8 Sep

Economic Insights from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

The Bank of Canada has a single mandate—to ensure that inflation returns to the 2% target. This means that the Bank will raise interest rates if inflation is too high and lower interest rates if inflation is too low. The U.S. Federal Reserve, in contrast, has a dual mandate—to maximize employment given a 2% target […]

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8 Sep

Back to School: Teaching Kids About Money

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

Financial independence is a critical skill for future success that your children will not learn anywhere else. Not only does financial literacy help your children have more success in life, but it allows them to move out sooner and it avoids delaying your retirement with additional expenses to support them. So, how do you teach […]

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8 Sep

Market Beware: Condition-Free Offers

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

When it comes to purchasing a home, most offers include “conditions” (or “subjects” if you are in the provinces of British Columbia or Manitoba), which are requirements or criteria to be met before the sale can be finalized and the property is transferred. Some of the most common conditions include: Financing approval Home inspection Fire/home […]

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9 Aug

Economic Insights from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

The Bank of Canada remains staunch in its battle against inflation, utilizing its primary weapon—the overnight policy rate—which has escalated from 25 basis points to 500 bps since March 2022. This historically low overnight rate was a direct consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing measures to cushion the economic impact of the lockdowns. These […]

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9 Aug

Best Summer BBQ Tips

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

It’s the season of outdoor parties and a summer BBQ is the perfect way to enjoy time with friends and family! For some tips on how to make this year’s get-together your best one yet, check out my list below: Set the Mood: String up fairy lights, plug in a radio with some of your […]

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9 Aug

Converting Your Basement to an Income Suite

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

With the current interest rates and economic scenarios, many Canadians may be looking for ways to bring in some extra cash. One option for this is to put your home equity to work and consider renovating your basement into a legal income suite! You can do this by using a secured credit line (home equity […]

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7 Jun

First Home Savings Account (FHSA)

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is specifically designed to help first-time homebuyers save for their down payment without having to pay taxes on the interest earned on their savings. This means that the interest earned on the savings in the account is not taxed, nor are withdrawals from the account. Plus, since your contributions […]

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7 Jun

10 Money Saving Tips!

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

When it comes to saving money, there are a lot of little things you can do that add up to make a big difference! Here are 10 of my favourite money-saving tips to help get you started today: Automatic Savings are one of the most effective ways to save because you can’t spend what you […]

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7 Jun

Economic Insights from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

Once again, the Canadian economy is running hotter than expected by the Bank of Canada. The economy continues to exhibit excess demand conditions. In particular, labour markets are very tight, the unemployment rate is near a record low, and wages are rising by more than 5%. Consumer spending is still strong, and the housing market […]

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3 May

Economic Insights from Dr. Sherry Cooper

General

Posted by: Peter Pellegrini

It has been just over a year since the Bank of Canada started hiking interest rates. While the economy has remained surprisingly resilient, the housing market has weakened sharply. The Bank has remained on the sidelines for the past two Governing Council announcement dates, and home sales have edged upward in very tight markets. There […]

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