You have heard the numbers. Up to 95% financing. Amortizations that can last 50 years. Premium discounts that can save six figures. Here is the question that actually matters: does your project qualify for MLI Select? I have watched many investors spend months putting together an application only to find out they are 15 points short of the tier they were hoping for. That is why a free MLI Select readiness assessment is important.
Before you put time, money and energy into an application, you deserve an answer about where your project really stands. In this guide, I will walk you through what a readiness assessment covers, the factors that determine eligibility and how to find out quickly whether your project is ready to move forward.
Why You Need a Readiness Assessment Before You Apply
Let me be straightforward with you. MLI Select is not a program you can figure out as you go. The scoring is strict in one way: it is all or nothing at the tier thresholds. A project that scores 68 points does not get credit for 70-point benefits; it drops to the 50-point tier. That gap can be the difference between a 45-year amortization and a 40-year one or between a 20% premium discount and a 10% one.
A readiness assessment exists to find those gaps before your lender submits. We look at your unit mix, your rent roll, your building specifications, and your construction budget. Then we tell you clearly which points you can realistically claim, which ones need work, and whether the tier you want is actually possible. That conversation usually takes less than a week. The application process takes months. Getting the order right saves you money.
The Three Point Categories You Need to Score
To understand readiness you need to understand what you are being scored on. MLI Select gives points across three categories. The minimum requirement is 50 points.
Affordability Points
This is the powerful tool and the only category that can reach 100 points alone. You earn points by committing a percentage of units to rents at or below CMHC’s affordability threshold for your market. Forty percent of units gets you to 50 points. Sixty percent gets you to 70. Eighty percent gets you to 100. A 20-year commitment of 10 adds bonus points on top. For projects, affordability is where the score is won or lost.
Energy Efficiency Points
Energy points reward buildings that exceed performance. A 15% reduction in energy use earns 20 points. A 25% reduction earns 35 points. A 40% reduction earns 50 points. This category needs third-party modelling and an energy advisor’s confirmation, so you need to know if your design can actually reach those targets.
Accessibility Points
Accessibility points reward buildings that’re barrier-free and visitable. Every building must be 100% visitable as a baseline before any accessibility points count. From there, 15% accessible units can earn 20 points, and universal design across all units can earn 30.
The September 30, 2026 Deadline Changes Everything
Here is the part that makes a readiness assessment urgent of just helpful. CMHC is changing the energy baseline. Until September 30 2026 applications can be scored based on the 2015 National Building Code and 2017 National Energy Code. After that date, everything is scored based on the 2020 codes.
What does that mean in life? A project that comfortably earns 35 energy points today might earn 20 under the new standards, with the same building envelope. If you are at 70 points and relying on energy to get that shift could push you down to the 50-point tier. If you are at 100 points you might fall to 70.
We have seen this happen already. Investors who assumed their design would score the same under either code have been surprised. A readiness assessment tells you which baseline you should use and whether you need to move
What We Actually Review During Your Assessment
When you ask for a free MLI Select readiness assessment, here is what we look at together. We review your forma and rent roll to find out which units could reasonably be considered affordable and how that affects your net operating income. We look at your building plans or built drawings to assess energy and accessibility potential. We check your unit mix. Confirm the non-residential part stays under the 30% limit. We check occupancy history for existing buildings; 85% occupied for 90+ days is a base requirement for acquisition or refinance. We map out which tier is realistic, which is a stretch, and which is out of reach.
The goal is not to tell you what you want to hear. It is to give you a picture before you spend money on an application.
Who Should Request an Assessment
You should schedule a readiness assessment if you are building a building with five or more units, buying an existing multi-family property and thinking about MLI Select financing, refinancing a building you already own or converting a property into rental use. If you are unsure whether your project has five units or more or if your zoning allows the use you are planning that is the kind of question we can help with.
We work with investors at every stage from first-time buyers looking at a six-plex to experienced developers with 50-unit portfolios. The assessment is free it is specific to your project. There is no need to proceed.
The difference between an MLI Select application and a rejected one is not usually ambition; it is preparation. Knowing your score before you apply means you can fix gaps adjust commitments or choose a tier that actually works for your numbers. With the September 30 2026 energy code deadline coming up the cost of guessing is higher than ever. Request a free MLI Select readiness assessment today. Lets find out together if your project is ready. It takes more time than you think and it could save you six figures in financing costs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A free MLI Select readiness assessment is a review of your project's eligibility and likely point score across affordability, energy efficiency and accessibility categories. It tells you which tier you can realistically reach before you apply.
It is completely free. There is no need to proceed with an application or to work with us afterward.
Most assessments take under a week once we have your project information, unit mix, rent roll, and building specifications.
We will tell you exactly which points are missing and what changes could get you to the threshold. Sometimes it is an affordability commitment. Sometimes it is an energy upgrade. We help you find the cost-effective way.
It might. If your project depends on energy efficiency points, the change to the 2020 codes could lower your score. A readiness assessment tells you whether you should apply sooner.
Yes. In fact, that is the time. Changes during the design phase are much cheaper than retrofits after construction.
Co-Founder & Director
Hafil Perincheeri is an engineer-turned-realtor, investor, and builder based in Calgary, Canada. As Co-Founder and Director of Greencasa, he specializes in home flips, property development, and investment strategies. Since 2019, he has guided clients in home buying, multifamily investing, and financing options like CMHC and MLI Select, ensuring transparent, informed decisions.