I won't be much help, but I do know there are new rules banks have to follow now about how much people can borrow. It is based on the equity in your home. And you can only borrow up to.... is it 60%? or maybe 75%? Depending on your net income ($16,000/year) and your husband's they probably have little room to negotiate, because of the rules. (From what I understand, the gov't is trying to prevent a disaster like what happened in 2008 in the States.)

Having a no-down-payment mortgage is also maybe a problem for the bank. You have to pay an extra amount on top of your mortgage to CMHC, don't you? Plus, your interest rate must be a bit higher than others, without having paid a down payment too, no?

All of this is not to say you shouldn't/can't get a loan. And I think it is good that you are trying to get your debt taken care of, but please be careful. There are a lot of scams and hidden costs and fees and bad deals out there just waiting for desperate people to fall for them. When you went to Scotia, did they give you any alternatives? Is there someone you could talk to? Someone they could recommend for you?