According to a report in the Globe and Mail, next week’s highly anticipated federal budget should only contain “modest” spending reductions and little to no intervention in the housing market. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty delivered these and other comments outside of a volunteer firefighter station in Ottawa last Thursday. During the announcement, Mr. Flaherty stated that he would like to … Read More
Harper Government Makes Moves to Protect Consumers
The Harper government announced Sunday that it would be moving forward with several measures to help Canadian consumers achieve greater control over their own finances. In a release posted to the Department of Finance Canada website, the Honourable Ted Menzies, Minster of State (Finances) and Shelly Glover, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance, announced that measures would be taken to ban … Read More
Should You Pay Off Debt or Invest in Your RRSP?
With the RRSP deadline looming, many Canadians are trying to make sense of their investment options. Personal debt levels in Canada have hit record highs, most of us don’t have a pension to fall back on and our retirement savings are far from adequate. Which leads us to the perennial problem: Should Canadian’s focus on paying off their mortgage and … Read More
Renters Could Drive Increase in Canadian Homeownership
According to a recent study conducted by TNS Canada, the nation’s housing market is expecting to see increased activity within the next two years. The online study, which was commissioned by TMG The Mortgage Group Canada, discovered that just under one third of Canadian renters are planning to buy real estate within the next two years. That amounts to a potential increase … Read More
CMHC Backing Fewer Loans: A Look at the Repercussions
Last week, The National Post reported on the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and their growing insurance load coverage. According to the story, the CMHC is edging closer to a $600-billion government-imposed limit on mortgage default insurance, backing nearly $541-billion in mortgages. If the demand grows for mortgage default insurance, the CMHC will need to request a limit extension … Read More