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Is Now a Good Time to Rent vs. Buy in Canada?

After years of brutal rent hikes that left many Canadians feeling priced out of their own cities, something has quietly shifted: rents are finally falling. But does that mean you should lock in a lease and wait out the housing market — or is this actually the window you've been waiting for to buy? The answer, as always, depends on your city, your finances, and your plans. Here's a clear-eyed breakdown of where things stand in 2026. What's Happening With Rents Right Now The Canadian rental market has undergone a dramatic reversal. After vacancy rates hit record lows in 2023 and rents surged by as much as 8% nationally in a single year, the tide has turned. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments rose to 3.1% in October 2025 — up from 2.2% in 2024 and a record low of just 1.5% in 2023. That 3.1% figure now sits above the 10-year historical average , marking a meaningful shift in the bal...

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Tariff Shock: Overnight Gas Prices Set to Jump by At Least 10%

 

New U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican oil imports are poised to hit the gas pump hard. President Trump’s recent move—imposing a 10% duty on Canadian energy products and a steeper 25% tariff on Mexican oil—is expected to drive refining costs upward, with consumers likely to bear the brunt.

Experts warn that as U.S. refineries, particularly those in the Midwest and Gulf Coast, struggle to adjust to higher input costs from a trade-disrupted oil market, gas prices could spike by at least 10% overnight. “Expect fuel prices will rise noticeably if oil and refined products are not exempt,” said a leading analyst, emphasizing that the cost pressures will quickly transfer to consumers at the pump citeturn0search2.

The tariffs, intended to pressure trade partners on issues like illegal immigration and drug smuggling, come at a time when the U.S. imports roughly 4 million barrels per day of Canadian oil and over 450,000 barrels per day from Mexico. With refineries largely set up to process these specific types of crude, finding alternative sources won’t be an easy fix.

While some industry insiders hope that temporary exemptions might be negotiated to alleviate consumer pain, many remain skeptical. As the tariffs take effect, American drivers may soon notice a significant, immediate impact on fuel prices, adding a new challenge to an already complex economic landscape citeturn0search0.

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