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Five Key Tax Changes Coming in 2026: What Canadians Need to Know

  As 2026 approaches, Canadians can expect several important updates to the federal tax system. These changes affect retirement planning, income tax brackets, and a range of credits that influence how much individuals and families will owe—or save—when filing their returns. Here’s a quick look at five of the most notable adjustments. 1. Higher RRSP Contribution Limits Canadians will be able to contribute more to their Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) in 2026, thanks to inflation indexing. The increased limit gives savers more room to reduce taxable income while building long‑term retirement security. 2. Updated Federal Tax Brackets Income tax brackets will shift upward to reflect inflation. This means more of your income will be taxed at lower rates, helping offset rising living costs and preventing “bracket creep,” where inflation pushes taxpayers into higher tax brackets without real income gains. 3. Increased Basic Personal Amount (BPA) The Basic Personal Amoun...

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Canada's Economy: Canadian dollar drops to six-day low amid U.S. inflation fears

                                                


The Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level in six days on Wednesday, as investors were rattled by higher-than-expected U.S. inflation data that raised the prospect of tighter monetary policy south of the border.

The loonie traded at 79.32 U.S. cents, down 0.6% from Tuesday's close, after touching a low of 79.25 earlier in the session.

The U.S. consumer price index jumped 0.9% in June from May, the largest monthly increase since June 2008, and rose 5.4% on a year-over-year basis, the highest annual rate since August 2008.

The data fueled fears that the U.S. Federal Reserve may have to start tapering its bond-buying program and raising interest rates sooner than expected, which could boost the U.S. dollar and weigh on riskier currencies like the loonie.

"The market is clearly concerned that the Fed is behind the curve and will have to act more aggressively than previously anticipated," said Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.

He added that the loonie was also pressured by a decline in oil prices, as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) agreed to increase output from August, easing supply concerns.

Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell 2.3% to $74.76 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped 2.8% to $73.13.

Cieszynski said the loonie could find some support from the Bank of Canada's policy decision on Wednesday, which is expected to maintain its current pace of bond purchases and keep its benchmark interest rate at 0.25%.

"The Bank of Canada has been more hawkish than the Fed, so that could provide some relief for the loonie," he said.

However, he noted that the bank may also express some caution about the outlook for the Canadian economy, given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the uncertainty over the reopening plans of some provinces.


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