Under the heading no news is good news, the Bank of Canada decided today to keep its benchmark (overnight) interest rate steady at 5.00%, putting at least a temporary hold on a policy that resulted in 10 increases stretching back to March 2022. At the Bank’s last meeting in July, it raised the rate 0.25% […]

The latest reading on Canada’s economy has triggered a quick turnaround in expectations about the Bank of Canada’s course on interest rates. The latest reading by Statistics Canada shows economic growth slowed markedly in the second quarter.  Gross Domestic Product – which is the total value of all goods and services produced in the economy – […]

New reports on a number of the key components that feed into the Bank of Canada’s interest rate decisions are out this week.  The one that will be getting the most attention is the inflation reading for July. It is expected there will be a small up-tick in the Consumer Price Index – or headline […]

One of the closely watched components in the Bank of Canada’s interest rate setting process missed growth expectations, but was still up on a month-over-month basis. The country’s Gross Domestic Product rose by 0.3% in May, less than the 0.4% that had been forecast, but up from 0.1% in April.  (April’s growth rate was revised […]

Home sales and prices moderated in June according to the latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association and the organization is downgrading its forecast for the longer term. Sales crept up 1.5% in June compared to May and were 4.7% higher than a year earlier.  But there has been a continuing month-over-month slowing of […]

As we age, maintaining independence and staying in the home we love can be a challenge, especially when faced with reduced mobility and the need for costly home modifications and personal care services. However, with the CHIP Reverse Mortgage by HomeEquity Bank, aging in place becomes more feasible and attainable. Here are three ways in […]

The residential real estate surge that started in April carried through May. The latest numbers from the Canadian Real Estate Association show both sales and prices continued to rise. May saw a 5.1% increase in sales compared to April. (April recorded an 11.3% increase over March.) And May sales were up 1.4% over a year […]

Early reports from real estate boards across the country suggest spring is bringing renewed life to Canada’s housing market.  Activity, on both the buying and selling sides, was up in several major centres in April, compared to March. House hunters appear to be encouraged by the Bank of Canada’s pause to interest rate increases.  But […]

The latest measure of Canada’s economy suggests that the widely anticipated slowdown is arriving. Statistics Canada reports that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by a mere 0.1% in February, down from 0.6% in January.  GDP is the total value of all goods and services produced by the economy. That kind of pullback would normally be […]

WHAT IS THE GIG ECONOMY? A gig, by definition, is a temporary job. The gig economy is characterized by people working as independent contractors or freelancers­ or in short-term contracts, possibly for more than one employer. It’s a shift from the traditional trend of the employer-employee relationship towards one defined by independent workers and self-management. […]