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BoC Opens the Door to Rate Hikes: What It Means for Your Mortgage

  Published September 4, 2026 The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% on September 2 — the seventh straight hold — but Governor Tiff Macklem didn't sound like a central banker done for the year. He told reporters the Bank is "prepared to raise interest rates, and if it takes more than one increase, we're prepared to do that," if inflation stays too high. That's a real shift in tone, and it lands right as a wave of Canadians hit their mortgage renewal date. Here's what changed, who's forecasting what, and what it actually means for your payment. Why the Bank Suddenly Sounds Hawkish Canada's annual inflation rate has climbed to around 3% — a full point above the Bank's 2% target — and the Bank is pointing squarely at energy prices. Oil has stayed elevated because of the Iran conflict and disruption near the Strait of Hormuz, pushing gas prices up and dragging headline CPI with it. Core inflation, which strips out food and energy, is still s...

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Israeli Forces Seize Crucial Rafah Border Crossing in Gaza

 

Israeli ground forces have seized control of the Gaza side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, effectively cutting off a vital route for humanitarian aid and potential sanctuary for civilians. The crossing has been a crucial entry point for supplies into the besieged enclave.

The Israeli 401st Brigade entered the Rafah crossing on Tuesday morning, a day after the Palestinian group governing Gaza said it accepted an Egyptian-Qatari mediated ceasefire proposal. However, Israel insisted that the deal did not meet its core demands. The seizure of the Rafah crossing comes as prospects for a ceasefire deal with Hamas hang in the balance.

The Rafah crossing is crucial for both aid and those able to flee into Egypt. Israeli leaders had long anticipated a military operation into the southern city, where some 1.4 million Palestinians, including more than 600,000 children, are sheltering. Despite warnings from the United Nations, United States, the European Union, and international humanitarian organizations that an attack would be catastrophic, Israel moved forward with its offensive.

Footage released by the Israeli military showed a tank entering the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing. Details of the video matched known features of the crossing, and Israeli flags were seen flying from tanks that seized the area. The military said its special forces were scanning the area and had been operating since Monday night in eastern Rafah. Evacuations were carried out, with Palestinians instructed to move towards al-Mawasi on the Mediterranean Sea coast, where a humanitarian zone with field hospitals, tents, and medical supplies had been set up. However, the Israeli military intensified its bombardment of the city, resulting in casualties.

As the situation unfolds, the seizure of the Rafah crossing puts ceasefire talks on a knife’s edge. The international community closely watches developments in the region, hoping for a resolution that will spare civilian lives and alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, with Israel’s insistence on achieving its aims and Hamas’s resistance, the path to peace remains uncertain.


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