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Nerve Block Therapy Offers Hope for Migraine Sufferers

                           Calgary neurologist Dr. Serena Orr injecting a patient to help treat migraines.  Researchers in Calgary are spotlighting a promising treatment for people living with severe migraines: occipital nerve blocks . This approach involves injecting a small amount of anesthetic near the occipital nerves at the back of the head, which can interrupt pain signals and provide rapid relief. Neurologist Dr. Serena Orr of the University of Calgary has been at the forefront of this research, recommending updates to the American Headache Society’s guidelines for emergency departments. The new recommendations encourage doctors to consider nerve blocks as a frontline option for patients arriving with debilitating migraine attacks. Patients who have received the treatment report significant improvement. Some describe it as the first time they’ve been able to escape the crushing pain, nausea,...

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New Mortgage Policies Expected to Drive Canadian Home Prices Higher in 2025

 

According to a recent analysis by TD Economics, new federal mortgage policies are set to boost Canadian home prices in 2025. These policies, which include raising the cap on insured mortgages and extending amortization periods for first-time homebuyers, are expected to provide a secondary tailwind to the housing market.

The new measures, effective December 15, 2024, will increase the insured mortgage cap from $1 million to $1.5 million, allowing more Canadians to qualify for mortgages with lower down payments. Additionally, first-time homebuyers and purchasers of new builds will be able to take out loans with a 30-year amortization period.

TD Economics predicts that these changes will result in home sales and average prices being two to four percentage points higher by the end of 2025 than they would have been without the new policies. However, the report also warns that the initial boost in affordability may erode over time, potentially slowing sales volume and price growth by the end of 2026.

While these policies are not expected to trigger a housing boom on their own, they will complement lower interest rates and improving economic conditions, contributing to a more robust housing market. The changes come amid an ongoing affordability crisis driven by population growth, sluggish new construction, and inflation.

Overall, the new federal mortgage policies aim to make homeownership more accessible to Canadians, particularly younger generations, while also addressing the broader housing market challenges.


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