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Bank of Canada Says More Rate Hikes Could Be Coming: What It Means for Your Mortgage and HELOC

  Canadian Money Brief  |  November 11, 2026 Bank of Canada Says More Rate Hikes Could Be Coming: What It Means for Your Mortgage and HELOC By the MoneySavings.ca team  •  6 min read The Bank of Canada raised its key rate on October 28, the first increase since 2023. Yesterday it signalled it may not be done. The summary of deliberations, released Tuesday, says Governing Council agreed there could be a need to raise the policy rate further, while taking decisions one meeting at a time. If you carry a variable-rate mortgage or a home equity line of credit (HELOC), that is a headline worth a few minutes. Here is what the Bank said, what another hike would cost, and what you can do before the next decision on December 9 . 2.50% Policy rate since Oct 28 4.70% Big-bank prime since Oct 29 3.5% BoC CPI forecast, end of 2026 Dec 9 Next rate decision What the Bank actually said The core of the story is energy. The Bank notes that the war in the Middle East is in its eig...

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Canada Post Strike Disrupts Black Friday Sales and Holiday Shipments

 

The ongoing Canada Post strike has significantly disrupted Black Friday sales and holiday shipments, causing frustration among businesses and consumers alike. The strike, which began on November 15, 2024, has now entered its third week, with over 55,000 postal workers demanding improved wages and job security.

The timing of the strike couldn't be worse, as the period leading up to Black Friday and the holiday season is typically the busiest time of the year for Canada Post. The Crown corporation has reported missing out on delivering approximately 10 million parcels since the strike began. This has forced many small businesses to seek alternative, often more expensive, shipping options.

Retail analyst Bruce Winder noted that while larger retailers with their own logistics networks are less affected, small businesses are bearing the brunt of the strike. "The price increase from Canada Post to couriers is significant, and most small businesses can't afford to absorb these costs," Winder said.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), added that some small businesses might take a loss this season just to get goods out the door and avoid inventory pileups in the new year. "If we don't have the strike resolved this week, most merchants are not going to be able to use Canada Post as a reliable delivery service," Kelly warned.

Even if the strike is resolved soon, it will likely take weeks for Canada Post to clear the backlog of unsent items and catch up with the demand. This means that many holiday packages may not arrive until after Christmas, causing further inconvenience for consumers and businesses.

The strike has also highlighted the vulnerability of rural and remote communities that rely solely on Canada Post for their mail delivery. "Everyone saying we don't need Canada Post obviously doesn't live in a rural area that couriers don't come to," one consumer commented online.

As negotiations between Canada Post and the union continue, businesses and consumers are left hoping for a swift resolution to minimize the impact on the holiday season.



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