The Canadian economy may be outperforming, but households are getting slaughtered. The latest data from the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy (OSB) shows consumer insolvencies surged in March. The 12-month volume has reached levels only seen during the 2010 and 2020 peaks—both periods known for sharp declines in economic activity. While annual growth had […]
Despite soaring equity markets and resilient household spending, Canadian consumer confidence continues to erode. A new report from BMO Capital Markets explores the growing disconnect, suggesting consumer anxieties may not be rooted in actual economic weakness. However, if sentiment doesn’t improve it can slow the economy—triggering the concerns they fear. Canadian Households Feel Gloomy, But […]
Canadian inflation is officially “too high,” putting the Bank of Canada’s (BoC) credibility into jeopardy for the second time in five years. April inflation data breached the central bank’s upper tolerance band—just weeks after it dismissed accelerating price growth and cut rates, effectively adding inflationary stimulus. BMO had a blunt warning to investors this week: […]
Alberta is the only province making the most of Canada’s most valuable natural resource—young workers. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) interprovincial migration data shows it was the only province that managed to attract young workers, aged 25 to 45 years old. This demographic is critical to regions, driving economic growth and long-term prosperity. It’s the only […]
Canada has a modest but powerful value proposition—regardless of race or creed, a person’s hard work is rewarded with social mobility. The Government of Canada (GoC) think tank Policy Horizons is warning that the proposition is disappearing, and may be a distant memory in less than two decades. In a report from the agency, they […]
Canada is seeing weak home sales, slowing population growth, and economic uncertainty. It’s the perfect recipe for… higher rental prices? A new report shows that rental prices made a sharp jump in March, amplifying already accelerated growth in small cities and traditionally cheaper purpose-built rentals. It’s a little weird to see Toronto and Halifax rental […]
Just a few years ago, Canada was scrambling to fill a record volume of vacant jobs. Now it’s struggling to cope with the volume of excess workers. Statistics Canada (Stat Can) data shows companies added more workers to their payrolls in January. However, job vacancies fell to the lowest level since 2017, making it the […]
Canadian households are anxious about the economy, despite the parade of above-normal expectations. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index plunged to a new record low in March. Economists at BMO wrote to investors explaining its no surprise with the trade war compounding cost of living pains. They also don’t see any improvements on the horizon. […]
Canadian mortgage borrowers waiting on the central bank may be disappointed by its latest move. The Bank of Canada (BoC) cut its overnight rate by 0.25 points to 2.75% on Tuesday. Many professionals applauded the decision, believing it would improve mortgage affordability. Unfortunately, that may not be the case, as the decision boosted inflation expectations […]
Canadian household debt has been showing big improvements. A combination of rate hikes that slowed borrowing, and recent rate cuts are delivering repayment relief. Before popping that bottle of HELOC-finance champagne, this may be the calm before the storm, warns BMO. Several economic headwinds, primarily the trade war, are set to hit households. The central […]
