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U.S. Midterms Tuesday: What the Vote Could Mean for the Loonie, Tariffs and Your Portfolio

  Canadian Money Brief | Feature U.S. Midterms Tuesday: What the Vote Could Mean for the Loonie, Tariffs and Your Portfolio By MoneySavings.ca | Published November 1, 2026 Americans vote Tuesday in elections that will fill all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats. Canadians don't get a ballot, but we do get the consequences: a loonie that swung from an 18-month low to a six-week high in about two weeks, a tariff fight that has put 50% duties on roughly US$20 billion of our exports, and a lot of U.S. stock sitting inside our TFSAs and RRSPs. Here is how to think about all of it without trying to guess the winner. The short version: Nobody can reliably trade an election result. Forecasters lean toward Democrats winning the House, with the Senate closer. But history says the bigger market moves tend to come in the months after the vote, not on election night. For Canadians, the useful steps are practical: convert U.S. dollars in pieces, know how much U.S. stock you hold, and don't...

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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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