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5 Things to Know Today: BoC Decision Looms, TSX Sits Near Record Highs

  Saturday, July 11, 2026 Here's what Canadians need to know heading into the week, as markets brace for the Bank of Canada's rate decision and the CUSMA trade file keeps grinding along. 1. The Bank of Canada decides Wednesday, and a hold is all but locked in The Bank of Canada's next rate announcement lands July 15, and virtually every economist on Bay Street expects the overnight rate to stay parked at 2.25% — what would be a sixth straight pause. A stronger-than-expected June jobs report has taken away any urgency to cut, while cooling inflation and lingering trade uncertainty argue against a hike. Expect the accompanying statement to lean on familiar language: steady as she goes. 2. June's jobs report beat expectations, and the jobless rate ticked down Statistics Canada reported employers added roughly 18,000 jobs in June, ahead of forecasts and building on May's much larger 88,000-job gain. The unemployment rate slipped to 6.5%, back to where it stood in Januar...
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Provinces to Fund Nurse Practitioners for Primary Care by 2026

 

Starting in 2026, provincial and territorial health plans will cover primary care provided by nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and midwives. This change is part of a new interpretation of the Canada Health Act, which will take effect on April 1, 2026. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland announced that regulated health-care professionals who aren't doctors will be able to bill the government for medically necessary services that would otherwise be provided by a physician.

The move aims to address the shortage of primary care providers and ensure that patients are not paying out of pocket for necessary care. Holland emphasized that charging patients for these services isn't consistent with universal health care and that nurse practitioners should be able to bill the health-care system the same way doctors do.

This policy change is expected to relieve pressure on primary care physicians and improve access to needed care. The changes will be enforced through federal health transfer payments, which could be deducted if patients are charged for medically necessary care.




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