Loans and Lines of Credit
Canadian borrowing terms for personal loans, lines of credit, and the difference between fixed and reusable debt.
Loans and Lines of Credit explains how Canadian lenders describe fixed-schedule loans, reusable lines of credit, and the secured or unsecured structures that can change how those products work. These products can solve a cash need, but they behave differently on repayment, interest cost, and future borrowing flexibility.
Readers usually need this section when they are comparing products, trying to interpret approval offers, or deciding whether a reusable limit or fixed-payoff loan is the better fit for a specific need.
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In this section
- Line of Credit
A line of credit is a reusable borrowing limit that lets a borrower draw, repay, and borrow again.
- Secured Line of Credit
A secured line of credit is a reusable borrowing limit backed by collateral accepted by the lender.
- Unsecured Line of Credit
An unsecured line of credit is a reusable borrowing limit that is approved without specific pledged collateral.
- Personal Loan
A personal loan is an installment-credit product that advances a set amount to be repaid through scheduled payments.
- Secured Loan
A secured loan is an installment loan backed by collateral accepted by the lender.
- Unsecured Loan
An unsecured loan is an installment loan approved without specific pledged collateral.
- Debt Consolidation Loan
A debt consolidation loan is a loan used to combine multiple debts into one structured repayment arrangement.
- Fixed Interest Rate
A fixed interest rate stays the same for the agreed period instead of moving with changing market conditions.
- Loan Term
Loan term is the agreed repayment length for a loan under the credit agreement.
- Collateral
Collateral is the asset or pledged value that helps secure a borrowing arrangement for the lender.
- Amortization
Amortization is the repayment pattern through which scheduled loan payments gradually reduce principal and interest over time.
- Variable Interest Rate
A variable interest rate can change over time under the terms of the credit agreement.
- Payment Deferral
A payment deferral is a temporary arrangement that lets the borrower postpone or modify scheduled loan payments.