Skip to main content

Featured

5 Things to Know Today: Inflation Data, a Tariff Countdown, and a Big Energy Deal

  August 17, 2026 Inflation data lands this morning, the clock on the U.S. tariff deadline is down to two days, and a long-running provincial energy dispute is about to be settled. Here's what's moving your money today. 1. Today's Inflation Report Could Set the Tone for September Statistics Canada releases July's Consumer Price Index this morning. Economists are expecting the annual rate to tick up to roughly 2.9%, from 2.8% in June, mainly because gasoline prices swung higher again in July after the Middle East conflict pushed oil prices back up. Core inflation measures, which the Bank of Canada watches most closely, aren't expected to move much. What it means for you: A hotter-than-expected print would make it less likely the Bank of Canada cuts rates at its September 2 meeting, which matters if you're renewing a variable-rate mortgage or carrying a line of credit. A softer number keeps a cut on the table. 2. The Tariff Deadline Is Two Days Away, and Talks Are...

article

Ontario Cancels $100M Starlink Deal Amid Escalating Trade Tensions

 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced the cancellation of a $100-million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service, a move aimed squarely at countering U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods. The contract—signed last November as part of Ontario’s initiative to deliver high-speed internet to 15,000 remote and rural premises—will now be scrapped amid a broader decision to ban American companies from provincial contracts until the tariffs are removed. 

Ford emphatically stated on social media that Ontario “won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy,” attributing the policy shift to President Trump’s tariff actions. He warned that U.S.-based businesses could lose “tens of billions of dollars” in new revenue as a result. This decisive step is just one element of Ontario’s wider strategy to respond to the escalating trade dispute, which has already seen retaliatory tariffs imposed by both Canada and the United States. 

Comments