Skip to main content

Featured

How the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Is Hitting Your Wallet Right Now

Published May 17, 2026  |  Category: Oil Prices & Energy  |  By MoneySavings.ca If you've winced lately at the gas pump or noticed your grocery bill creeping up, you're not imagining it. A geopolitical crisis unfolding halfway around the world — at a narrow strip of water between Iran and Oman — is directly squeezing Canadian budgets. Here's everything you need to know, and what you can do about it. What Is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway just 33 kilometres wide at its tightest point, connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Despite its modest size, it is the world's single most critical energy chokepoint. Before this crisis, roughly 20 million barrels of oil moved through it every single day — about 20% of all the world's seaborne oil supply, plus significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Think of it as the world's energy jugular vein. When it gets blocked, the entire planet feels it. What Happened? On Februa...

article

Trudeau Announces $15 Billion Boost to Housing Program

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has unveiled plans for a $15 billion increase to the Apartment Construction Loan Program (ACLP) as part of Budget 2024. This significant boost aims to construct a minimum of 30,000 new apartments across Canada.

As part of this announcement, the Prime Minister also introduced the Canada Builds program. This initiative will partner with provinces and territories to build rental housing, providing federal financing under certain conditions. These conditions include complementing federal funding with their own investments, utilizing government, non-profit, community-owned, and vacant lands, and streamlining development approval timelines to no longer than 18 months.

The Apartment Construction Loan Program, launched in 2017, has already committed over $18 billion in loans to support the creation of more than 48,000 new rental homes. With this top-up, the program’s financing is now on track to build over 131,000 new apartments within the next decade. Reforms announced alongside this boost include extending loan terms and broadening access to financing for housing aimed at students and seniors.

This move represents a significant step toward addressing Canada’s housing challenges and ensuring affordable housing options for citizens. As the country continues to grow, initiatives like the ACLP play a crucial role in meeting the housing needs of Canadians.


Comments