17 Apr

Canadian Federal Budget 2024: Higher Deficits, Higher Government Spending, And Higher Taxes for the Wealthy

Economics Insights

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

Federal Budget Targets Rich Canadians For New Spending The budget focuses on helping Millennial and Gen Z voters experiencing rising housing costs and other inflationary pressures. The government has set fiscal anchors, such as keeping the deficit below 1% of GDP starting in 2027. The Canadian federal government released its 2023 budget over a year […]

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15 Apr

Housing Data In March Provides Hints Of Coming Strength In Spring

Housing Update

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

Recent Signs Show Housing Activity Will Strengthen Meaningfully In April The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) announced today that national home sales for March were roughly flat, while new listings fell and prices stagnated. CREA analysts are confident that recent activity will harken stronger housing markets for the rest of this year.  There is significant pent-up […]

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8 Apr

Canadian Job Market Whimpers in March While US Roars

Labour Force Report

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

March’s Weak Jobs Report Sets The Stage For A June Rate Cut Today’s StatsCanada Labour Force Survey for March is much weaker than expected. Employment fell by 2,200, and the employment rate declined for the sixth consecutive month to 61.4%.  Total hours worked in March were virtually unchanged but up 0.7% compared with 12 months earlier. The details […]

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18 Mar

Canadian Home Sales Stop Falling In February As Prices Hold Steady

Real Estate

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

The Canadian Real Estate Association announced today that national home sales dipped 3.1% m/m in February while home prices were flat, ending a five-month price decline that began last fall. It was noteworthy that prices remained unchanged from January to February, given that they dropped 1.3 from December to January. The MLS Home Price Index […]

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9 Mar

Canadian Employment Gains Strong in February

Economics Insights

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

Today’s StatsCanada Labour Force Survey for February was a mixed bag and shows the dramatic effect of surging immigration. Canadian employment rose by a much stronger-than-expected 41,000, dominated by a 71,000 rise in full-time jobs.  The employment rate–the proportion of the population aged 15 and older who are employed–fell a tick to 61.5%. This is the […]

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1 Mar

Amortization Options

Mortgage Tips

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

  Your mortgage amortization period is the number of years it will take you to pay off your mortgage. Depending on your choice of amortization period, it will affect how quickly you become mortgage-free as well as how much interest you pay over the lifetime of your mortgage (a longer lifetime equals more interest, whereas […]

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1 Mar

Still No Recession In Canada Thanks to Huge Influx of Immigrants

Economics Insights

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

  Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose a moderate 1.0% (seasonally adjusted annual rate), a tad better than expected and the Q3 contraction of -1.2% was revised to -0.5%. This leaves growth for 2023 at a moderate 1.1%. Monthly data, also released today by Statistics Canada, showed that December came in flat, well below the […]

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21 Feb

Canadian Inflation Falls to 2.9% in January, Boosting Rate Cut Prospects

Inflation News

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.9% year-over-year in January, down sharply from December’s 3.4% reading. The most significant contributor to the deceleration was a 4% decline in y/y gasoline prices, compared to a 1.4% rise the month before (see chart below). Excluding gasoline, headline CPI slowed to 3.2% y/y, down from 3.5% in December.  […]

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16 Feb

Making Your Home Workspace More Productive

Lifestyle

Posted by: Yen Chi (Frank) Feng

  Fall in love with your home and your workspace again with these tips to help you make your home office space more productive! Establish Boundaries: A key component of being more productive at home is to establish proper boundaries between work and personal life. While not all of us at home have space for a […]

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