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Stellantis May Abandon Brampton for Good: What It Means for Ontario Jobs

  Published August 18, 2026 With less than 24 hours left before Washington's 50% tariff deadline hits at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the headlines are all about cement, wine, and dairy. But the real fight holding up a deal is happening in the auto sector — and this week it collided with a story much closer to home: Stellantis is weighing whether to walk away from its Brampton, Ont. assembly plant for good. Put those two stories together and you get a clearer picture of what's actually at stake for Ontario workers, renters, and taxpayers than any tariff-deadline countdown can show on its own. The Trade Deal Is Stuck on Auto Rules, Not Wine or Cement Canadian and U.S. negotiators have been in Washington for a week trying to head off Trump's Section 338 tariffs — a rarely used trade law that, unlike earlier rounds, doesn't recognize USMCA certificates of origin for the goods it covers. Autos, alcohol, and dairy are all on the list, but autos are the sticking point. Canada is pu...

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Canadian Rent Market Cools: Average Asking Rent Hits 18-Month Low

Canada’s rental market is showing signs of relief for tenants as average asking rents fell to $2,100 in January 2025—an 18‐month low that represents a 4.4% year-over-year decline.

This marks the fourth consecutive month of annual decreases following 38 straight months of rising rents, indicating a potential turning point in the market.

The drop was most pronounced in the secondary rental market, with condo apartments decreasing by 6.5% and houses and townhomes by 8.9%, while purpose-built rental apartments experienced a modest decline of just 1.7%.

Urbanation President Shaun Hildebrand attributed the downward trend to heightened economic risks, a slowdown in international population inflows, and multi-decade highs in apartment completions, all of which are contributing to improved affordability for renters.

Regional differences remain notable: Ontario recorded the steepest decline, with apartment rents dropping 5.2% to an average of $2,329, whereas British Columbia—despite a 2.6% decrease—remains the priciest rental market at $2,463.

Despite these declines, current rental prices are still 5.2% higher than they were two years ago and 16.4% above rates from three years ago, underscoring persistent pressures in the market.

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