Canadian households saw their wages grow faster than inflation, but those gains failed to keep up with essentials. That was the take from RBC in its 2026 outlook, noting the cost of food and housing continues to outpace incomes. The bank sees inflation pressures moderating further this year, but warns affordability pressures aren’t going away […]
There’s plenty of supply for Canadian renters—if they can actually afford it. The CMHC’s 2025 Rental Report shows vacancy rates have more than doubled record lows. They note the increase helped slow price growth in purpose-built rentals (PBRs). Unfortunately, slow isn’t low—and far from a contraction. Rental prices continue to grow much faster than income. […]
Canada’s big banks are seeing a sharp erosion in mortgage credit quality. Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) data shows mortgage arrears climbed sharply in October. The rate now sits at a five-year high, but the stress may be even worse than it appears. CBA member banks are holding fewer total mortgages, potentially signaling risk mitigation. Canadian […]
Canadians might not be buying much real estate these days, but they’re borrowing against it. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows home equity lines of credit (HELOC) debt surged in October. Households tapped their home equity at one of the fastest rates in years, sending HELOC debt to a 6-year high. Home Equity Line of Credit […]
Canadian mortgage debt is growing at a healthy pace—but it doesn’t mean what it usually does. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows household mortgage debt rose sharply in October, marking the biggest increase for the month in years. The growth rate has now returned to normal levels, but the underlying composition of that demand is anything […]
The Canadian real estate affordability crisis has eased—but housing is still far from affordable. RBC data shows Q3 2025 marked the seventh consecutive quarter of housing affordability improvements. Despite the persistent trend, affordability remains just slightly better than the peak of the 1990s real estate bubble. RBC warns that with rate cuts unlikely in 2026, […]
Canadian employers are pulling back, but the hiring slowdown isn’t even across provinces. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data shows the job vacancy rate fell across Canada in Q3, but most provinces remain at or above the national average. Ontario stands out as an exception, as its large population, paired with a stagnating economy, has seen hiring […]
New home sales across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) went into a deep freeze ahead of winter. Greater Toronto new home prices slipped even further in November, according to data from Altus Group and BILD GTA. The decline was driven by the second-highest inventory for the month meeting with its weakest sales on record. November […]
Canadian inflation has been driven by two key pressure points in recent years: shelter and food. Statistics Canada’s (StatCan) data shows shelter inflation is finally cooling, helping to keep the Consumer Price Index (CPI) stable in November. But BMO Capital Markets is warning investors that the other half of the problem is flaring up again—food […]
Canadian real estate is in for a long winter if last month was a preview of things to come. Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data shows home prices fell further in November, after a small drop in new listings was met with a much bigger drop in sales. Prices haven’t just rolled back to the […]
