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Big Six Banks Raise Fixed Mortgage Rates: What Your Renewal Costs Now

  Canadian Money Brief • Mortgages Updated Saturday, October 17, 2026 If your mortgage term ends this winter, the rate you saw advertised in August is probably gone. All six of Canada’s big banks have raised fixed rates since early September, and the Bank of Canada hasn’t touched its policy rate in almost a year. That disconnect catches a lot of homeowners off guard. Your fixed mortgage rate doesn’t follow the Bank of Canada. It follows the bond market. And bond yields have been climbing on oil-driven inflation worries, which means the people feeling it first right now are the ones opening a renewal letter. The numbers at a glance Up to 0.50 pt in fixed-rate increases at the big banks in about five weeks • BoC policy rate still 2.25% • Big bank prime still 4.45% • About $110 a month more on a $400,000 balance from a half-point jump How far have the big banks moved? Depending on the term, some big bank fixed rates are up by as much as half a percentage point in roughly five week...
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The Thirst Crisis in Gaza: A Struggle for Survival

 

The Gaza Strip faces an escalating water crisis, with clean sources becoming increasingly scarce due to ongoing conflict and infrastructure damage. Hundreds of thousands of residents have lost access to clean water after the destruction of pipelines and wells during military offensives. Many are forced to walk long distances to fill containers from the few remaining wells, which often fail to provide safe drinking water.

The Coastal Aquifer Basin, Gaza's only natural water source, is severely depleted and polluted, rendering up to 97% of its water unfit for human consumption. Desalination plants and sanitation facilities have also been heavily damaged, leaving the population with limited options. The daily water supply has dropped to an average of 3-5 liters per person, far below the minimum needed for basic survival.

This crisis highlights the urgent need for humanitarian aid and sustainable solutions to ensure access to clean water for Gaza's 2.3 million residents. Without immediate intervention, the situation could worsen, threatening lives and livelihoods across the region.

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