Among other things, lenders in Canada primarily look at three major qualifying criteria: your credit score (showing how well you manage your credit and loans), your debt-to-income service ratio (percentage that tells lenders how much of your income goes towards regular, recurring expenses), and your home equity (the difference between the appraised market value of your property and your loan amount).

Obtaining a mortgage that gives you extra cash out of your home can be intelligently used to pay off high-interest debts, fund a home renovation, put a down payment on a vacation or investment property, pay for extended healthcare or invest in your child's education.

If you're locked into a mortgage rate that is above current market interest rates. If you have a variable rate and you want to reduce your risk by acquiring a fixed rate mortgage. Your property has equity and you need the cash. You are interested in lowering your regular monthly payments to improve cash flow.