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The Loonie Just Hit a 14-Month Low — Here's What It's Costing You

   Saturday, July 25, 2026 The Canadian dollar has slid to its weakest level since April 2025, and speculators are betting it has further to fall. Here's why it's happening and what it actually means for your wallet. If you've bought anything in U.S. dollars lately — a flight, an Amazon.com order, a hotel for a Florida trip — you may have noticed the exchange rate isn't doing you any favours. The Canadian dollar touched 1.4248 per U.S. dollar (about 70.2 U.S. cents ) last week, its weakest level in 14 months, before steadying closer to 1.41 . It's not just a bad week. Currency speculators have piled into bets against the loonie so aggressively that the Canadian dollar has overtaken the Japanese yen as the most heavily shorted major currency in the world, according to data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Net short positions against the CAD hit roughly US$12.5 billion — the largest bearish bet on the loonie since December 2024. Why the loonie is ...

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Federal Government Boosts Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund with Additional $36 Million

 

The Canadian federal government has recently allocated an additional $36.4 million to the Vaccine Injury Compensation Fund, a program designed to support individuals who have experienced serious injuries or fatalities related to vaccines since the end of 2020. Here are the key details:

  1. Purpose of the Fund:

    • The program was established shortly after COVID-19 vaccines became available to the public.
    • It provides financial compensation to people who suffered adverse effects due to Health Canada-approved vaccines.
    • The goal is to assist those who were seriously impacted by vaccination.
  2. Funding and Administration:

    • The Liberal government initially earmarked $75 million for the first five years of the program.
    • A private firm called OXARO manages the program and disburses valid claims originating outside of Quebec.
    • To date, OXARO has received $56.2 million from Ottawa and has paid out $11.2 million in compensation.
    • Quebec has its own vaccine injury compensation program, which received $7.75 million when the federal program launched.
  3. Recent Funding Boost:

    • As part of the federal budget, the government allocated an additional $36 million to OXARO and Quebec.
    • This funding covers the next two years of the program.
    • The Public Health Agency of Canada contracted OXARO to ensure an impartial claims process.
  4. Eligibility and Claims:

    • The program covers injuries and deaths associated with vaccines approved for any illness.
    • Eligibility criteria include severe, life-threatening, or life-altering injuries resulting in disability, incapacity, birth defects, or death.
    • The available statistics do not specify which vaccines were involved.
  5. Rare Adverse Reactions:

    • Serious adverse reactions to vaccines are extremely rare (affecting less than one in a million people).
    • Nevertheless, the government recognizes its duty to provide support when such reactions occur.
    • Ottawa has also made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for travel and federal public service employment.

In summary, the additional funding aims to ensure that those affected by vaccine-related injuries receive appropriate compensation while maintaining an impartial claims process. The program underscores the importance of vaccine safety and accountability in public health efforts. 


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