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Monday’s CPI Could Decide Your Next Mortgage Payment

  Canada lost 68,000 jobs in September. Inflation is sitting at 3%. The Bank of Canada has to decide on October 28 which of those facts matters more, and on Monday morning one more number lands to help it choose. If you carry a variable-rate mortgage, a HELOC or a renewal this winter, that number has a price tag. Two reports pulling in opposite directions The jobs data came first. Statistics Canada reported on October 9 that employment fell by 68,000 in September, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.5% from 6.4%. It followed a drop of about 42,000 in August, which means more than half of the 181,000 jobs gained between April and July have now been wiped out. Ontario shed 20,000 positions on its own. Markets reacted within hours: the odds of a quarter-point Bank of Canada hike on October 28 dropped to roughly 25% from about 40%, according to LSEG data reported by Reuters. Inflation is telling the opposite story. The consumer price index rose 3.0% year over year in August, matching Ju...

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Ontario Unveils Ambitious Economic Update

 

Ontario’s Finance Minister, Peter Bethlenfalvy, is set to present the province’s fall economic statement today, which Premier Doug Ford describes as an ambitious plan aimed at building highways, hospitals, and homes. The update, often referred to as a mini-budget, will include several key measures designed to address affordability and infrastructure needs.

One of the headline announcements is a $200 rebate cheque for nearly every adult in the province, with an additional $200 for each child. This move, which has been met with both praise and criticism, is part of a broader strategy to provide immediate financial relief to Ontarians. Critics, however, have labeled it a “gimmick” and a “bribe” ahead of a potential early election in 2025.

The economic update will also extend the 5.7-cent gas tax cut through to June 2025, a measure that has been renewed bi-annually since July 2022. Additionally, the government plans to invest $225 million to break the Beer Store’s alcohol sales rights, allowing more corner stores and grocery outlets to sell alcohol.

Premier Ford emphasized that the economic update maintains the government’s path to balance, with the spring budget projecting deficits until 2026-27. The update is expected to provide clarity on the province’s debt, the cost of various government programs, and the overall economic outlook.

As the province navigates through these economic changes, the government’s focus remains on enhancing infrastructure and providing financial support to its residents.


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