The Canadian economy has recorded a small victory in the ongoing fight against the rising cost of living. Statistics Canada reports headline inflation, also known as the Consumer Price Index (CPI), dipped slightly in July to 1.7%.  That is down from 1.9% in June.  Much of that decline is attributed to lower gasoline prices, resulting […]

The Bank of Canada’s next interest rate announcement is set for September 17.  Between now and then there will be plenty of economic data to digest. The latest significant report was Statistics Canada’s July employment reading, which surprised most analysts with a drop of nearly 41,000 jobs.  Most of those positions were full-time.  The unemployment […]

The Canadian economy continues to keep policymakers at the Bank of Canada guessing.  The key contributor to the quandary continues to be U.S. tariffs, and that puzzle has just become even more complicated. As of August first, the U.S. increased its tariff rate on imported Canadian goods to 35%, up from 25%, except for products […]

Market watchers across the country are talking about a real estate recovery.  Much of the optimism is based on sales and pricing results over the past two months. The June figures from the Canadian Real Estate Association show a 2.8% increase in sales compared to May, which recorded a 3.5% increase over April. On a […]

Expert opinions on Bank of Canada interest rate cuts are shifting. A growing number of market watchers are backing away from their predictions of two more reductions this year. Several are now saying the Bank has likely reached the end of the current trimming cycle. The central bank held its trend-setting Policy Rate at 2.75% […]

A key segment of Canada’s first-time homebuyer market appears to be delaying its purchasing plans.  A new survey by real estate giant Royal LePage suggests renters are holding back, waiting for further price declines. The survey finds that 40% of renters, who considered buying before signing or renewing their current lease, are waiting for property […]

The Bank of Canada has stayed on the sidelines for its second rate setting in a row, so Canadians hoping for some interest rate relief are going to have to wait a little longer. The central bank’s trendsetting Policy Rate remains at 2.75%. In the comments that came with the rate hold Bank Governor Tiff […]

Canada’s gross domestic product posted better than expected growth in the first three months of this year.  GDP, which is the total value of all goods and services produced by the economy, increased by an annualized rate of 2.2% in the first quarter, up from 1.7% for the same period a year ago.  Analysts had […]

The federal election is done and we now know what the government will look like for the foreseeable future. Among the key promises made during the election campaign were pledges to fix the country’s housing problems. Housing was the number-three domestic issue in the campaign according to a survey conducted for Royal LePage. (The economy/cost […]

Canada’s Gross Domestic Product started the year with good growth and looks poised to meet or exceed expectations for the first quarter even though it slowed in February. Statistics Canada reports January GDP rose by 0.4%, up one-tenth of a percentage point from December.  Early estimates for February suggest growth will be flat.  Still, forecasters […]