or persistent overdraft use.
- Short-term debt that is incompatible with the proposed payment.
- A bank, account or disbursement method that the program does not accept.
Possible outcomes
| Outcome | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eligible | The file meets applicable criteria, subject to final verification. |
| Eligible with conditions | A condition must be met before surety is issued. |
| Additional documents | The review is pending further documents or information. |
| Escalation | A supervisor or specialist team must review the file. |
| Declined | The file does not meet program requirements. |
| Potential fraud | Processing is suspended and the appropriate internal procedure applies. |
Documents and information
| Category | Documents that may be requested |
|---|---|
| Identity | Driver’s licence, passport, permanent resident card or work permit |
| Contact information | Address, telephone, email and proof of address when required |
| Banking | Electronic bank verification, 30 to 90 days of statements and void cheque |
| Employment | Pay stubs, employment letter, contract, record of employment, T4 or employer confirmation |
| Self-employment | Notice of assessment, T1, business number and proof of deposits |
| Benefits | Benefit letter, payment notice and proof of deposits |
| Budget | Income, housing, vehicle, debt and other obligations |
The partner must collect only the information required, obtain all necessary consents and transmit data through approved channels. The roles of SureNorth, the lender, the card issuer and their providers must be described in the applicable privacy notices and agreements.