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Ottawa Wants to Raise Your Deposit Insurance to $250,000: What Changes (and What Doesn’t)

  For more than 20 years, the federal guarantee on your savings has been stuck at $100,000. In Thursday's budget, Ottawa proposed to raise it to $250,000. Here is what would change, what wouldn't, and why you shouldn't move a dollar yet. Today (unchanged since 2005) $100,000 per deposit category Proposed in Budget 2026 $250,000 per deposit category What Budget 2026 actually proposes The Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) protects your deposits if a member bank fails. The budget proposes amendments to the CDIC Act that would do four things: Raise the limit from $100,000 to $250,000 per deposit category, the first increase in more than two decades. Remove the limit entirely for eligible deposits held in registered and tax-free accounts. Today, the limit is $100,000 per account type at each institution. Add temporary high-balance coverage for life events such as selling a home. Require a review of the deposit insurance framework every 10 years. It isn't law yet. ...

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Are rate hikes over for Canada


The Canadian economy is expected to show a modest growth of 0.4% in the third quarter of 2023, according to the latest estimates from Statistics Canada. This is lower than the 0.6% expansion in the previous quarter, and well below the 2.1% growth rate that the Bank of Canada projected in July.

The weak GDP numbers have fueled the speculation that the country may be heading into a recession, as global trade tensions, lower oil prices, and household debt weigh on the economic outlook. 

However, not everyone is convinced that the situation is so dire. Some forecasters argue that the third quarter slowdown was mainly due to temporary factors, such as a strike at a major auto plant, a drop in agricultural output due to drought, and a slowdown in housing construction. They expect that the economy will rebound in the fourth quarter, as these factors dissipate and consumer spending picks up.

Moreover, some forecasters point out that the inflation rate remains within the central bank's target range of 1% to 3%, suggesting that there is no need for further monetary stimulus. They also note that the labour market remains strong, with the unemployment rate at a near-record low of 5.5%, and wage growth at a solid 3.2%.

Therefore, some forecasters believe that the Bank of Canada will maintain its wait-and-see approach, and keep interest rates unchanged until there are clear signs of either a sustained recovery or a prolonged downturn. They argue that the central bank has already done enough to support the economy, by cutting interest rates three times in 2022, and that any further easing could fuel financial imbalances and inflationary pressures.

In summary, the GDP numbers for the third quarter of 2023 are likely to spark more debate about the state of the Canadian economy and the direction of monetary policy. However, some forecasters are more optimistic than others, and think that the rate hikes are over for now, unless there is a significant change in the economic conditions.

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