Skip to main content

Featured

CUSMA Renewal Deadline Passes: What It Means for Your Wallet

  July 8, 2026 July 1 came and went without a full renewal of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Instead of locking in another 16-year term, the United States chose not to extend the deal in its current form, which means the trade pact now shifts into an annual review process for the next decade. Here's what that actually means for your money. What just happened All three countries had until July 1 to say whether they wanted to renew CUSMA. Because Washington opted against a full renewal, the agreement now gets reviewed annually rather than being locked in for over a decade. Canada's Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc confirmed the three countries agreed to keep talking, with Canada specifically pushing to address sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos, and lumber. Any of the three countries can still walk away entirely with six months' notice. The good news: most trade stays tariff-free For now, the status quo holds. The bulk of Canadian exports to the U.S....

article

Canada's Job Market Soars in December: 91,000 Jobs Added, Surpassing Expectations

 

Canada's economy experienced a remarkable surge in job growth in December 2024, adding an impressive 91,000 jobs, far exceeding economists' expectations of 25,000. This significant increase brought the unemployment rate down to 6.7% from 6.8% in November.

The job gains were primarily in full-time positions, with notable increases in educational services, health care and social assistance, finance, and transportation. The public sector saw the addition of 40,000 jobs, while the private sector added 27,000 jobs. Additionally, the number of self-employed individuals rose by 24,000, marking the first increase since February.

Despite the positive job growth, the average hourly wage rose by 3.8% year-over-year, a slight decline from previous months. Economists have noted that while the job market's performance was better than anticipated, there is still room for improvement, and further interest rate cuts may be necessary to reduce excess capacity in the economy.

Overall, the strong job market performance in December 2024 signals a positive end to the year and raises questions about the Bank of Canada's future interest rate decisions.



Comments