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What to Actually Buy (or Skip) Before the Aug. 19 Tariffs Hit

  Pulished August 15, 2026 Four days out, the "stock up now" advice making the rounds is mostly aimed at exporters, not shoppers. Here's what genuinely moves the needle on your car, wine, and grocery bill — and what's just noise. At 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, a new round of U.S. tariffs is set to hit roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian exports — dairy, alcohol, and vehicles among them — unless Ottawa and Washington reach a deal first. As of this weekend, the signals are genuinely mixed. Canada's chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, told a government advisory group Friday that there's still "a significant amount of work to do," with talks expected to run through the weekend. At the same time, industry executives following the negotiations told the Washington Post the two sides are inching closer to an arrangement that would pair Canadian concessions on autos, alcohol, and dairy with commitments on energy, defence, and critical minerals — in e...
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New Ontario real estate rules give sellers more options

 

Ontario has introduced new rules for real estate transactions that aim to provide more clarity and choice for buyers and sellers. The rules, which took effect on Friday, include the following changes:

  • Open bidding option: Sellers can now choose to disclose the prices of submitted bids to potential buyers, instead of keeping them secret. This is supposed to make the bidding process more transparent and fair, but it is not mandatory. Some experts say open bidding could reduce overbidding and lower prices, while others say it could have the opposite effect or harm sellers’ interests.
  • Designated representation: Buyers and sellers can now choose a designated representative from the same brokerage, instead of being subject to multiple representation. This means that the agent can advocate more actively for their client, instead of acting as a facilitator with limited advice. This is supposed to avoid conflicts of interest and improve the quality of service.
  • Improved disclosures: Brokers and brokerages have to provide more information to their clients, such as their role, duties, and fees. They also have to give them an information guide from the Real Estate Council of Ontario (RECO), the regulatory body that oversees the industry. RECO also has new enforcement tools to ensure compliance and protect consumers.
  • Amended code of ethics: Agents have to follow an updated code of ethics that reflects the new rules and promotes professionalism and ethical conduct.

The new rules are part of Phase 2 of the changes under the Trust in Real Estate Services Act, which was passed in 2019. The federal government has also promised to end blind bidding as part of its home buyers’ bill of rights, but it is still consulting with stakeholders.

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