The Canadian housing market rolled back progress, ending the year worse than 2024. Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) data shows home prices fell sharply in December. The unusually large drop was accompanied by falling sales and one of the strongest turnouts for sellers on record. The combination suggests the market isn’t firming, but may be […]
The Great Canadian migration to small towns wasn’t just a pandemic blip—it’s just getting started. Statistics Canada (StatCan) just released its 2025 urban (CMA) population estimates, and it reveals urbanization has stalled for the first time in decades. This isn’t just slower population growth—urban residents and new immigrants are increasingly avoiding Canada’s largest, most expensive […]
Canada’s real estate slump is hitting the rental market. Rentals.ca data shows average rent fell in December, now at the lowest level since mid-2023. High-priced cities accounted for virtually the whole drop, while affordable cities led growth. The divergence has cut the gap between the most and least expensive cities in half. Are expensive markets […]
It’s only the second week of 2026, but most Canadians have already written the year off. MNP’s latest Consumer Debt Index survey shows households expect rising inflation, deteriorating housing affordability, and worsening public finances. While some are tightening budgets and seeking advice, many—especially young adults—are checking out entirely. One thing most Canadians agree on? Life […]
Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s top stories. Canadian Real Estate Canada’s Jobless Count Soars by 73k, Second-Worst Spike Since 2020 Canada’s job market just wiped out months of progress. The unemployment rate jumped 0.3 points to 6.8% in December, a 4-month high. It works out to 73.0k more unemployed people, the second-biggest […]
Canada’s central bank won’t love what the latest trade data says about the economy. Statistics Canada’s (StatCan) latest merchandise trade data shows a return to deficit territory in October due to surging imports. Demand is running so hot it’s seeking its fix abroad, while demand for Canadian goods is failing to keep up. The imbalance […]
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. […]
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 […]
Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s top stories. Canadian Real Estate Canadian Housing Affordability Improves, Still Near 90s Peak: RBC RBC data shows housing affordability has improved for a seventh straight quarter. The bank estimates a median household needs to spend 53.2% of its disposable income on ownership costs in Q3. If that […]
