The Bank of Canada today increased its target for the overnight rate to 1½%, with the Bank Rate at 1¾% and the deposit rate at 1½%. The Bank is also continuing its policy of quantitative tightening (QT). Inflation globally and in Canada continues to rise, largely driven by higher prices for energy and food. In Canada, CPI inflation reached 6.8% for the month of April – well above the Bank’s...

Ontario Government announces key changes to Real Estate & Business Broker Act effective next year New rules aim to increase consumer confidence and protection RECO is pleased to announce that the provincial government is making important changes to the law that governs real estate registrants (agents and brokerages) in Ontario. The changes will strengthen consumer protection and raise consumer...

The Bank of Canada has announced a 0.5% increase to its benchmark interest rate, a move that signals the central bank’s largest single rate hike for over two decades. The decision, revealed at the Bank’s third scheduled interest rate announcement of the year, marks the second consecutive hike to its trendsetting rate after March’s quarter-point increase, and means the policy rate now sits at...

TRREB ENCOURAGED BY FEDERAL BUDGET ACTIONS TO INCREASE SUPPLY OF HOUSING The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) is applauding the federal government for making housing affordability a priority of the 2022 Federal Budget but is questioning the need and effectiveness of some of the announced actions. Specifically, TRREB is encouraged that the budget includes initiatives intended to increase the...

  The Bank of Canada raised its policy interest rate Wednesday, pushing up borrowing costs for the first time since 2018 and kicking off a much-anticipated rate hike cycle despite heightened economic uncertainty caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The central bank’s governing council voted to increase the key overnight interest rate to 0.5 per cent from 0.25 per cent – the first step...