Canadian employment made huge gains, as the economy continues to bounce back. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) reported employment increased by 337,000 (+1.8%) jobs in February. Rising jobs pushed the unemployment rate down to just 5.5%, the lowest since May 2019, before public health measures. Experts see the robust employment gains supporting much higher interest rates. […]
Oh. Snap. Canada’s central bank just threw monetary policy shade at the Government of Canada. The Bank of Canada (BoC) just released a new study called The Central Bank Strikes Back! Credibility of Monetary Policy under Fiscal Influence. In it, they examine how a central bank should react when pressured by the government. They argue […]
Canadian real estate has a new risk factor catching the attention of regulators — CLPs. Combined Mortgage-HELOC Loan Plans (CLPs), better known as readvanceable mortgages, are fueling higher home prices. That was the take from OSFI, the country’s bank regulator. CLPs are rarely mentioned by regulators, but they’ve come up in several speeches since last […]
Canada’s central bank head piqued the interest of economists, and not because of his dazzling personality. Speaking to lawmakers, the Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Tiff Macklem explained quantitative ease (QE) has no impact on housing. He further explained demand and the cost of housing determines mortgage demand. The statement was odd, not because he […]
We’re only two months into the year but Canada’s real estate market is seeing the inventory story change fast. An analysis from RBC shows key markets have seen inventory improve for February. The bank hesitates to call it a trend, but markets are getting close to “balanced.” As interest rates rise, home sales are expected […]
Canada released the most Canadian look at COVID-19 deaths — by including real estate. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) studied age-adjusted COVID-19 mortality rates by housing type. The national stats agency found elevated mortality rates amongst those that live in high rise buildings. This was especially true for low income households, with one key exception. High […]
The global energy shock is driving costs higher everywhere, and Canadians can feel it at the pump. BMO Capital Markets took a stab at estimating the consumer impact from rising prices. Their research shows gas was ~$1.80/liter on Monday, up from $1.60/liter last week. That’s on top of the increase from last year, sending costs […]
Canada’s economy was briefly less dependent on real estate, but that was short-lived. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) data shows residential investment outpaced GDP in Q4 2021. As a share of GDP, residential investment is under last year’s record, but rising quickly. An increased reliance on real estate is a trend that began over two decades […]
A Canadian Big Six bank took on a key narrative from the central bank in a research note to clients this weekend. BMO Capital Markets‘ Rates and Macro Strategist Benjamin Reitzes addressed remarks from the Bank of Canada (BoC) Governor Tiff Macklem. Last week the Governor said high inflation was a supply issue, and low […]
Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s most important stories. Canadian Real Estate Bank Of Canada Announces QT, Reverse Of The Program That Boosted Real Estate Prices Canada’s central bank is letting the public know they plan to tighten credit in the country further. The Bank of Canada (BoC) explained that quantitative tightening (QT) […]
