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Is Now a Good Time to Rent vs. Buy in Canada?

After years of brutal rent hikes that left many Canadians feeling priced out of their own cities, something has quietly shifted: rents are finally falling. But does that mean you should lock in a lease and wait out the housing market — or is this actually the window you've been waiting for to buy? The answer, as always, depends on your city, your finances, and your plans. Here's a clear-eyed breakdown of where things stand in 2026. What's Happening With Rents Right Now The Canadian rental market has undergone a dramatic reversal. After vacancy rates hit record lows in 2023 and rents surged by as much as 8% nationally in a single year, the tide has turned. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments rose to 3.1% in October 2025 — up from 2.2% in 2024 and a record low of just 1.5% in 2023. That 3.1% figure now sits above the 10-year historical average , marking a meaningful shift in the bal...

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Healthy Meals: Restaurant-Style Beef and Broccoli

               beef, broccoli, green onions, and red peppers on plate with rice in the background

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup oyster sauce
  • ⅓ cup sherry
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ¾ pound beef round steak, cut into 1/8-inch thick strips
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
  • 1 thin slice of fresh ginger root
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 pound broccoli, cut into florets

Directions

  1. 1.  Whisk oyster sauce, sherry, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl; stir until sugar has dissolved.

  2. 2.  Place steak in a shallow bowl. Pour oyster sauce mixture over meat and stir to coat; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

  3. 3.  Heat vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic; let sizzle for about 1 minute to flavor oil, then remove and discard. Stir in broccoli. Toss and stir until bright green and almost tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove broccoli from the wok and set aside.

  4. 4.  Add a little more oil to the wok, if needed, then add beef with marinade. Stir and toss until sauce thickens and turns shiny and meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Return broccoli to the wok; stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.

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