General Michelle Foster 9 Jun
Bank of Canada Holds Rates and QE Steady–Asserting That Both the Upside in Inflation and the Downside in GDP is Temporary The Bank of Canada left the benchmark overnight policy rate unchanged at 0.25% and maintained its current pace of GoC bond purchases at its current pace. The Governing Council renewed its pledge to refrain […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 10 Mar
Much has changed since the Bank of Canada’s last decision on January 20. While the second pandemic wave was raging, new lockdowns were implemented in late 2020, and there were fears that the economy, in consequence, was likely to grow at a 4.8% annual rate in Q4 and contract in Q1. Instead, the lockdowns were less […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 23 Feb
While central banks hold overnight rates at record lows, anchoring short-term interest rates and the prime rate, mid-to-long-term government yields have been rising since early this month. As the chart below shows, the 5-year Government of Canada bond, upon which mortgage rates are generally tethered, are currently at 0.69%, up 27 basis points since January 29th. […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 12 Jan
Canadian employment fell 62,600 last month, a bit weaker than expected, following seven months of recovery (see chart below). The rapid rise in COVID cases and the ensuing lockdown measures in many key regions caused the net loss in jobs in the mid-December survey. Especially hard hit were workers at restaurants and hotels who suffered […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 17 Nov
Winter is coming… With the changing of the seasons, it can be a good time to take stock of your home and ensure you are ready for the winter and it’s colder weather. To help you feel more comfortable, save on bills and prevent future repair costs, there are some simple things you can do […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 6 Nov
The holidays are a beautiful time of year, filled with sparkling lights and delicious meals and overplayed tunes. As much as these celebrations bring us joy and harmony, they can also bring us stress. This is particularly true when it comes to your finances! This year, aim for a credit-free Christmas! With a little planning, […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 5 Nov
Canada has seen a surge of international migration over the last few years. In 2019, we welcomed a total of 313,580 immigrants to the country! This is an increase of 40,000 individuals when compared to 2017 numbers. According to planned immigration levels, it is estimated that Canada will receive 341,000 permanent residents in 2020. In […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 16 Oct
Canadian Home Sales and Prices Set Another Record High in September Today’s release of September housing data by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) shows national home sales rose 0.9% on a month-over-month (m-o-m) (see chart below). This continues the rebound in housing that began five months ago amid record-tight market conditions. “Along with historic […]
Read MoreLatest News Michelle Foster 28 Sep
Throne Speech: Canada’s Response to COVID-19 Prorogation on August 18, following the resignation of Finance Minister Morneau, a new session of Parliament, and a new speech from the throne was meant to allow the government to hit the reset button. And for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, to try and move past the summer of controversy […]
Read MoreGeneral Michelle Foster 26 Aug
With all of the rule changes imposed by the federal and provincial governments around mortgage financing and real estate it may be more difficult to access financing. But don’t take it personally – sometimes it’s not you it’s the property. When lenders underwrite your application for approval they look at you as a borrower […]
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