Skip to main content

Featured

The 4% Rule Just Dropped to 3.9% — But Your RRIF Doesn't Care

  Published August 5, 2026 Morningstar's newest research says retirees can safely start withdrawing 3.9% a year. Ottawa's RRIF rules don't ask what's "safe" — they just tell you how much to take out, whether the math agrees or not. For years, the shortcut retirees leaned on was simple: take out 4% of your portfolio in your first year of retirement, bump it up with inflation every year after, and your savings should last three decades. Morningstar's 2026 State of Retirement Income report just trimmed that number to 3.9%. On its own, that's a small adjustment. On a $500,000 portfolio, it's the difference between withdrawing $19,500 or $20,000 in year one. But for Canadians, the number that actually controls the withdrawal isn't Morningstar's — it's the Canada Revenue Agency's. And once your RRSP becomes a Registered Retirement Income Fund, the CRA's required minimum can blow right past whatever a "safe" withdrawal rate i...

article

Canada’s Railways and Union in Critical Talks as Midnight Deadline Looms

 

Canada’s two major freight railroads, Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), are currently embroiled in intense labor negotiations. The stakes are high: if an agreement isn’t reached by midnight, thousands of workers could face a lockout. This would halt the movement of approximately $1 billion worth of goods that traverse these companies’ tracks daily.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged both sides to continue their efforts at the negotiation table. He emphasized that millions of Canadians, workers, farmers, and businesses across the country are counting on a resolution. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Business Council of Canada, Canadian Federation of Independent Business, and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters have also called on the federal government to take immediate action to keep trains running and goods flowing.

The situation remains tense, and the outcome will have significant implications for the Canadian economy. Let’s hope that a last-minute agreement can be reached to avert a major rail stoppage. 

Comments