Mortgage loan insurance has become a popular way for people to buy a home when they can't come up with a 20 per cent down payment.

"I would say that 95 per cent of all first-time homebuyers require the insurance," said Calgary REALTOR® Crystal Tost. "It's expensive in Calgary. How do you save 20 per cent to get around insurance when you're paying rents and car payments, and probably have credit cards? It's definitely a good program for people that want to get into a home."

On Oct. 17 cannabis will become legal across Canada. However, the reality of legalization for many Calgarians who rent or own in multi-family buildings or condominiums might be completely different from that of a single-family homeowner.

Housing affordability has been the talk of the nation in recent years, especially as tighter mortgage regulations and higher borrowing costs have started to impact housing markets across the country.
A recent report by RBC Economic Research indicates that Calgary's housing market isn't out of reach for many potential homebuyers, especially when compared to the Vancouver and Toronto markets, as well as the Canadian average.