CMHC MLI Select, explained.
Build an energy-efficient purpose-built rental and the way you build can unlock materially better financing. Here is how the points work — and where the building itself earns them.
MLI Select is a CMHC mortgage-loan-insurance product for multi-unit rental housing (generally five or more units) that rewards projects for meeting affordability, energy-efficiency and accessibility commitments. A project earns points across those three areas, and more points unlock better terms — higher loan-to-value, longer amortization and reduced premiums. Crucially, energy efficiency is earned through how the building is constructed — which is where a high-performance builder makes a direct difference.
Affordability · energy · accessibility.
Rent commitments.
Committing a share of units at rents below a portion of median market rent, for a defined period, earns affordability points.
Build above code.
Exceeding the national energy code baseline — verified by an energy model and rating — earns points, with more for deeper improvements. This is a construction lever.
Barrier-free design.
Barrier-free and adaptable units — zero-step entries, accessible bathrooms and adaptable layouts — earn accessibility points.
As of 2026, higher point totals unlock progressively better financing — broadly, up to 95% loan-to-value, amortization extended up to 50 years, and reduced insurance premiums at the top tier, with lower tiers offering strong but smaller benefits. Exact thresholds, tiers and any surcharges (for example on extended amortization) are set by CMHC and change over time.
This page is general information, not financial advice. My Home Builders is a construction management practice, not a mortgage lender or financial advisor — confirm current terms and eligibility with CMHC and a CMHC-approved lender.
The energy-efficiency points are the ones a builder most directly influences. A high-performance envelope, insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, geothermal heating and cooling, and on-site solar can move a project into a higher energy tier — and the same choices lower the building's operating cost for its whole life. Building to the criteria from the first drawings, rather than retrofitting toward them later, is how a purpose-built rental reaches a strong point total efficiently.
CMHC MLI Select
What is CMHC MLI Select?
MLI Select is a CMHC multi-unit mortgage loan insurance product that rewards new and existing rental housing for meeting affordability, energy-efficiency and accessibility commitments. Projects earn points across those three areas, and more points unlock better financing terms — higher loan-to-value, longer amortization and reduced premiums. Terms are set by CMHC and change, so confirm current details with CMHC and your lender.
How many units do I need to qualify for MLI Select?
MLI Select is for multi-unit residential — generally five or more units. It suits purpose-built rental buildings, from small multiplexes to larger developments. The exact eligibility is defined by CMHC; confirm with a CMHC-approved lender for your project.
How does the MLI Select points system work?
Points are earned in three categories: affordability (committing units at rents below a share of median market rent for a set period), energy efficiency (building above the national energy code baseline, verified by an energy rating), and accessibility (barrier-free and adaptable units). Higher point totals unlock better insurance terms. Current thresholds and definitions are set by CMHC.
What financing benefits do the MLI Select tiers offer?
As of 2026, higher point tiers unlock progressively better terms — broadly, more points can mean loan-to-value up to 95%, amortization extended up to 50 years, and reduced insurance premiums, with the strongest terms at the top tier. Exact figures and any surcharges (for example on extended amortization) are set by CMHC and change; confirm the current terms with CMHC and your lender.
How does energy efficiency earn MLI Select points?
Building measurably above the national energy code baseline — verified through an energy model and rating — earns energy-efficiency points, with more points for deeper improvements. This is where construction choices matter most: a high-performance envelope, insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, geothermal and solar can move a project into a higher tier.
How does building with My Home Builders help a project qualify?
We build purpose-built rentals to the criteria that earn points — particularly energy efficiency, where our experience with high-performance envelopes, ICF, geothermal and net-zero building directly supports a higher energy score, and accessibility, through barrier-free and adaptable design. On the open-book model you see every real cost while the building is engineered to hit its target tier. We build to the program; your lender and CMHC confirm the financing.
Do MLI Select terms change, and where do I confirm them?
Yes. CMHC updates MLI Select criteria and terms over time, so any specific figure should be verified against CMHC's current program and a CMHC-approved lender. My Home Builders is a construction management practice, not a mortgage lender or financial advisor; we build to the criteria, and your lender confirms eligibility and terms.
Who builds MLI Select purpose-built rental projects in Ottawa?
My Home Builders delivers energy-efficient, purpose-built income properties across Ottawa and Eastern Ontario on the open-book model, building to the MLI Select energy and accessibility criteria so the project can target a strong point tier. Begin the conversation →
General information, not financial advice. Program terms are set by CMHC and change — confirm current criteria with CMHC and a CMHC-approved lender. Published 20 July 2026 · Last reviewed 20 July 2026.
An initial conversation carries no obligation.
Tell us about your site and your goals. We will help you think through a building that targets a strong MLI Select tier — on an open book.
Begin the conversation Income properties